The 2011/12 Premier League season draws to a close on Sunday and Kenny Dalglish’s side will be hoping to sign off in style with a victory over Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium (3pm kick off UK time) in what will be just the 22^nd league encounter between the teams.

The sides drew 0-0 at Anfield back in November, with the goalkeepers from both clubs making the headlines for different reasons. Swansea’s Michel Vorm pulled off numerous excellent saves including two in the last two minutes to deny Luis Suarez and Glen Johnson, while Pepe Reina kept his 150^th clean sheet for Liverpool joining fellow legendary Reds stoppers Ray Clemence and Bruce Grobbelaar in achieving that milestone.

Liverpool’s last league visit to Swansea came during the 1982/83 season with the Reds securing a 3-0 win at Vetch Field thanks to a brace from Ian Rush and a Craig Johnston strike.

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Liverpool play their final home fixture of the 2011/12 league campaign tonight before travelling to Swansea on the last day of what has turned out to be a disappointing season for the Reds. Chelsea are the final visitors to Anfield (8pm kick off UK time) and although a win (or draw) won’t make up for losing the FA Cup final, it would put an end to Chelsea’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League via their league position.

Kenny Dalglish’s side recorded a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge back in November thanks to goals from Maxi and Glen Johnson. It was our second consecutive victory at Stamford Bridge and a win on Tuesday night would be our ^7th win in our last 11 league meetings against the Blues.

Although some may view this fixture against Roberto Di Matteo’s side as meaningless, there are a number of unwanted statistics that can be attached to this Liverpool side if we fail to beat the Blues (and Swansea on the final day of the season). Firstly, we need six points from our final two games to avoid ending the season with the lowest points tally by a Liverpool side since 1953/54. That season we ended the campaign being relegated with 28 points from 42 games (converted to 37 points using three points for a win). We currently have 49 points from 36 matches.

Secondly, our current tally of five wins at Anfield is the lowest since 1948/49 (five wins achieved over a 42 game season) while victory over Chelsea will equal the six home wins picked up in 1951/52 (again over a 42 game season).

Thirdly, Liverpool need to score four goals against Chelsea to equal our tally of 24 league goals scored at Anfield in 1903/04 (over a 34 game season). As it stands this Liverpool side have scored the fewest number of goals at Anfield in a single season since we were formed: 20 goals from 18 fixtures.

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It’s fair to say it’s been a funny old season for Liverpool, with wildly inconsistent league form coupled with impressive results in both domestic cup competitions that have seen us lift the League Cup and reach the final of the FA Cup. Our third trip to Wembley of the season pits us against Chelsea in the 131^st FA Cup final (5.15pm kick off UK time).

This will be our 14^th final in the world’s oldest domestic cup competition while Chelsea will be appearing in their 11^th final. Interestingly, this is Chelsea’s fourth FA Cup final in seven seasons.

The Reds have kept two clean sheets – against Newcastle Utd (1974) and Sunderland (1992) – in the previous 13 finals and of the 20 goals we’ve scored in those 13 finals, just two of them came in the first half; John Aldridge (4mins) v Everton in 1989 and Djibril Cisse (32mins) v West Ham Utd in 2006.

So what’s at stake aside from the glory of lifting a major trophy? The winners of the competition will earn £1.8m in prize money, while the runners up will receive £900k. So far both clubs have earned around £1.597m in prize money alone by reaching the final. Also awarded to the winners is a place in next season’s Europa League which Liverpool have already achieved from lifting the League Cup while Chelsea could yet qualify for next season’s Champions League from either winning the competition outright by beating Bayern Munich in the final or by finishing in 4^th place in the Premier League.

(Note: the FA Cup winners enter the Europa League at the Group Stage, while the League Cup winners enter at the 3^rd qualifying round so if Liverpool lift the FA Cup they will enter the EL at the Group Stage as the FA Cup takes precedence over the League Cup)

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Liverpool face Fulham in their penultimate fixture at Anfield and it will be interesting to see who Dalglish includes in the side with the not-so-small matter of the FA Cup final against Chelsea taking place just four days after we host Martin Jol’s team.

The Cottagers secured a 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage in December, thanks to a late Clint Dempsey strike after Jay Spearing was controversially sent off despite clearly winning the ball. As a result, Liverpool will be hoping to prevent Fulham from claiming their first league double – and first ever win at Anfield – as well as ensuring we head into the FA Cup final in a positive frame of mind, building on the emphatic victory over Norwich City in the process.

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There are just two more Premier League games to play before we head off to Wembley for the third time this season, and next up for the Reds is a trip to Norfolk to face Paul Lambert’s Norwich City (5.30pm kick off UK time) on Saturday evening.

The two clubs shared the spoils in the reverse fixture at Anfield with Norwich’s Grant Holt cancelling out Craig Bellamy’s opener for the Reds. A win for Norwich would mathematically guarantee the Canaries their Premier League survival this season, while the highest the Reds are likely finish this season is 7^th, barring a major collapse by Chelsea combined with Liverpool winning all of their remaining league games.

Liverpool need to pick up nine points from the remaining four league games to avoid equalling the record for the lowest points total amassed by a Liverpool side since the Premier League began. The current record is 54 points during a 38 game season (three points for a win) set in 1998/99. If Liverpool end the season by picking up less than eight points (meaning we finish the season with 53 points or less), it will be our lowest points tally since the relegation season in 1953/54 when we finished bottom with a points total of 28 (converted to 37 points based on three points for a win) set during a 42 game season.

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After reaching a second cup final of the season, this time at the expense of Everton, the Reds return to Premier League action on Sunday playing host to Roy Hodgson’s West Bromwich Albion (4pm kick off UK time).

Liverpool secured a 2-0 win over the Baggies at the Hawthorns at the end of October thanks to a penalty from Charlie Adam and an Andy Carroll strike. With the small matter of the FA Cup final just three weeks away, it will be interesting to see if the Reds’ league form continues to improve, building on the 3-2 victory over Blackburn Rovers and the FA Cup triumph over Everton. With places in the cup final squad at stake and finishing above Everton to motivate the players, there’s still plenty to play for over the next few weeks.

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Liverpool make their 23^rd appearance at the semi-final stage of the FA Cup and it’s fitting – given that the tie is being played on the eve of the 23^rd anniversary of Hillsborough – that their opponents are Everton. Liverpool have already completed the league double over David Moyes’ side this season winning 2-0 at Goodison and 3-0 at Anfield, although the Toffees currently sit one point and one place above the Reds in the Premier League. Victory for the Reds will see Kenny Dalglish’s side reach their second domestic cup final of the season.

This will be the 23^rd - it’s that number again – meeting between the two clubs in this competition and the fifth time they’ve met at the semi-final stage, to add to the two occasions that they’ve contested the final. Although Liverpool have knocked Everton out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage the last three times they’ve been drawn against each other, the Reds have gone on to lose each subsequent final. It’s a pattern that we’ll hope to break if we progress to the 2012 final yet again at Everton’s expense.

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Liverpool face relegation strugglers Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Tuesday night (8pm kick off UK time) and with the FA Cup semi-final against Everton looming large in everyone’s mind, this is Liverpool’s last opportunity to build some momentum and confidence before making their second Wembley trip of the campaign.

Liverpool and Blackburn shared the spoils earlier in the season at Anfield with Maxi’s 53^rd minute strike cancelling out a Charlie Adam own goal, which had given Blackburn a surprise lead on the stroke of half-time.

Following that result on Boxing Day, Liverpool sat in 6^th place with 31 points – three points off a Champions League place – while Blackburn were rock bottom with 11 points, five adrift from safety.

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Liverpool host Aston Villa on Saturday (3pm kick off UK time) with the club looking to halt the alarming run of form which has seen the Reds pick up just eight points from a possible 36 since January 1^st.  Kenny Dalglish’s side secured a 2-0 victory at Villa Park in December thanks to goals from Craig Bellamy and Martin Skrtel. Victory for Liverpool on Saturday would secure our fourth league double over Villa in 20 seasons.

With Pepe Reina missing the first of three matches due to the red card he received during the 2-0 defeat to Newcastle, it will be interesting to see how Doni performs in goal. There are  two league games to be played before the FA Cup semi-final against Everton and although there’s very little to play for on paper in the league (finishing above our local rivals should be motivation enough however), two good results against first Villa and then Blackburn would ensure the Reds go into the FA Cup semi-final against Everton in a more positive frame of mind and with some momentum behind them.

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Liverpool secured a comfortable 3-1 win at Anfield in the reverse fixture at the end of December thanks to a brace from Craig Bellamy and one from substitute Steven Gerrard. Last season’s game at St James’ Park ended in a 1-3 defeat for the Reds, with one A.Carroll scoring the third with a trademark low left-footed thump from outside the box. Another home win will put the Geordies 11 points ahead of Liverpool and keep up their challenge for 5th place – they’re currently 6th and on level points with Chelsea.

Liverpool’s Premier League record at St James’ Park:

•   Played: 17 Won: 6 Drawn: 4 Lost: 7 F: 28 A: 24 Pts: 22

Liverpool’s overall record against Newcastle Utd in the league (includes PL stats):

•    Total:   P: 151 W: 73 D: 37 L: 41 F: 266 A: 188
•    Home:  P: 76 W: 51 D: 14 L: 11 F: 175 A: 77
•    Away:   P: 75 W: 22 D: 23 L: 30 F: 91 A: 111

Liverpool’s biggest victories and defeats v Newcastle Utd at St James’ Park (league):

•    Biggest away win (overall): 5-1 (28/12/2008)
•    Biggest away defeat (overall): 9-2 (1/1/1934)
•    Biggest away win (Premier League): 5-1 (28/12/2008)
•    Biggest away defeat (Premier League): 3-0 (21/11/1993)

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