On Sunday, at 19:15, Liverpool and Leicester will face Anfield, in the 9th stage of the English championship. It is a match with great significance for the guest coach, Brendan Rodgers, who returned as an opponent at Anfield. The “foxes” have an excellent start to the season, while Jurgen Klopp’s “cormorants” have to find emergency solutions: they have 9 injured.
The international break only brought problems on Jurgen Klopp’s head. The German manager boasts a 100% victory percentage at home, this season. But he has to make ends meet this weekend without the services of Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Salah, Van Dijk, Alcantara, Fabinho, Henderson and Williams. Of these, only the last four could be recovered in time. “It doesn’t matter who I have on the field, it’s important to play the game we prepared for training,” said Jurgen Klopp, before the 9th round.
Instead, the former manager of the “cormorants”, Brendan Rodgers, approaches the game without absences Amartey, Soyuncu, Castagne, Ndidi and Pereira. And the “foxes” make efforts to recover some of these players in a timely manner. Leicester certainly has a chance at a good result, knowing that Liverpool were hesitant at home this season: the champion often received the first goal, then managed to return to the game, thanks to individual quality. With 6 victories in the first 8 stages, Leicester has an excellent physical tone and a very good morale.
Both bands are in great shape! Liverpool comes after a 1-1 away game against Manchester City, after beating Sheffield United (2-1), Midtjylland (2-0), West Ham (2-1) and Atalanta (5-0). Leicester have six wins in a row in all competitions: 3-0 with Zorya, 1-0 with Arsenal, 2-1 with AEK Athens, 4-1 with Leeds United, 4-0 with Braga and 1-0 with Wolves. But Liverpool has won 4 of the last 5 direct duels, 4-0 and three times 2-1. So, at least three goals were scored (and I watched “GGs”) in 5 of the last 6 direct games.
We expect a slightly more animated second half, given that 77% of Leicester’s goals in this season’s away games were successful in the second half. With a goal scored in the previous four consecutive trips to Anfield, Leicester will also approach this match with well-known tactics: crowded defensive line, with a step forward in many moments, plus dangerous counterattacks by Maddison, Tielemans, Praet and Vardy.
Diogo Jota will be the starter in the gear of the “cormorants”, and he has beautiful memories of the duels with the “foxes”, managing a hat-trick in the goal of the white-blues, in 2019. At the same time, no other player from England except Vardy was involved in several goals conceded by Liverpool in the “Klopp era”. He “worked” 7 goals received by the “cormorants”, who must be very careful with the English goal scorer.
There is also a special motivation for Liverpool, at the weekend’s match: in case they avoid defeat, the champions would establish a historical record of 64 matches in a row without failure on their own field. It will be a quality match, between two teams skilled in the offensive.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson Becker; James Milner, Nathaniel Phillips, Joel Matip, Andrew Robertson; Georginio Wijnaldum, Naby Keita; Diogo Jota, Sadio Mane, Xherdan Shaqiri; Roberto Firmino.
Coach: Jurgen Klopp
Leicester City (3-4-2-1): Kasper Schmeichel; Wesley Fofana, Jonny Evans, Christian Fuchs; James Justin, Youri Tielemans, Nampalys Mendy, Timothy Castagne; Dennis Praet, James Maddison; Jamie Vardy.
Coach: Brendan Rodgers
Liverpool have won 29 of their last 30 home games in the Premier League;
Liverpool have scored at least 2 goals in 28 of their last 30 home games in the Premier League;
Over 2.5 goals have been scored in 9 of Liverpool’s last 11 home games in the Premier League;
Leicester have won their last 4 away matches in the Premier League;
Liverpool have won 5 of their last 6 matches with Leicester in all competitions;
There are over 2.5 goals in 5 in the last 6 matches between Liverpool and Leicester, in all competitions;
PREDICTION: Liverpool to win @ 1,92
