Premier League Preview 2013/14: Stoke City (H)

Premier League Preview 2013/14: Stoke City (H)
August 15, 2013 Gary Fulcher

By Gary Fulcher, Daniel Rhodes and Mihail Vladimirov.

Liverpool kick off the 2013/14 Premier League campaign with the visit of Stoke City to Anfield on Saturday (12.45pm kick off UK time). As the Premier League enters its 23rd season, this will be just the eighth occasion we’ve opened up our league campaign with a home fixture. Below are our previous seven opponents and results at Anfield since 1992/93:

  • 1993/94: won 2-0 v Sheffield Wed
  • 1995/96: won 1-0 v Sheffield Wed
  • 2000/01: won 1-0 v Braford City
  • 2001/02: won 2-1 v West Ham
  • 2003/04: lost 1-2 v Chelsea
  • 2010/11: drew 1-1 v Arsenal
  • 2011/12: drew 1-1 v Sunderland

Stoke City enter the new season under new management after Tony Pulis’ seven year reign came to an end at the end of last season, despite becoming the first manager in the club’s history to reach an FA Cup final. His replacement Mark Hughes will be looking to improve upon the Potters’ 13th place finish from last season and become the first Stoke manager to leave Anfield with all three points since Frank Taylor achieved that feat in 1958/59. In fact Taylor is the only Stoke manager to have won a league game at Anfield, with all three of Stoke’s wins coming while under his management, as both clubs competed in the old Second Division in the mid/late 1950s.

Liverpool’s record against teams managed by Mark Hughes (all competitions):

  • Overall – P: 14 W: 6 D: 6 L: 2 F: 22 A: 15
  • Home – P: 7 W: 3 D: 4 L: 0 F: 9 A: 5
  • Away – P: 7 W: 3 D: 3 L: 2 F: 13 A: 10

Liverpool’s overall league record against Stoke City:

  • Total – P: 116 W: 55 D: 32 L: 29 F: 184 A: 120 GD: +64
  • Home – P: 58 W: 43 D: 12 L: 3 F: 127 A: 36 GD: +91
  • Away – P: 58 W: 12 D: 20 L: 26 F: 57 A: 84 GD: -27

Since Stoke’s last victory at Anfield – a 4-3 win in back March 1959 – the Reds have won 24 of the 28 home fixtures played in the league, with three of the four draws coming in Stoke’s last five visits to Anfield.

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