Premier League | Gameweek 18

Dec 26, 2024 at 8pm UK

Anfield

Liverpool vs Leicester City

Match preview

A gung-ho Tottenham side with a depleted defence against a rampant Liverpool side boasting one of the greatest attackers to ever grace the Premier League - it was never going to be dull, was it?

Both defences were handed early Christmas presents at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 22 December, but there was never any serious doubt about where the three points were going as a Mohamed Salah-inspired Reds unit tore Ange Postecoglou and his beloved high line to shreds.

Chelsea's draw with Everton earlier in the day meant Liverpool were guaranteed to spend Christmas Day at the top of the table regardless of what happened in north London, but they left nothing to chance and the dazzling Salah made club and Premier League history with his quartet of contributions.

Four points clear of Chelsea and six clear of Arsenal, both of whom have played a game more, Arne Slot's juggernaut will have some Merseyside wrongs to right in the coming months; on the seven previous occasions Liverpool have led the Premier League at Christmas, they have won the title only once.

Tougher challenges and bumps in the road will inevitably come in 2025, but the Reds have now gone a staggering 21 games without defeat in all competitions, while scoring at least two goals in 12 of their last 13 outings to make up for some recent defensive lapses.

Liverpool have found the net twice in each of their last nine Premier League games, but while there are few blemishes on Slot's first season notebook, his side have now conceded multiple goals in each of their last three top-flight matches, and eight in their last 270 minutes of league football.

Leicester boss Van Nistelrooy, no stranger to bulging Premier League nets during his playing heyday, instead watched in despair as his Foxes conceded three at home to Wolves, who experienced the same new managerial bounce as their opponents just a few weeks ago.

Goncalo Guedes, Rodrigo Gomes and Matheus Cunha all found the net before half-time to condemn Van Nistelrooy's side to back-to-back defeats, having also been hammered at home by Newcastle United in the middle of the month.

Leicester's home humiliation did not send them into the relegation zone, but the 17th-placed visitors are now just two points clear of recent strugglers Wolves and the same distance from Ipswich Town, who fortunately have to travel to Arsenal on Friday night.

Van Nistelrooy's early efforts to shore up a porous Leicester defence have yet to bear fruit and the Foxes arrive at Anfield having failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 11 matches, while conceding at least three goals in their last three away games.

A 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in the EFL Cup in 2023-24 was Leicester's fourth successive loss to the current league leaders, and while the Foxes beat the Reds at the King Power in December 2021, their last win at Anfield dates back to 2000.

Recent Performance

Liverpool Premier League form:WWWDDW

Liverpool form (all competitions):WDWDWW

Leicester City Premier League form:LLWDLL

Team News

As was the case with Liverpool's fitness situation following their chaotic triumph at Tottenham, only Ibrahima Konate (knee) and Conor Bradley (hamstring) will be absent for the visit of Leicester, with neither expected to return until 2025.

With almost every player at his disposal, the Dutchman can be expected to chop and change in all areas of the pitch, potentially introducing Jarell Quansah and Kostas Tsimikas into an increasingly porous backline.

Despite his excellent performance at Tottenham Hotspur, Dominik Szoboszlai could also be left out of the starting line-up - he is one of only a handful of players one yellow card away from a one-match ban, a list that also includes Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch and Darwin Nunez.

Leicester appear to have emerged from their heavy defeat at Leicester with no new injury concerns, but Jamie Vardy has now been confirmed to be suffering from a knock and Van Nistelrooy may not risk the striker given his age.

First-choice goalkeeper Mads Hermansen missed out again at the weekend with a groin problem, and he also faces a race against time to prove his fitness for this game.

With Jakub Stolarczyk still building up his minutes with the Under-21s, former Liverpool man Danny Ward looks set to continue between the sticks for Thursday's game, despite being booed by his own supporters during a poor display at the weekend.

Ricardo Pereira (thigh), Wilfred Ndidi (thigh) and Abdul Fatawu (knee) remain out for the visitors.

Possible starting lineup

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Jones, Jota; Nunez

Leicester City possible starting lineup:

Ward; Okoli, Coady, Faes; Justin, Winks, Soumare, Kristiansen; Buonanotte, El Khannouss; Daka