Liverpool head to the Britannia Stadium to face Stoke knowing that the last time they were there they beat The Potters 8-0 – Sat 17:30.

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has told Manchester City to increase their offer Rovers’ Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz.

City boss Mark Hughes said on Thursday that Rovers had turned down a bid of £12m for the 27-year-old.

“It is down to Man City to make the offer and blow us out of the water,” said Allardyce.

The Rovers boss said he wanted Santa Cruz to stay but admitted “at the end there is always going to be a price”.

Allardyce added: “There is no price we are going to put on Roque’s head – obviously, we simply want him to play for us and help us stay in the Premier League, which is the most important thing for me and this club.

“I can’t second guess what Manchester City are going to do. Whatever happens between now and next week, as time goes on in this usual transfer window of mayhem, we will wait and see.

“You never say never about anything because you never know what is around the corner when January is on the boil.”

Hughes admitted on Thursday that any deal for Santa Cruz rested on Blackburn being willing to negotiate.

He said: “We still want to bring him to the club if we can but he is Blackburn’s player and they don’t want to deal at the level we have made a bid at. That is their prerogative.”

Meanwhile, Allardyce has dampened speculation that he could move for Sunderland striker El Hadji Diouf.

Allardyce successfully managed Diouf during his time at Bolton but revealed: “My information is he is not available.”

Liverpool head to the Britannia Stadium to face Stoke knowing that the last time they were there they beat The Potters 8-0 – Sat 17:30.