Liverpool vs Norwich City
Jan 19, 2013
3pm (UK)
Anfield
Liverpool will be hoping to repeat the performance from their previous encounter with Norwich earlier this season. Suarez was the hero that day, scoring a brilliant hat-trick to help Reds win 2-5 away from home. Coming back from a defeat at Old Trafford last week, 3 points is what the Reds will be looking for. After a poor first half at Old Trafford, Liverpool showed quite a bit of promise in the second half but managed to scored just a single goal courtesy of a strike from new signing Daniel Sturridge. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will take the match against United as a positive sign of what’s suppose to come.
With a new strike partnership up front couple with the return of summer signing Fabio Borni from the treatment table, Liverpool will not be entirely dependent on Luis Suarez for the goals.
Meanwhile Norwich city got out a dangerous dip in form in the last couple of matches as they managed a win and a draw to get back at a striking distance from the top half of the table. Norwich are currently at 12th place with 26 points on board on level with West Ham and a win tonight means they will move up a place or two. With a fragile back line and an average performances in recent weeks, Norwich will have to work extremely hard if they want to travel back home with a good result.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was full on praises for his opposite number in his pre-match interview.
Chris Hughton and his staff have done a brilliant job making the team harder to beat – they went on a run of games unbeaten – which was a great feat considering how they started. They’ve got some outstanding players and they’ll hope to replicate the performance they had [at Anfield] last season.”
History is certainly behind Liverpool as they are yet to taste defeat in the fixture for nearly two decades. In the previous two meetings between these two sides, Liverpool have managed to net in 8 goals out of which Suarez has scored 6. The conversational front man will make history if he scored his 3rd hat-trick against Canaries today becoming the first player to have ever to hit three trebles against the same team – never mind managing it in successive matches.
Will he make history today ? 3 hat-tricks on the cards for SuarezTeam News and Injury News:
Liverpool will miss out on Jose Enrique, Martin Kelly, John Flanagan, Oussama Assaidi through injuries and suspensions and for Norwich John Ruddy and Steve Morison will continue to remain absent.Despite his controversies regarding a dive at Stoke city last week, Suarez is expected to start and it is up-to Rodgers whether or not he is ready to start Sturridge along side the Uruguayan. Norwich’s best attacking bet this season has been Robert Snodgrass and the Scottish International will be lined-up Simeon Jackson and Wesley Hoolahan upfront. Grant Holt returning from injury could get some game time and will certainly give Glen Johnson a run for the money if he comes on.
Possible starting lineups
Liverpool: Reina; Wisdom, Agger, Skrtel, Johnson; Lucas; Henderson, Gerrard, Sterling; Sturridge, Suarez.Norwich: Bunn; Martin, Bassong, Turner, Garrido; Pilkington, Johnson, Tettey, Snodgrass; Hoolahan; Jackson.
Recent Form:
Liverpool: L W W W L
Norwich City: L L L W D
Match Facts:
- Luis Suarez has scored hat-tricks in his last two Premier League appearances against Norwich City. The last four goals he has scored against the Canaries have all been from outside the box.
- Liverpool have won six and lost none of their last seven Premier League games against Norwich City.
- The Reds have hit the target with the lowest percentage of shots in the Premier League (40%).
- After a 10-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, Norwich have now gone five without a win (W0 D1 L4).
- Luis Suarez has created 2.7 chances per game in open play this season, a higher rate than any other player.
- Liverpool have scored the lowest proportion of goals in the final 15 minutes of matches (11%, 4/35).
- 38% of Norwich’s goals have been headers, a league-high proportion (9/24).
- Brendan Rodgers’ side scored five goals from just six shots on target as they beat Norwich 5-2 at Carrow Road earlier this season.
- Steven Gerrard has a joint-divisional high eight goal assists this season, a tally which is just one fewer than his own personal record for a single campaign.
- Luis Suarez has almost matched his tally of 128 Premier League shots (inc. blocked) in 2011-12 with this season’s total of 126.
Facts Courtesy: Yahoo sport
Prediction: 3-1 win for the home side and place your bet on Suarez to score !