JOE ALLEN reckons the match up between Luis Suarez and Ashley Williams will prove to be one to look out for this Sunday.
But the midfielder admits his greater concern will be looking which way to turn in the Liberty Stadium tunnel. Allen returns to Swansea City this weekend, the club where he walked in as a nine-year-old and left as Wales' most expensive player.
It will be an experience he expects to be strange – "foreign" to use his own term – as he tries to focus on performing in the red of Liverpool and forgetting the memories in the white of his boyhood favourites.
As it happens, much of the spotlight surrounding his – and Brendan Rodgers' – first trip back has been taken up by the meeting of Williams and Suarez following the brutally honest assessment of the Uruguayan in the defender's book My Premier League Diary.
Allen was himself cited by Williams in the recently published tome as giving Suarez a piece of his mind after last year's goalless draw at Anfield.
Some 12 months on and the 22-year-old is now an impressed team-mate of the Premier League's top scorer, intrigued at the impending tussle between the pair and wondering what walking out an opponent at the Liberty will be like.
"Players are always different when they're opponents to when they're on your side," says Allen (pictured right), speaking of Suarez but something he will experience himself this weekend.
"I know both and it will be a fascinating match-up to look out for on Sunday, I'm sure.
"Ash and Luis are two top players and it will be a great test for both of them.
"Luis is an unbelievable player who's in top form at the moment and a superb player to have in your team.
"You'd certainly rather play with him than against him because, in the form he's in, he gives no defence an easy time.
"You only have to look at the number and quality of goals he's scored this year to see that.
"And everyone knows how good a player Ash is so it will be an interesting match-up just like it will be an interesting game."
Given the events of the summer where Rodgers left the Liberty and then proceeded to pay £15m to take Allen with him, this was always a fixture to intrigue. But Liverpool's unbeaten league run of seven and Swansea's impressive form make it a match to catch the interest on its own.
And Allen admits he'll be putting his own personal attachment aside, even if it all will take a bit of getting used to.
"I'm looking forward to it; I had so many good years at the club it would be hard not to," said the Wales playmaker.
"It will be strange, a bit foreign, but ultimately it's a match I'm looking forward to.
"There'll be things like remembering not to turn into the home dressing room that might make me think twice, but I have to focus on my performance really.
"What the occasion means to me or the gaffer (Rodgers) is a bit of an irrelevance – it has to be business as usual.
"Of course, you're going to be wondering what kind of reception there might be but, as a professional, it's your job to deal with things like that and keep the focus on the game in front of you.
"It will be a very strange experience for me on Sunday but in terms of performing, it won't be different from any other game for me."
If there is any anxiety about the crowd, Allen should remember the 'one Joey Allen' chant aimed at him from the away fans in Swansea's recent 3-1 cup triumph at Anfield, one he described as a fantastic gesture.
Whether supporters will remain so kind if Liverpool get on top this weekend remains to be seen for both the midfielder and the boss in the dugout.
Allen admits focus on Merseyside has not yet fully turned to the Liberty clash, Liverpool involved in Europa League action last night although several senior men – including Allen and Suarez – were rested with Swansea in mind.
But the Pembrokeshire product conceded he will not have to give any training ground tips about his former club such was the way they underlined their ability in that Anfield victory a month ago.
"Everyone could see for themselves what Swansea are about from that cup game," he said.
"It was a tough game from both mine and the club's point of view and the league games gives us a chance for us to put that result straight in some ways.
"But there can be no surprise what to expect down there.
"Any new manager will mean some subtle changes to the way they play.
"But ultimately they are a team who move and keep the ball very well in keeping with the philosophy that's been spoken about at the club and that will probably remain."
"The result at Newcastle didn't surprise me at all and they will be all full of belief going into this one.
"The way they've performed in the last month means their confidence will be sky high at a bad time for us.
"But we go there on a good run of form ourselves and on the back of a solid home win, so I'm sure it's going to be a great game."
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