Liverpool-Middlesbrough Preview (The Associated Press)

For the first several months of the season, Liverpool have been one of the league's surprise packages. Liverpool (9-4-2) have hit some adversity heading into the busy festive period, winless in two consecutive matches and missing their most dynamic creative player heading into Wednesday night's encounter with Middlesbrough at Riverside Stadium. Liverpool's attacking midfield corps of Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have been making opponents' heads spin for most of the season, but Coutinho is out for about five weeks after suffering an ankle injury against Sunderland on Nov. 26.