The Swans beat the Reds on their way to winning the League Cup in 2012-13 and the captain that season – and now manager – is keen to channel their good form into another victory

Swansea City boss Garry Monk is relishing the chance to take on Liverpool at Anfield in the fourth round of the League Cup.

Monk, who was club captain when the Swans won the competition in 2013, will take his team to Merseyside on Tuesday with a spring in their step following a 2-0 win over Leicester City on Saturday.

That victory lifted the Welsh club into sixth place in the Premier League and was a welcome tonic after a run of five top-flight games without a win.

Swansea triumphed 3-1 at Anfield en route to winning the League Cup two seasons ago and Monk cannot wait to visit the famous ground again.

“It’s one that we’re really excited about – we go up there with nothing to lose,” he told the press. “Anfield’s always a special place to play and we did well in the cup game that we played there before.

“Hopefully we can take that sort of performance [against Leicester] up there but it’s one that we’ll go up and enjoy. Liverpool will obviously be favourites but hopefully we can put a performance on that will make everyone proud.

“We have to take [the League Cup] seriously. It’s a cup that we’ve done very well in in the past, having won it in recent history, and it’s one that we’d like to do well in again.”

Swansea knocked out Liverpool’s local rivals, Everton, in the last round and go into the game with striker Wilfried Bony bang in form after four goals in his last three games. Jonjo Shelvey could come up against his former club, who are managed by ex-Swans boss Brendan Rodgers.

Liverpool are behind Swansea only on goal difference in the Premier League but head into the tie after a difficult week that saw them lose 3-0 to Real Madrid in the Champions League before being held to a 0-0 stalemate by Hull City.

Much has been made of the Reds’ defensive vulnerability this season, with the clean sheet against Hull representing only their second in 13 games in all competitions.

Rodgers’ side progressed to round four of the League Cup courtesy of a mammoth penalty shootout win over Middlesbrough, which ended 14-13 in their favour, and history is on their side in this fixture. In 19 meetings with Swansea at Anfield, Liverpool have lost just twice.

The controversial attacker remains adamant that he was misunderstood during the incident with Patrice Evra back in October 2011

Barcelona attacker Luis Suarez says he is happy to be labelled a “biter or a diver” but insists he is no racist, despite being banned for eight games in 2011 for abusing Manchester United’s  Patrice Evra while at Liverpool.

The Uruguay star’s career has been littered with episodes of indiscipline, with his suspension three years ago proceeded by a 10-game punishment for biting Branislav Ivanovic in April 2013 and a four-month ban from football after chewing on the shoulder of Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.

However, though Suarez has now acknowledged he was wrong to physically attack both players in his new autobiography, he maintains his innocence over the incident involving himself and Evra.

“Call me a biter or a diver, but I’m not a racist. I was banned for eight games and, much worse, got labelled a racist for life. It’s a serious accusation,” the Guardian reveals in an extract from the attacker’s new book.

“It hurts because of how it affects me, it hurts because my wife had to suffer too through the hearing, watching me getting accused of being someone she knows I’m not, and it hurts because in the future the stain will still be there when my children grow up. It’s a slur on my name that no one can take away. 

“Did I use the Spanish word ‘negro’ in an argument that took place, in Spanish, with Patrice Evra on 15 October 2011 in a game between Liverpool and Manchester United? 

“Yes. 

“Is the word ‘negro’ the same in Spanish as it is in English? 

“No, absolutely not. 

“Am I a racist? 

“No, absolutely not. 

“I was horrified when I first realised that is what I was being accused of. And I’m still sad and angry to think that this is a stain on my character that will probably be there forever.”

The 27-year-old made his official Barcelona debut at the weekend in the 3-1 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid after serving his four-month ban.

The 50-year-old oversaw Liverpool’s €380 million sale to Fenway Sports Group in 2010 and takes up his post at Stamford Bridge with immediate effect

Chelsea have announced that former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow has joined the club to run their global commercial activities.

The 50-year-old joined Liverpool in June 2009 but stepped down from his role as managing director 16 months later after overseeing the club’s €380 million sale to Fenway Sports Group.

Chelsea have also reiterated that chairman Bruce Buck and director Marina Granovskaia have assumed additional executive responsibilities following the departure of Ron Gourlay last Wednesday.

A statement from Chelsea, read: “The club has ambitious plans to build the Premier League’s most pioneering global commercial programme, partnering with innovative and market-leading organisations from around the world.

“The club believes Mr Purslow has the vision and the leadership qualities to help us achieve these plans.

“Chelsea does not expect to announce any other senior appointments in the near future. As announced last week, Chairman Bruce Buck and Director Marina Granovskaia have assumed the executive responsibilities held by our former chief executive.”