So, the football season wends its way to the halfway mark and attendant rush of games in the Christmas period, and the tennis season has already ended for the year. It is remarkable how similar the year gone by has been for the two Rafas in the two sports. Both began the year on a high ? one sitting atop the table and the other lifting the Australian open crown. Both then went through a hot streak of form until about May as Liverpool suddenly found its attacking boots and pushed Manchester United all the way in the title race, and Nadal picked up a few masters titles and there was talk of him doing a calendar grand slam.

Then, almost without warning, the wheels came off both trains in June or thereabouts. Nadal was knocked out in the French Open and suffered an injury which kept him out for a few months and caused him to miss Wimbledon. Add to that the trauma of his parents deciding to divorce, he was never the same again and failed to win another tournament in the year and lost all three of his matches at the year ending championships. However, in the final event of the year, he did win the Davis Cup with Spain and claimed that it was just the tonic he needed going into the month long break to prepare himself for the upcoming season. And what of Liverpool? After deciding to sell Xabi Alonso, also in June/July, they have hit some awful form which has seen them being dumped out the Champions League and sees them lying seventh in the league table and in real danger of missing out on next year's Champions League altogether. Of course, a raft of injuries to key players didn't help but it wasn't the only reason for the rotten run.

What happens next? The injury crisis seems to have abated and can't be used as an excuse any more. All the players should be available for tonight's tasty looking encounter between two under-achievers, Liverpool and Arsenal. Both teams were done a favour by all the top teams (except Villa) since all of them dropped points in an upset-filled Saturday. But really, it is hard to know what to expect from this Liverpool side, particularly since I have not yet watched Aquilani in action. While their general form has been terrible, they have usually turned up for the 'big' games ? witness their defeats of Manchester United and Everton and a decent performance against Chelsea not reflected in the 0-2 scoreline. And, before the latest blip against Fiorentina, they had managed to keep three consecutive clean sheets which was probably the greatest confidence booster to the team given the way the defence had been shaping up. And the goals conceded to Fiorentina shouldn't affect that confidence much given the rejigged defensive line-up for that game and given that both the goals came through the right channel which was being marshaled by the young and inexperienced Stephen Darby. Unfortunately for Arsenal, they have started having their 'usual quota' of injury problems, and the injury to Van Persie in particular seems to affect them quite a bit. Throw in the fact that both Masch and Carragher have started to approach their best form, and it is unlikely that Liverpool will let Arshavin score 4 goals again like last time.

But of course, you don't need to let in 4 goals to lose a game, even one would do if you don't score yourself. And this is where the enigmatic Aquilani and the return of Torres come in. If both are fit to start the game, then Liverpool's chances of scoring would naturally brighten, though the rather sad form of Gerrard since his return from injury is worrying. However, with Arsenal not being the physical, kick-the-player-if-not-the-ball, it should be an ideal game for Aquilani to make his home league debut after he was kept wrapped in cotton-wool on the bench at Blackburn.

But I think a key determinant of tonight's game would be the battle between two players being wooed by Barcelona - Masch and Cesc. If Masch can silence Cesc, it would severely dent the creativity of the Gunners and the Liverpool defence should be able to handle the threat posed by others such as Arshavin and Nasri. Another possible area of worry for Liverpool could be down the left if Walcott starts, since Insua has been found wanting against pace as exposed by both Wright-Phillips and Valencia thus far this season. The good thing, of course, is that Walcott offers little else other than pace.

So, all in all, one is cautiously optimistic for tonight's game and one desperately hopes the team would give the home fans a win to cherish, what with the last win at home coming 2 months ago against one Manchester United! But whether even a win would really be a "new beginning" one can only determine after the Christmas whirl of games.