16/17 Premier League Preview – Matchweek 4: Leicester City (H)

16/17 Premier League Preview – Matchweek 4: Leicester City (H)
September 8, 2016 Gary Fulcher

Part One by Gary Fulcher.

After four consecutive away games Liverpool players finally get to run out at Anfield for the first time this season, with the visit of champions Leicester City for Saturday’s late kick off: 5.30pm kick off UK time. It is a historic occasion for the Reds with the official opening of the main stand bringing the capacity at Anfield to 54,000 with the addition of an extra 8,500 seats, making the main stand one of the largest all seater single stands in Europe.

Leicester of course – like so many times in the past (see Blast from the Past below) – will be hoping to ruin the occasion for Liverpool by recording a first win at Anfield since May 2000. The Foxes opened their title defence with a 1-2 defeat at Hull City, followed by a 0-0 draw at home to Arsenal and a 2-1 home win over Swansea City before the international break.

Claudio Ranieri’s side kick off their Champions League campaign just four days after their visit to Anfield so it will be fascinating to see how the Foxes cope this season with the addition of continental action, more games, increased travel and less recovery time.

Like Leicester, Liverpool also have four points from their opening three games, with a 4-3 victory at Arsenal followed by a 0-2 loss at Burnley and a 1-1 draw at Spurs. The visit of Leicester on Saturday will mean the Reds will have alreadt faced last season’s top three, with two of those games away from Anfield. The Reds may not have started the season all guns blazing but faced with three consecutive away games – two of them against last season’s 2nd and 3rd best teams in the league – four points from nine needs to be viewed in the correct context.

Liverpool’s league record against Leicester

Total Home Away
Played: 92 Played: 46 Played: 46
Won: 38 Won: 25 Won: 13
Drawn:20 Drawn: 10 Drawn: 10
Lost: 34 Lost: 11 Lost: 23
Goals scored: 149 Goals scored: 86 Goals scored: 63
Goals against: 126 Goals against: 55 Goals against: 71

Match Officials

Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistants: H Lennard, A Holmes
Fourth official: L Mason

SQUADS

The words "Liverpool Football Club" are in the centre of a pennant, with flames either side. The words "You'll Never Walk Alone" adorn the top of the emblem in a green design, "EST 1892" is at the bottom

No. Position Player
1 Germany GK Loris Karius
2 England DF Nathaniel Clyne
3 France DF Mamadou Sakho
5 Netherlands MF Georginio Wijnaldum
6 Croatia DF Dejan Lovren
7 England MF James Milner (vice-captain)
10 Brazil MF Philippe Coutinho
11 Brazil FW Roberto Firmino
12 England DF Joe Gomez
13 Austria GK Alex Manninger
14 England MF Jordan Henderson (captain)
15 England FW Daniel Sturridge
16 Serbia MF Marko Grujić
17 Estonia DF Ragnar Klavan
18 Spain DF Alberto Moreno
No. Position Player
19 Senegal FW Sadio Mané
20 England MF Adam Lallana
21 Brazil MF Lucas Leiva (3rd captain)
22 Belgium GK Simon Mignolet
23 Germany MF Emre Can
25 England MF Cameron Brannagan
26 Portugal DF Tiago Ilori
27 Belgium FW Divock Origi
28 England FW Danny Ings
32 Cameroon DF Joël Matip
35 England MF Kevin Stewart
54 England MF Sheyi Ojo
56 England DF Connor Randall
68 Spain MF Pedro Chirivella

Liverpool players doubtful or missing through injury:

R Klavan Knee Injury September 10, 2016
E Can Ankle Injury September 10, 2016
S Ojo Back Injury September 16, 2016
L Karius Broken Hand September 24, 2016
J Gomez Calf/Shin Injury No Return Date
M Sakho Calf/Shin Injury September 10, 2016

Leicester City crest.svg

No. Position Player
1 Denmark GK Kasper Schmeichel (vice-captain)
2 Spain DF Luis Hernández
3 England DF Ben Chilwell
4 England MF Danny Drinkwater
5 Jamaica DF Wes Morgan (captain)
6 Germany DF Robert Huth
7 Nigeria FW Ahmed Musa
8 England MF Matty James
9 England FW Jamie Vardy
10 Wales MF Andy King
11 England MF Marc Albrighton
12 England GK Ben Hamer
13 Ghana MF Daniel Amartey
No. Position Player
14 Poland MF Bartosz Kapustka
15 Ghana MF Jeff Schlupp
17 England DF Danny Simpson
19 Algeria FW Islam Slimani
20 Japan FW Shinji Okazaki
21 Germany GK Ron-Robert Zieler
22 England MF Demarai Gray
23 Argentina FW Leonardo Ulloa
24 France MF Nampalys Mendy
26 Algeria MF Riyad Mahrez
27 Poland DF Marcin Wasilewski
28 Austria DF Christian Fuchs

Leicester players doubtful or missing through injury:

K Schmeichel Inguinal Hernia September 10, 2016
N Mendy Ankle Injury September 10, 2016
J Schlupp Muscle Strain September 10, 2016

The rest of this match preview is for subscribers only.

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