Liverpool Host Stoke Looking To Break Winless Streak

Premier League

Football
Published: 28/11/2014

The pressure mounts on Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers as his Premier League runners-up have failed to win in their last five matches in all competitions. Tomorrow (29th November) sees the Reds host Stoke City whose inconsistent form has seen them drop to one place above Liverpool in 12th position. The Midlands club are yet to win successive league games this season.

Stoke should have taken all three points from their Britannia Stadium clash with West Ham United at the beginning of the month. Goals from Victor Moses and Mame Biram Diouf either side of half time saw the Potters take a 2-0 lead before Enner Valencia reduced the deficit and Stewart Downing levelled up for the East London club.

Mark Hughes` men also took a 2-0 lead away at Tottenham, and only conceded one late goal to secure all three points against the Europa League hopefuls. Both Borjan Krkic and Jonathan Walters hit the back of the net before half time before Nacer Chadli scored a consolation goal for Spurs with less than fifteen minutes to go.

Walters also found his name on the scoresheet last time out against Burnley though a brace from Danny Ings in the first 15 minutes meant that the Clarets saw out the game as 2-1 victors.

Irishman Walters is currently the club`s top scorer with five goals. The experienced playmaker can be backed at a massive 4/1 to strike at any time against Liverpool.

Liverpool have played six games this month and have failed to produce a winning result from any of them. November began with back-to-back 1-0 defeats, first away at Newcastle in the league before a weakened side was fielded against Spanish giants Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Emre Can put the Merseysiders 1-0 up in the ninth minute against the undefeated Chelsea, though Gary Cahill managed to equalise just a few short minutes later. The Blues` victory was sealed with a 67th minute strike from the on-fire Diego Costa.

Again, Rickie Lambert put the Pool one to the good away at Crystal Palace only for the strugglers to hit three past Simon Mignolet. Experienced centre-forward Lambert scored again in the Champions League on Wednesday against Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets Razgrad though his team had to settle for a 2-2 draw. Just fit Jordan Henderson got the Reds` second to put his side in the lead for the first time after Dani Abalo`s early goal.

In spite of their inability to nick a win, Rodgers` men are the 8/11 (Numerous) favourites to beat Stoke at home. The visitors can be backed at 9/2 with most bookmakers whilst a draw is available at 3/1 with bet365, boylesports, ladbrokes and Skybet.

This match might represent Liverpool`s best chance of getting back to winning ways with a number of Stoke players sidelined and those physically fit feeling the effects of a sickness bug that has spread around the Midlands` club`s training ground.

First-choice goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, defender Phil Bardsley and midfielder Geoff Cameron all failed to train today as a result of the mystery bug.

Joining long-term absentees Robert Huth, Peter Odemwingie and Glenn Whelan in the injury room is Victor Moses who will be unavailable for selection for six weeks after sustaining a thigh injury. Marc Wilson and Eric Pieters are also doubts, needing to face late fitness tests.

Liverpool loanee Oussama Assaidi is unavailable to play for the Potters due to the terms of his contract.

The result of such Stoke chaos is that the home side are 3/4 (boylesports, Titanbet, william hill) to put over 1.5 goals past their opponents on Saturday. As they have only kept two clean sheets in 19 games themselves, it`s 10/11 with william hill on both teams to hit the back of the net.

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Any odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of publishing (28/11/2014) but are subject to change.

28/11/2014     © Frixo 2024

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