Leeds United know full well that they need to start picking up points. With results going awry over the weekend, and big rivals having picked up key points, the Whites know that a loss tonight against Liverpool would condemn them to a terrifying final seven games of this season amongst the strugglers.

It seems that with the conclusion of his campaign speedily approaching, some teams like AFC Bournemouth are thriving, and the likes of Everton and Leicester City are sinking. The main goal should be to just stay above the latter, and Javi Gracia will know that securing a result against a side like the Reds will go a long way towards achieving that.

Also, the confidence that avoiding defeat could provide would be instrumental in lifting spirits after their miserable 5-1 drubbing at Crystal Palace last week.

The only upside to facing the Reds tonight is that Jurgen Klopp's men are far from the unstoppable machine they have been in the past, showing plenty of deficiencies that have resulted in their tumultuous year.

Gracia could seek to exploit that, focusing mainly on the struggling Virgil van Dijk to extract some joy.

In front of a raucous Elland Road crowd, who will cheer every offensive action, high press and tough tackle, there are few who embody all three of these characteristics more than Rodrigo, who must return.

Will Rodrigo play vs Liverpool?

Having enjoyed his finest goalscoring season yet in the Premier League, with 11 goals to his name already, this coincides well with the loss of form of the hulking Dutchman.

It seems that since returning from that fateful ACL injury, the 31-year-old has been just slightly off the pace in his defensive interactions. As such, he has endured some questionable high-profile blunders, drawing ridicule.

Jason Cundy even took to talkSPORT to brutally rip into the Champions League winner, claiming: "He has this languished style of run, he seems to try and bide time but doesn't react. I think he has had a good 18 months.

"People compare him to John Terry and Rio Ferdinand but he cannot lace their boots."

That is not to suggest he has been poor this season, as a 7.04 average rating is more than respectable. It just marks a large drop-off from the 7.26 the year earlier, suggesting there are now glaring weaknesses to his game.

This will likely have piqued the interest of Rodrigo, who seeks to add to his already impressive year in front of goal. With a sharp turn of pace and intelligent movement to boot, the £100k-per-week finisher has been inevitable at times this season with his proficiency.

Sky Sports man Aaron McClean had praised the 32-year-old for performance during a key result to secure survival last season. He had noted that the forward was a "livewire", and that kind of quality could be key again today.

If he is to be paired with Patrick Bamford tonight, as Gracia seeks to apply further pressure to their opponent's weak spots, the Spaniard could be key in driving his team forward and spurring on the crowd. Anything more than a loss tonight can be deemed a success, but there'll be a quiet confidence that the hosts can snatch all three points.