Liverpool host Sean Dyche’s Burnley side at Anfield in the second round of midweek fixtures in the Premier League. Burnley will be looking to find some sort of result at Anfield to boost their survival hopes – especially with relegation rivals Aston Villa and Hull City already winning.
Liverpool will be looking to overtake Southampton again with a win after the Saints took maximum points from Crystal Palace. The Reds have been on a brilliant run of form recently and this game is following a triumphant result against the champions, Manchester City.
Burnley should definitely not be taken too lightly when the Reds are preparing for the game. The Clarets have already took points at Stamford Bridge and The Etihad Stadium and were unlucky not to at Old Trafford. So it’s definitely not impossible for Dyche’s men to get a result at Anfield – which hasn’t exactly been a fortress this season.
The last time these sides met; it was a pretty dull affair. The Reds, visiting Turf Moor, came out eventual 1-0 winners. Raheem Sterling scored a second-half goal to guarantee the three points for Brendan Rodgers’ men. Liverpool will be looking for something similar to that result on Wednesday night.
(LiverpoolFC.com)
Liverpool came out of the weekend in high spirits after an incredible win in an incredible match against Manchester City. There really can’t be too many changes from that side – but some players may get a rest.
In the past, it’s been typical of Liverpool to mess up in games such as these. You’d imagine Burnley will come to Anfield in a defensive manner. Who can blame them? Liverpool’s attacking players have been excellent recently and Sunday was a day when each one of them performed to a high level.
Danny Ings, who was heavily linked with the Reds in the January window, will be playing for the Clarets and perhaps will be keen to prove a point. Ings is expected to sign with Liverpool in the summer after reportedly turning a move to Spain down. Liverpool will have to be wary of Ings as he is without doubt Burnley’s biggest threat. His pace and movement are two of his strongest attributes and they coincide with his good finishing, so the back three of Liverpool will have to be fully focused on shutting him out.
Daniel Sturridge is expected to come back in the side after starting on the bench against City. This could make way for one of Adam Lallana or Raheem Sterling to take a rest. You could arguably rest both of them and start Mario Balotelli with Daniel Sturridge. That’s what I’d do – try to get Balotelli and Sturridge working well together, as we’ve seen before.
Coutinho behind those two, on paper, looks brilliant. I think it would work well. I think it’s crucial Sturridge gains some confidence and notches against the Clarets – then you could see him going on a real run of form.
I think Liverpool will win this game – 3-0 – a comfortable game for the Reds. It never seems to turn out like that, though – does it?
Here’s the team I’d pick:
(fanscorners.com/Liverpool/squad-selector/
Bobby Vincent
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