Liverpool welcome Leicester City to Anfield on Saturday with Jurgen Klopp’s side looking to claim maximum points to ensure they remain in the top four, with Tottenham and Arsenal ready to pounce on any slip-ups.
The sides played to a five-goal thriller in September with the Reds recording a 3-2 victory at the King Power Stadium. If this game is as exciting as the reverse tie, we should be in for a thrilling game of football.
The Reds are fourth in the Premier League table with 38 points, 11 points above the Foxes who sit in eighth place.
To Win
Liverpool 3/10
Draw 47/10
Leicester 15/2
Liverpool
Liverpool come into this fixture high on confidence following their 5-0 triumph over bottom side Swansea at Anfield on Boxing Day. Philippe Coutinho’s opener after six minutes and second-half strikes from Roberto Firmino (two), Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain extended the Reds’ unbeaten run to 14 matches.
Klopp’s side will be looking to make it two wins on the bounce when they host Leicester on Saturday, however, they will be without captain Jordan Henderson (hamstring) and Alberto Moreno (ankle), Klopp confirmed.
“Both are out for the next two games for sure. On Dec. 30 and Jan. 1 (away to Burnley), they have no chance, then we have to see again.”
With Henderson out, Georginio Wijnaldum, who started against Swansea, should retain his place in 
midfield alongside Emre Can while Andrew Robertson will continue to deputise for Moreno at left-back. Having being rested against the Swans, Sadio Mane is expected to return to the starting line-up and make up the ‘Fab Four’ alongside Firmino, Coutinho and Mohamed Salah, while Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren, who were also on the bench on Boxing Day, are likely to return to the side.
Liverpool remain unbeaten at Anfield this season, although they’ve won just five of their 10 games played. Prior to their Boxing Day win over Swansea, they had drawn three home games in a row against Chelsea, Everton and West Brom. On the positive side, their home defensive record is the best in the Premier League, having just conceded three in front of their own fans this season.
Klopp’s side are unbeaten in their last six home meetings against Leicester with five wins, including two on the bounce. The Reds thumped the Foxes 4-1 in their last meeting at Anfield thanks to a brace from Firmino and goal apiece from Mane and Adam Lallana. The previous four wins were won by just a goal.
Leicester City
Leicester failed to build on their impressive 2-2 draw at home to Manchester United last Saturday as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Watford on Boxing Day, extending their winless run to four games. The Foxes had led through Riyad Mahrez’s header midway through the first half at Vicarage Road, but were pegged back on the stroke of half-time by a tap-in from Molla Wague, who spent the second half of last season on loan with the Foxes. Abdoulaye Doucoure then did brilliantly to force the winner as Kasper Schmeichel deflected the ball over the line.
Danny Simpson missed the defeat due to a hamstring injury and the club have confirmed that he will be out for several weeks. Manager Claude Puel will welcome back Daniel Amartey, who was banned for one game after receiving two yellow cards against Manchester United. The Foxes were forced to play centre-back Alexsandar Dragovic as a makeshift right-back against Marco Silva’s side. Puel will have to decide whether to recall Amartey or continue with Dragovic, who was booked and then substituted as City chased the game at Watford.
Prior to their Boxing Day defeat, Leicester were unbeaten in their previous seven away games, winning three times, including back-to-back victories over Newcastle and Southampton. Defender Harry Maguire is confident that his side will be able to cause Klopp’s men problems on Saturday. The England international said: “We know it is going to be tough at Liverpool. It is not the easiest place to go to, but we have attacking players we know can hurt any opposition, so hopefully we can do that at Anfield.”
Liverpool tend to give the opposition chances when they commit too many players forward and that could work in Leicester’s favour as they have some dangerous attackers such as Mahrez and Jamie Vardy, who has netted eight goals in the league this season.
Probable line-ups:
Liverpool: 4-3-3
Mignolet; Gomez, Lovren, Matip, Robertson; Can, Wijnaldum, Coutinho; Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Leicester: 4-4-1-1
Schmeichel; Amartey, Maguire, Morgan, Fuchs; Mahrez, King, Albrighton, Ndidi; Okazaki; Vardy
Prediction: Liverpool Win & Both Teams to Score (13/10)
Liverpool’s ‘Fab Four’ should run havoc against Leicester just as they did in September, but the Foxes should at least get on the scoresheet. I’m backing the Reds to Win & Both Teams to Score at 13/10.
Chadley Nagel
You might like to check out our Soccer / Football App
