· Tom
Premier League In Focus – Liverpool vs Stoke Preview
When? Saturday 28th April, 12:30 (UK)
Where? Anfield
What channel is it on? Sky Sports Premier League
Are tickets still available?
Liverpool - https://www.ticketbis.net/liverpool-v-stoke-city-tickets/ev331547
STOKE - SOLD OUT
Where can I stream the match? Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via Sky Go
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last five meetings: Liverpool W4, Stoke W1
Premier League meetings: Liverpool W10, Stoke W4, D5
All-time meetings: Liverpool W77, Stoke W36, D40
LIVERPOOL
Predicted line-up: Karius; Gomez, Van Dijk, Klavan, Moreno; Wijnaldum, Milner, Henderson; Salah, Firmino, Mane
Unavailable: Lallana (Injured), Matip (Injured), Can (Injured), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Injured)
Doubtful:
STOKE
Predicted line-up: Butland; Zouma, Shawcross, Martins-Indi, Pieters; Allen, N'Diaye; Bauer, Shaqiri, Diouf; Crouch
Unavailable: Grant (Injured), Afellay (Out of favour), Berahino (Out of favour), Jese (Out of favour)
Doubtful: Stafylidis (Injured), Choupo-Moting (Injured)
PREDICTION
Liverpool may well have slipped up against West Brom but you get the feeling that it is Champions League or bust now for Jurgen Klopp and his players. Therefore, the question will be asked as to whether the manager will once again rest and rotate when Stoke make the trip to Merseyside.
Paul Lambert’s men have not won any of their last 11 Premier League outings and unless they end that streak they are staring relegation in the face. Then again, with the gap that they currently have between themselves and Swansea in 17th even that might not be enough.
They have drawn their last two league matches but quite simply at this stage of the campaign, draws are not enough. This is something that Stoke will be all too aware of, but they just don’t seem to have the quality to record a vital win.
Quality is something that Liverpool have in abundance and although they were held last weekend, you get the feeling that they won’t make the same mistake again especially against such a poor Stoke side. All signs point to a home win regardless of how many changes Klopp ends up making.
MEMORABLE MEETING
28th December 2016 gave Liverpool plenty of late Christmas cheer as they eventually made light work of Stoke at Anfield. The majority of the ground was silenced after 12 minutes when Jon Walters scored for the visitors but then the hosts clicked into gear and scored four unanswered goals.
Adam Lallana restored parity on 35 minutes, while Roberto Firimino edged the Reds in front just before the break. Add a Giannelli Imbula own goal into the mix and the game was starting to escape from Stoke, a fact that was confirmed when Daniel Sturridge completed the scoring late on as Liverpool won by four goals to one.
