Liverpool vs. Swansea: Capital One Cup Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and More

Liverpool and Swansea will meet at Anfield on Tuesday in the fourth round of the 2014-15 Capital One Cup, in what will be this round's marquee fixture.

Both clubs have struggled of late but still sit high in the Premier League standings, tied at 14 points and just outside the Champions League spots.

The hosts should be favourites but have only managed to win two of their last four Premier League fixtures, while Swansea's 2-0 win over Leicester City halted a winless streak that started after their third-round triumph over Everton.

Date: Tuesday, October 28

Time: 8 p.m. GMT/4 p.m. ET

Venue: Anfield, Liverpool

TV info and live stream: The match will be broadcast on BeIN Sports USA (for US viewers), with mobile coverage available via BeIN Sports Connect.

Preview

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The Reds' defensive frailties have been widely discussed in the past several weeks, but against Hull City on Saturday, it was evident the squad's attacking third is struggling just as much.

The injury to Daniel Sturridge has thrust summer signing Mario Balotelli in the spotlight, and the Italian has so far failed to deliver. This Is Anfield's Jack Lusby concedes the striker is struggling, but also points the finger at Liverpool's tactics:

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Continuing to struggle in his role as a lone striker however, Balotelli was offered little support from the flanks—this is crucial if the Italian is to succeed in the absence of Daniel Sturridge.

In maintaining that Balotelli will “adapt” to this role, Rodgers recently claimed that he “spoke to him a lot about getting in the box,” and therefore on the end of crosses.

The two players charged with chiefly supporting the 24-year-old were Lallana and Sterling, but both failed to create the space and provide that service that would see Balotelli thrive.

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Raheem Sterling has been Liverpool's main creative outlet in the 2014-15 season, and against Hull, the youngster struggled. The occasional poor outing from the England international is to be expected given his lack of experience, but the Reds need something to step up when things aren't going his way.

Philippe Coutinho did an excellent job of doing just that coming off the bench, but it was too little, too late. The Brazilian is expected to start against Swansea, and Brendan Rodgers must hope the midfielder seizes the opportunity to press for a regular starting position.

But perhaps most importantly, the Reds need Balotelli to score. The 24-year-old has always been an emotional striker, thriving on confidence and a winning attitude. Even a single goal could help him get out of his slump. The Reds' players are still firmly in his corner, as Martin Skrtel told Goal's Matthew Scott:

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He is working hard and showed some good moments. Unfortunately we couldn't score the goal. I feel sorry for him.

He is working hard in training, he is working hard in the game. He just hasn't got the goals. We just believe in him. We will be supporting him and just hope he will start scoring.

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Swansea's 2-0 win over Leicester was far from impressive, but it was a result that was sorely needed. The Welsh outfit hadn't won in five straight Premier League fixtures, cancelling out their sensational start to the season.

The visitors don't have to worry about the form of their top striker Wilfried Bony—the Ivorian scored both goals in Saturday's win, and as shared by Squawka, he's been excellent for Swans since moving to the Premier League:

Manager Gary Monk was mainly relieved to finally break the winless streak on Saturday, as he told Sky Sports (h/t Goal's Jack Davies):

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I'm very pleased with the first half, we played very well and moved the ball very well. Some of the movements and patterns we've done in training came off.

We defended well enough and earned the three points. The five games which we haven't won, we played very well and deserved more than what we got. There was a little pressure on us and the players handled it very well

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With Chelsea already opening up a significant lead in the Premier League standings, the Capital One Cup will likely present both clubs with their best opportunity of winning silverware in the 2014-15 season. The Reds may make a handful of changes, but don't expect Rodgers to phone this one in.

A big cup win can often help spark a strong run of results in other competitions, and Liverpool in particular need one to stay in touch with the Premier League contenders and qualify for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League.

Swansea's win over Leicester did little to disprove their doubters, and if the Reds' creative midfielders step up to the plate on Tuesday, the hosts should be able to book their ticket to the next round.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Swansea

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