Premier League title race: Can former Liverpool duo Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing do the Reds a favour when they play Manchester City?
The pair now play together at West Ham, City's opponents on the last day of the season
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool must hope Manchester City lose on the last day of the season if they are to have any hope of winning the Premier League title - and they will be looking to a pair of former players to help them out.
City's opponents at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday are West Ham, a side that features former Anfield players Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing.
Both are likely to start the game on Sunday having both been named in the Hammers starting XI for the last nine games, including last weekend's 2-0 win over Tottenham.
Carroll, who moved from Newcastle United to Liverpool for £35m in January 2011, played only two games for the Reds at the start of last season before manager Brendan Rodgers loaned him to West Ham.
The deal was made permanent last May, with the London club paying £15m but Carroll was injured until January. Since then, the powerful striker has made 14 appearances, scored two goals and claimed four assists.
Speaking earlier this season, Rodgers spoke highly of the England centr-forward. "Andy wasn't let go from here because he wasn't good enough," said the Liverpool manager. "He is wonderful in the air, has a good touch in and around the box, so he certainly has nothing to prove to Liverpool." That's a view Manchester City are likely to agree on; Carroll has scored five goals against the Citizens during his career - more than against any other side.
Former England winger Downing played 29 League games for Liverpool last season before moving to east London for a reported £5m fee in August. He's been a regular under Sam Allardyce, playing in 31 league games this term. Whether he will make an impact at the Etihad though is debatable - he's only found the back of the net once this term and picked up just the two assists.
Although, playing against the team in Sky Blue might trigger fond memories for Downing. He scored twice against Manchester City back in 2008 when Middlesborugh beat them 8-1 at the Riverside. Liverpool will certainly be hoping he can repeat that performance this Sunday.
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