Stats: How Rodgers has the best ratio

The Reds are averaging more than two goals per game in the league under the Northern Irishman, which is the best goals per game ratio of any Liverpool manager since their first, John McKenna, in 1896.

The last meeting of the teams came in the 2012 League Cup final at Wembley, with Liverpool winning on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Martin Skrtel and Dirk Kuyt scored for the Reds; Kuyt, Stewart Downing and Glen Johnson converted in the shoot-out after Steven Gerrard and Charlie Adam had both missed.

Liverpool's previous meeting with Cardiff also came in the League Cup, with the Reds winning at Anfield and Robbie Fowler making an appearance for the Welshmen.

The last league fixture involving the teams came on December 19, 1959 and saw the Bluebirds win 4-0 at Anfield to complete a second successive league double over the Reds.

That game was Bill Shankly's first match in charge of Liverpool and the home team included the likes of Ronnie Moran, Roger Hunt and Jimmy Melia.

The last top-flight meeting saw Cardiff win 1-0 at Anfield in April 1954 in the Reds' relegation campaign.

Liverpool's biggest home win over the Bluebirds came in 1927 when they won 5-0. The Reds have won only one of the last nine league meetings home and away, while there has not been a draw in any of the 15 previous Anfield meetings in league and cup.

Joe Allen's first ever goal in senior professional football came against Cardiff, for Swansea City in a 2-2 draw in April 2009.

Luis Suarez has scored five of Liverpool's last six hat-tricks. He has scored eight goals in his last three games.

He has scored more goals before Christmas in a Barclays Premier League season than any other Liverpool player - 17 in 11 games. Fowler scored 16 in 19 appearances in 1995-96.

He has scored 11 goals in his last four home games.

Suarez has scored in all five Anfield appearances since returning to the side in September. If he finds the net in this one he will become the first player since Fernando Torres in May 2008 to score in six in a row in the league. The Spaniard netted in eight in a row in that sequence.

If Liverpool score four or more goals today they will equal the club record set in 1895-96 and again in 1927-28 of scoring at least four times in five successive home league games.

Liverpool scored nine goals in their opening eight home league games of last season. In the same number this campaign they have hit 22.

Their current goal difference of +21 is their best ever after 16 games of a Premier League season. It is second only to Manchester City (+29)  this season. Only City have scored more home league goals this season (35) than Liverpool's 22.

Liverpool have scored five or more goals in league games on six occasions under Rodgers (54 matches). That is the same number they achieved under Rafael Benitez in his 228 games.

Cardiff have won their last two league visits to Anfield and three of the last four.

Last season, City finished as Championship winners with 87 points, 14 years after winning promotion from the fourth tier.

The Bluebirds will be Liverpool's 45th different Premier League opponent.

Peter Odemwingie has scored against Liverpool in each of his last two appearances, for West Brom, and his team won both games.

Malky Mackay has been in charge of Cardiff in 108 league games, winning 48.

Craig Bellamy came on as a substitute for Liverpool against Cardiff in the 2012 League Cup final; in two spells with Liverpool, the forward made 79 appearances, scoring 18 goals.

Cardiff have won one of their eight away league games this season - beating Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage in September, with Jordan Mutch scoring an injury-time winner.

They have won two of their last 10 games and have taken five points out of a possible 18 since beating Swansea in the South Wales derby.

City have scored four away league goals this season and none in the last four games, with 440 minutes of away football elapsing since Mutch gave the Welshmen the lead at Chelsea. Only Sunderland (two) have scored fewer on the road in the top flight this season.

All four of Cardiff's league victories this season have been by a one-goal margin.