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Hull City vs Liverpool – Possible Starting Line-ups, Match Facts, Preview And Prediction

Hull City vs. Liverpool

KC Stadium

December 1st, Sunday 2.05pm GMT

After an enthralling Merseyside derby against fierce rivals Everton, Liverpool now turn their attention towards Hull City on their travel to the KC Stadium. The Reds’ boss Brendan Rodgers would still be ruing over that missed chance from Joe Allen which would have given his side full three points at Goodison Park. With  a team full of confidence and all the positive energy, Rodgers wouldn’t surely be satisfied with anything less than three points in the bag.

Hull City however come into the game at the end of a home defeat to Crystal Palace last Sunday which puts the Tigers with only one win from their last six games. The home side stand thirteenth in the EPL table and Steve Bruce would definitely want his boys to respond in a resounding fashion against the Reds from Merseyside on Sunday. Bruce would be expected to retain the same side which lost to Crystal Palace, given that was his strongest side he could pick from his available resources.

Men To Watch:

Can the SAS strike force do it again?
Can the SAS strike force do it again?

Talking about Liverpool, Daniel Sturridge is expected to start after he came from the bench to rescue a vital point just a minute before the regulation ninety minutes. Luis Suarez will again be the centre of all attraction with his dazzling dribbles, nimble nutmegs, outrageous rolls and incisive finishing. The Uruguayan curled in a free kick last Saturday against Everton which would surely, at the end of the campaign, be a contender for the goal of the season.

Team News:

Liverpool:

Against Hull, a team down in self confidence, Brendan Rodgers would be expected to field a full strength squad in search of the three points. While there have been various criticism regarding Joe Allen’s unbelievable miss, having Everton Goalkeeper Tim Howard at his mercy the likes of Jordan Henderson, Steven Gerrard and Lucas Leiva are expected to play in the middle of the 3-5-2 system. With Glen Johnson in the right wing back slot, John Flanagan or Aly Cissokho would play in the left wing back role. The former put up a determined performance against Everton playing out of position and would perhaps be drafted in again to replace the injured Jose Enrique.

Hull City:

Hull City does have a few problems at the back with fitness concerns to as defender Paul McShane is struggling with his hamstring. And in the front it is expected that on-loan striker Danny Graham might be recalled into the team as Robbie Brady looks like a doubt with his groin injury while Sone Aluko is out until the new year. The Tigers have to play out of their skin to get anything out of the match. Their defence will be under constant threat coming up against the likes of Suarez, Sturridge and Coutinho in the mix. However they must not sit back inviting pressure and look to hit Liverpool aerially and especially on the wings. More than that Steve Bruce must motivate his boys that they must be good enough to compete rather than just playing second fiddle.

Possible line-ups

McGregor, Elmohamady, Davies, Faye, Figueroa, Livermore, Huddlestone, Koren, Sagbo, Graham, Boyd

Mignolet, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Flanagan, Lucas, Henderson, Gerrard, Coutinho, Suarez, Sturridge

Liverpool vs Away team - Football tactics and formations

Match Facts:

  • Hull City and Liverpool have met 16 times in all competitions and the Tigers have never won (W0 D4 L12).
  • Liverpool inflicted Hull City’s biggest ever Barclays Premier League defeat when they beat them 6-1 in September 2009.
  • Steven Gerrard has scored three goals in three Premier League appearances against Hull City.
  • Hull City have lost four of their last five Premier League games (W1 D0 L4).
  • Liverpool have kept just one clean sheet in their last nine Premier League matches; this after keeping six in their previous seven.
  • Daniel Sturridge has scored 15 goals in his last 17 Premier League appearances.
  • Four of Steven Gerrard’s five assists this season for Liverpool in the Premier League have come from set-pieces.

Stats compiled from eurosport.yahoo.com

Predictions:  

A rampaging Liverpool side is hard to stop given the Reds have more fluidity, creativity and attacking flair in their offence. Hull might give good competition before what I feel, Liverpool will run out eventual winners by a 3-1 margin.