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Heading into the season, few would have circled a mid-week December date with Leicester City on their calendars. After Liverpool's struggles this season, and coming out of a particularly horrid November that saw them play their worst football since the Roy Hodgson era, suddenly it's a hugely important match.
It's not just the fans who are feeling that way, either. The players, too, are looking at it as a big, important match. Or at the very least Kolo Toure is, with the voluble defender talking up the match as a chance for Liverpool to get their season back on track; to show that they are still a strong side deserving of a place amongst the league's best.
"I can't wait for them," insisted the Ivorian centre half. "It's so fantastic to play these big games, especially at this time when no one knows what to expect. That's why we all love football. It's a great opportunity to show how strong Liverpool Football Club is and all the players are looking forward to it. For me, I can't wait."
If Liverpool are going to build on Saturday's victory over Stoke City, nothing less than three points will do. With Leicester currently bottom of the table, on paper that seems an eminently manageable goal. Toure, though, isn't taking anything for granted, and he wants to use disappointment over recent performances spur them to a dominating performance.
"At the moment, Liverpool Football Club, we are not happy, and that's why it's going to be a great game," he said. "Every team is improving in the league. You can win against United or Chelsea, or lose against a QPR or another team, and that's why we all love the Premier League.
"You go anywhere and you can see players will give everything they've got to beat you. As a player, you want to show them that they can't beat you. That makes everything really exciting, which we all love."
