Barclays Premier League

FT: LIVERPOOL 5 NORWICH 0

Liverpool score five against the Canaries for the second time this season, winning at a canter against a dreadfully disappointing and outclassed Norwich outfit. There was little to choose between the sides for the first quarter, but once Jordan Henderson produced a thumping half volley from the edge of the area for the opener on 26 minutes there was only going to be one winner. Luis Suarez failed in his bid for hat-tricks in three successive games against Norwich, but he did get on the scoresheet nine minutes from the interval after an excellent dummy by Daniel Sturridge, who netted himself just before the hour after being teed up by Stewart Downing. The fourth came via a sweet strike from Steven Gerrard midway through the second half and the unfortunate Norwich defender Ryan Bennett was responsible for the fifth, turning a cross from substitute Raheem Sterling into his own net.

IN NEED OF REINFORCEMENTS

Norwich target Gary Hooper has been on target for Celtic today in their home win over Hearts in the SPL. Two minutes of added time.

DRIVE CAREFULLY

You have to feel for these Norwich fans who face a difficult trip home tonight. They turned up today, but arguably their team didn't.

NORWICH SUBSTITUTION

Anthony Pilkington, who was left out today, comes on for the last six minutes. He takes the place of Robert Snodgrass.

NORWICH BOOKING

A tackle from Snodgrass on Gerrard borne out of frustration earns him the yellow card. Suarez bends the free-kick wide.

LIVERPOOL SUBSTITUTION

Jordan Henderson makes way for Joe Allen.

GOAL DETAILS

Sterling will get the assist for that one. He got in ahead of Turner before delivering a cross into the danger area. Bennett diverted the ball into his own net in trying to prevent it reaching Borini who would have been left with a tap-in himself.

GOAL: LIVERPOOL 5 NORWICH 0

Liverpool have a fifth, it's an own goal from Ryan Bennett.

KEY LOSS IN DEFENCE

Sebastien Bassong has enhanced his reputation further by sitting this game out through injury today. The Canaries have certainly missed his physical presence and leadership qualities at the back.

LIVERPOOL SUBSTITUTIONS

Brendan Rodgers makes a double switch with Raheem Sterling and Fabio Borini coming on for Lucas and Daniel Sturridge.

GOAL DETAILS

Glen Johnson went on a run down the left before pulling the ball back for the Liverpool captain, whose bouncing shot beat Bunn from 25 yards. The Norwich goalkeeper might have been a little unsighted there, but it was a quality strike.

GOAL: LIVERPOOL 4 NORWICH 0

Steven Gerrard scores a fourth for Liverpool.

NORWICH SUBSTITUTION

Wes Hoolahan, who until today had started every Premier League game for Norwich since their 5-2 home defeat by Liverpool earlier in the season, comes on for Elliott Bennett.

GOAL DETAILS

Downing picked up the ball and looked up before delivering an incisive cross between Bunn and his defenders for Sturridge to turn it in from close range. This could end up being a massacre, Norwich need to dig in.

GOAL: LIVERPOOL 3 NORWICH 0

Daniel Sturridge makes sure of the points for Liverpool.

STURRIDGE INCHES AWAY

Suarez twists and turns and his low cross just fails to pick out Sturridge. Garrido scrambles the ball behind for a corner. Downing then blasts wide from 25 yards.

MILES WIDE FROM WISDOM

A delightful crossfield pass from Gerrard picks out Wisdom on the opposite flank, but the young defender's shot ends up nearer the corner flag than the goal.

GREAT REACTIONS FROM BUNN

Bunn makes a brilliant save to deny Gerrard from close range, oblivious to the fact that the flag was already up for offside.

CHANCE FALLS TO HOLT

A long ball causes some consternation in the Liverpool defence. It drops to Tettey, whose shot ends up going well wide but could easily have been turned in by Holt had the striker been a little more alert.

IN NEED OF MORE FIREPOWER

It is easy to see why Norwich have been linked with Swansea's Danny Graham. Grant Holt often looks isolated up front on his own, as he has today and Chris Hughton certainly needs the option of playing two up front.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Liverpool get the second half under way, attacking the Kop end.

HT: LIVERPOOL 2 NORWICH 0

Jordan Henderson has not looked worth his £16 million price tag many times so far in his Liverpool career, but today has been one of them. The former Sunderland midfielder was ideally placed on the edge of the box when a loose ball ran to him off Luis Suarez and he produced an excellent half-volley to give the home side the lead after 26 minutes. Suarez doubled Liverpool's lead 11 minutes later, running clear after an excellent dummy by Daniel Sturridge to net his seventh goal against Norwich in the last three games. The visitors have worked very hard, but have created little. Ryan Bennett headed straight at the goalkeeper early on, but that's been just about it.

STURRIDGE DENIED A THIRD

Liverpool almost snatch a third after some excellent work by Suarez. Sturridge sees his shot saved by Bunn.

LIVERPOOL BOOKING

Glen Johnson is totally committed to the tackle and goes through the back of Snodgrass' legs to reach the ball. That's our first yellow card of the afternoon.

RARE NORWICH THREAT

Norwich are not far away from pulling one back from a set-piece, but after a mad scramble in the box Johnson sees his goalbound effort blocked.

GOAL DETAILS

It's a quality goal from the home side. A pass played from deep was dummied by Sturridge, leaving Suarez with a clear run on goal. The Uruguayan advanced before producing a left-foot shot across the goalkeeper that went in off the far post.

GOAL: LIVERPOOL 2 NORWICH 0

Luis Suarez doubles Liverpool's lead.

HENDERSON'S GOT THE TASTE

Henderson is full of confidence now. He collects a pass from Suarez and his volley from 35 yards is sweetly struck but straight at Bunn.

WISDOM HEADS OVER

Liverpool are ramping up the pressure here, looking for a second before the break. Gerrard delivers a corner from the right, but the delivery is too high for Wisdom and the full-back heads well over.

STRACHAN IN THE HOUSE

Here watching at Anfield today is new Scotland manager Gordon Strachan, presumably watching Norwich winger Robert Snodgrass.

CLOSE TO A SECOND

Norwich survive a scare from a Liverpool corner. Ryan Bennett was not far away from slicing the ball into his own net there.

GOAL DETAILS

That was a goal out of nothing. Suarez tried to dribble his way through the Norwich defence, Elliott Bennett just got a tackle in, but the ball ran to Henderson, who produced a sumptuous half-volley from the edge of the box that gave Bunn no chance.

GOAL: LIVERPOOL 1 NORWICH 0

Jordan Henderson gives Liverpool the lead.

DANGEROUS CROSS FROM WISDOM

Wisdom delivers a superb cross from the right which causes some consternation in the Norwich defence. Fortunately for the visitors, there were no strikers in the vicinity to capitalise.

TETTEY ESCAPES A CARD

Alex Tettey earns a talking-to from referee Michael Oliver after hacking down Glen Johnson. He is a little lucky to escape a yellow card.

FIRST NORWICH CORNER

Norwich win their first corner of the match and there is a roar of encouragement from the 1,800 travelling fans. The corner is aimed for Holt, but Liverpool clear.

SHOT WIDE FROM GERRARD

Gerrard tries his luck from long range, but the ball thuds into an advertising hoarding well wide of its intended target.

PUSHING FOR THE OPENER

A sign of how hard Liverpool are pressing here – we have just seen Jamie Carragher halfway inside the Norwich half during open play.

SUAREZ SHOT BLOCKED

Liverpool are turning up the heat. An audacious backheel from Suarez takes him away from Russell Martin and a sweeping move ends with the Uruguayan seeing his low shot blocked.

SHOT FROM STURRIDGE

Suarez finds Sturridge with a low ball into the box. The former Chelsea man turns well and manages a shot on target, but Bunn saves comfortably.

WELL SIDE BY DOWNING

Liverpool go straight up the other end and Downing shoots well wide.

BENNETT HEADER SAVED

Norwich are the first to threaten. A free-kick is curled into the box by Snodgrass and Ryan Bennett heads straight at the goalkeeper.

CHANGES IN MIDFIELD

Chris Hughton has rung the changes in the Norwich midfield today. It looks like Snodgrass is on the right, with Elliott Bennett on the left and Jonny Howson has been given the roaming role normally filled by Wes Hoolahan.

HEADER WIDE BY DOWNING

Suarez and Sturridge combine well. A cross by the Uruguayan from the left is headed well wide by Downing.

RARE START FOR CARRAGHER

Jamie Carragher is making only his second Premier League start today. The man he replaced, Martin Skrtel, is on the bench.

REINA OUT INJURED

Pepe Reina has a thigh strain, which is why Brad Jones is in goal for Liverpool today.

HERE WE GO

Norwich get the game under way.

TEAM NEWS

Liverpool make four changes to the side that lost at Old Trafford. Pepe Reina must have an injury, as he is not in the 18 and Brad Jones starts in goal. Jamie Carragher replaces Martin Skrtel at centre-back, Jordan Henderson comes in for Joe Allen, who is dropped and, most intriguingly of all, Daniel Sturridge plays up front alongside Luis Suarez, with Raheem Sterling the man to make way. Norwich also make four changes. Sebastian Bassong is not playing, which is a blow, and making way are Simeon Jackson, Anthony Pilkington and Wes Hoolahan. Coming into the side are the fit-again Grant Holt, Elliott Bennett, Ryan Bennett and Jonny Howson.

TODAY'S TEAMS

Liverpool: Jones, Wisdom, Carragher, Agger, Johnson, Gerrard, Lucas, Henderson, Suarez, Sturridge, Downing. Subs: Gulacsi, Allen, Borini, Sterling, Shelvey, Skrtel, Robinson. Norwich: Bunn, Martin, Ryan Bennett, Turner, Garrido, Elliott Bennett, Johnson, Howson, Snodgrass, Tettey, Holt. Subs: Rudd, Jackson, Pilkington, Hoolahan, Barnett, Tierney, Kane.

PREVIEW

Liverpool will be confident of maintaining their recent impressive home form and of completing their first league double of the season on Saturday when they welcome Norwich City to Anfield in the Premier League. Brendan Rodgers' side were beaten at Old Trafford last weekend, but they rallied strongly enough in the second half to suggest that better times might be around the corner. Norwich will be boosted by the return of Grant Holt, but they have struggled for form in recent weeks and will certainly have their hands full if Rodgers opts for a twin strike force of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge. Suarez is looking to complete the phenomenal feat of a hat-trick of hat-tricks in successive matches against the same opposition having netted six times in his last two outings against the Canaries. With away games at Arsenal and Manchester City upcoming, the Reds need a morale-boosting win to ensure they keep heading in the right direction. They may have suffered a shock home defeat by Villa a month ago, but it is hard to see them slipping up here. Today's game kicks off at 1500GMT, so join us around 30 minutes beforehand when we should have the confirmed team news, which will be followed by a match commentary.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Let's face it, when is Luis Suarez not the player to watch for Liverpool? Most weeks the controversial Uruguayan is making headlines either on the pitch or off it - sometimes both - and this week has been no exception. Suarez was in hot water with his own manger when he admitted in an interview to diving at Stoke in the attempt to win his side a penalty. But he's also the most likely Liverpool player by far to find the net for his team, with 15 Premier League goals to his credit already this season. As already mentioned, Suarez has made life a misery for Norwich's defence before and goes about his business with all the enthusiasm of a cat in a canary cage.

HEAD TO HEAD

Liverpool have the better head-to-head record in league meetings between the sides with 26 wins to 11 by Norwich and 12 games being drawn. At Anfield, the Merseysiders have 15 wins to four by Norwich, with a further five meetings ending up all square. The corresponding match last season on Oct. 22 finished in a 1-1 draw, Craig Bellamy's goal on the hour cancelling out a strike just before the interval from Grant Holt. Liverpool won the reverse fixture between these sides 5-2 on Sep. 29, with Luis Suarez netting three times. The Canaries' last win at Anfield was on Apr. 30 1994, Jeremy Goss getting the only goal.

FORM GUIDE

Liverpool start the day in eighth place, with 31 points from 22 games. Norwich are four places and five points worse off. The Reds have lost three times at home already this season, something that would have been unthinkable during their halcyon days. Having said that, they have just lost one at home in the last eight, but it was to Villa. And nobody loses to Villa. Liverpool lost at Manchester United last time out, though they put on a creditable display. They have won five and lost three of their last eight games. Norwich drew 0-0 at home with Newcastle last time out, ending a run of four successive defeats by the odd goal. They have won just one of 11 games away from home, 4-3 at Swansea on Dec. 12.

EARLY TEAM NEWS

Daniel Sturridge could be handed his first Premier League start after two goals in his first two games for Liverpool since joining from Chelsea. Glen Johnson will again play out of position at left-back because Spaniard Jose Enrique remains out with a hamstring problem. Joe Allen turned in a disappointing performance at Old Trafford and his place is under threat from Jordan Henderson. Norwich midfielder Jonny Howson is fit for selection again having recovered from the illness which kept him out of last week's game against Newcastle. Also returning to the squad is Andrew Surman, who is over his knee injury. Grant Holt is likely to regain his place in the starting line-up having recovered from the hamstring injury that limited him to a substitute's role against Newcastle. Defender Steven Whittaker (hip) and striker Steve Morison (knee) are both ruled out.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Today's referee is Michael Oliver, who made headlines in August 2010 when he took charge of the match between Birmingham City against Blackburn Rovers aged 25 years and 182 days, breaking Stuart Attwell's record as the youngest ever Premier League referee. It took Oliver a while to find his feet, and he had two early red cards overturned on appeal, but since then has proved himself to be an accomplished official. The Northumberland whistleblower has shown a total of 38 yellow cards in his 14 Premier League games to date this season and has dismissed one player, Aston Villa's Ciaran Clark, in the home defeat by Everton way back in August. Oliver's assistants today are John Flynn and Darren England, while Dean Whitestone is the fourth official.