Jamie Carragher has a foolproof theory that he knows will turn Liverpool into champions - stop giving away penalties.
Spot-kicks are the only goals Liverpool have conceded in any competition so far this season, and goalkeeper Jose Reina goes into tomorrow's home Barclays Premier League match with Birmingham having not been beaten in open play since eight minutes from time in last season's Champions League final in Athens.
Carragher said: 'It is just one of those strange things that happen sometimes, we seem to be giving penalties away every game. I am sure it will not continue like this.
'The disappointing thing is, all the penalties we have given away have not really been goalscoring chances.
'And we are not giving many chances away in open play and that is something we have got to be proud of. All we need to do is stop giving penalties away.'
Birmingham captain Damien Johnson believes his side have learnt a lesson from their relegation two seasons ago as they continue their latest fight for survival.
Steve Bruce's side endured a woeful 2005/06 campaign and were relegated from the top flight along with Sunderland and West Brom.
'I do have a good feeling about this team, this squad,' Johnson told the Birmingham Mail.
'There is a good vibe about the place and I think everyone has learned the lessons of a couple of years ago. It is totally different now. There is an enthusiasm and hunger that probably wasn't there when we got relegated.'
Fulham goalkeeper Kasey Keller is looking to his team's sharp-shooters to earn the credit he believes the side's performances deserve this season.
The Cottagers start a critical three-match home programme tomorrow when they take on early high-fliers Manchester City.
He said: 'It looks like the team is close to putting a good run together, but so far we have got into good positions and haven't finished teams off.
'Late goals against us have cost dearly but we have players in this side who can get goals and I think it is important to spread the responsibility throughout the team, not just depend upon one person.'
City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson will encounter the ghost of his England past at Craven Cottage as he goes head to head with Lawrie Sanchez.
While the teams have changed, this particular managerial duel will always bring back memories of England's World Cup qualifying defeat to Northern Ireland in Belfast two years ago.
'That was our worst performance in my five-and-a-half years as England manager,' admitted Eriksson.
'It didn't just give me one bad night, it gave me months of them. But it is history now. It is not about me and Lawrie Sanchez, it is about Fulham and Manchester City.'
Julio Arca is backing Middlesbrough's new look strikeforce to prove there is life after Mark Viduka and Ayegbeni Yakubu.
The 26-year-old Argentinian heads into battle with former club Sunderland tomorrow with his side desperate to bounce back from last Saturday's 3-0 Barclays Premier League defeat at West Ham.
Arca said: 'We have new players, players who want to do well for the club and for themselves as well, and the manager is right behind them and is doing everything he can to make them comfortable here.
'New players have come in, players who maybe have not been involved much in their teams before, so they are really looking forward to doing everything they can to show what they can bring here.'
Sunderland skipper Dean Whitehead is hoping for a repeat performance as his side makes the short trip south to Boro.
The 25-year-old midfielder was in the side which headed for the Riverside Stadium two years ago and returned with a 2-0 victory.
He said: 'It was our first win in the league at the time. It was a good win, a good performance and hopefully we can go there and do the same again.'
