SALVA Ballesta will be asked to give Wanderers the benefit of the talents that made him one of the most lethal finishers in Spain.

The Valencia striker, once a leading scorer in La Liga, will make his first Premiership start at Anfield when he steps in for the injured Henrik Pedersen.

Sam Allardyce is confident that Salva - one of three deadline day loan signings - has the scoring touch but fears he may need time to adjust to the rigours of the Premiership.

Stopping short of confirming that Ballesta will get the vote over Pierre-Yves Andre, the manager said of the Spaniard: "He looks a pure finisher but whether he can produce that in the Premiership, we don't know. It's the hardest place to score goals - probably harder than the Italian league or the Spanish league."

Salva should not be overawed, though, having been a non-playing member of the Valencia squad that beat Liverpool home and away to eliminate Gerard Houllier's Reds at the first phase of the Champions League earlier this season.

Wanderers go to Liverpool desperate for points to ease their relegation pressures. Despite being in their best form of the season, they have won just one of their last nine league games and currently lie fourth from bottom, fractionally ahead of West Ham on goal difference.

Allardyce summed up the magnitude of the task saying: "Any result there would be a massive bonus and would tell the rest of the Premiership we are on the way up again.

"Liverpool have produced winning performances against Auxerre and beaten Manchester United to win the Worthington Cup. They've turned what could have been a disastrous season into a successful one. They've done a magnificent job, living under that pressure.

"Fair credit to Gerard and his players for coming up trumps when they've needed it most.

"It may be that we're meeting them at the wrong time but maybe Liverpool will be off-colour like Manchester United were and we can get something out of the game."

Other than drafting in Ballesta for Pedersen, who dislocated his shoulder in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United a fortnight ago, Allardyce is expected to name an unchanged team, despite having Per Frandsen available again after suspension and Kevin Nolan pressing for a recall.

"I can't really see the need for much else to change," the manager explained.