If they overcome this hurdle, who knows how high they can go

It has become one of the most feared grounds in the country. A ground that is more a fortress than a football stadium. Legend goes that even the great Barcelona would struggle to get a result there, a fortress so powerful that it would repel the enchantments of that master sorcerer Lionel Messi. I am talking of course about the Britannia stadium, where Liverpool will aim to continue their fine start to the season.

Moving away from the hyperbole for a second, there is no doubt Stoke will provide a stern test for the Reds and the match will give the clearest indication yet of how much Liverpool have progressed under Dalglish. They have floundered at the ground in recent years and were easily beaten in last season’s corresponding fixture. Winning at stoke has become an acid test for top teams and usually it is seen as an indication of a team’s title winning credentials. This is not strictly true for Liverpool by the dint of them not being title challengers, but the match is still important to continue their early season momentum. Losing to Stoke would not be disastrous, but it would plant seeds of doubt in the minds of those affiliated with Liverpool. A defeat would effectively destroy any lingering hopes of the title, but it would also provide sobering evidence that Liverpool are far from the finished article.

However if Liverpool were to win, then the rays of optimism and expectation that currently shine over Anfield would be glow a bit brighter. To win at Stoke after an international break, would speak volumes about the Reds new found character and vitality under Dalglish. It is obvious Liverpool travails in recent seasons have come away from home; at Anfield they have remained solid. A win at Stoke may just send those expectations into orbit.