Liverpool travel to the Britannia stadium today in the Boxing day fixture with just goal difference separating the sides. Though a win could mean they pull away from Stoke but the Reds will remain in the 8th place during the festive period behind West Bromwich who are 5 points above the Reds. Brendan Rodgers and his men face a Stoke side which boasts an unbeaten record in home also they are the league’s meanest defense conceding just 13 goals from the 18 games played. Stoke will prove to be a tough shell to crack open by Liverpool, however they travel on the back of an impressive victory over Fulham scroing 4 past the cottagers at home.
Mean while Stoke City are yet to taste a defeat in the last six matches. After a 3 match winning streak, Stoke have secured a point each in their last three games including an impressive display last week at White Hart Lane to grind point away from home. Manager Tony Pulis will be knowing that a win could not only pull them ahead of Liverpool but also Norwich who have a tough home game against Chelsea. The main highlight of the match could be seeing former Liverpool striker Michael Owen turn up against his old side. Sidelined for the major part of the season, Owen is fit to play and it will be interesting to see if the manager decides to start him.
It sure looks to be an interesting boxing day fixture with Stoke trying to edge out Liverpool with their physical play and long ball tactics and the Reds will hope to keep the ball and frustrate their opponents trying to find a gap.
Will Owen face his former employers today ?Team News and Injury updates:
As talked about earlier, Stoke may see the return of Owen from the injury beds. However a place in the starting 11 is hihly unlikely for the former Liverpool player. Another former Red’s man Charlie Adam will also miss out the game following the death of his father. Other wise Tony Pulis will remain without any injury woes.
Liverpool who rested Allen and Sterling in last week’s home game against Fulham should see Sterling return to the first team and Allen to remain benched after Rodgers confirmed that the club are monitoring the youngster’s pelvic problem. Otherwise there might not be any changes to the starting line-up for the traveling side. With long term absentee Borini still in the treatment table, Suarez will be the lonely figure up front trying to find a way past Stoke’s defense.
Talking to the press ahead of the game, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said:
“I felt it was the right time [to rest Allen]. He’s also suffering a little bit in and around his pelvis. Add into that he has played twice the amount of games at this stage of the season than he had last year. He’s been playing in a lot of the games – sometimes up to three games in a week. Physically, that has been a big demand on him.”
Match Facts:
- In nine Premier League meetings between Liverpool and Stoke, both sides have failed to score on six occasions each.
- There have been just 11 goals scored in the nine Premier League games between Liverpool and Stoke.
- Peter Crouch scored 22 goals in 85 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, but has netted just one in 11 appearances against the Reds playing for other clubs.
- Stoke have won just one of their last 11 games played on Boxing Day (W1 D5 L5).
- Liverpool have lost just one of their last 10 Boxing Day matches (W7 D2 L1).
- There have been just 11 goals scored at the Britannia Stadium this season, fewer than at any other stadium in the top flight.
- The Britannia Stadium is the only ground that has yet to see a goal scored from outside the penalty area this season.
- Stoke are unbeaten in their last 15 Premier league games at the Britannia Stadium (W7 D8), a run that started with a 2-0 win over Brendan Rodgers’ Swansea team..
- Liverpool have lost just one of their last seven Premier League away games (W2 D4 L1).
- Liverpool have benefited from an own goal in four of their last six Premier League away matches.
- No side have drawn 0-0 more often in the top five European Leagues this season than Stoke City (5).
- Just three of Stoke’s 18 Premier League games this season have gone over 2.5 goals.
- Luis Suarez has converted 14.1% of his shots in the Premier League this season, much higher than in his previous two PL campaigns – 10.2% in 2011-12 and 8.5% in 2010-11.
Courtesy: YahooSport
line-ups:
Stoke: Begovic; Cameron, Huth, Shawcross, Wilkinson; Shotton, Whelan, N’Zonzi, Etherington; Walters, Jones
Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Agger, Skrtel; Enrique; Lucas, Shelvey; Sterling, Gerrard, Downing; Suarez
Stoke Vs Liverpool possible Starting Line-upSoccersouls Prediction: 1-0 to the home side.