After Liverpool’s awful start to this Premier League campaign, they host a West Brom side, who have recently got their season back on track.
The Baggies’ season wasn’t looking too good two games ago. however, they’ve had two fantastic results on the bounce. They picked up an excellent 1-0 win at White Hart Lane, a game they thoroughly deserved to win, too. The next week, they hosted Burnley, and dismantled them; 4-0.
Alan Irvine’s men sit in mid-table (10th), above Brendan Rodgers’ men, who start this Saturday afternoon way down in 14th.
Liverpool’s last Premier League game saw them share the points with Everton, after the Blues equalized with virtually the last kick of the game. Liverpool have played since then, too. They traveled to Switzerland, to play Basel, and lost 1-0, in the Champions League.
The Reds suffer defeat in Switzerland (Liverpoolfc.com)
As far as Liverpool’s team selection goes, who knows? You’d expect there to be a couple/few changes from mid-week. Not only was it not a good performance, but the players will be quite tired, you’d imagine. I’m not too sure about Glen Johnson’s fitness, so I don’t think he’ll take any part in it. Rodgers has kept quiet on the whole Johnson injury. Javier Manquillo will start at right-back, you’d expect.
I suspect it will be a Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren partnership. I hope so anyway, Rodgers cannot afford to keep changing, he needs to settle with his preferred back line and stick with it. I’m expecting Alberto Moreno to come back in the side for Jose Enrique. Enrique did play in midweek, he didn’t do too well, in my opinion. I also believe the only reason he came into the side for Moreno, was to give the young Spaniard a much deserved rest. But I do prefer Moreno, and I think he offers us a lot more going forward, something I think could be crucial when we are trying to break them down today.
Captain, Steven Gerrard, you’d expect to keep his place. Gerrard showed against Everton last weekend, that he’s still got that influence on the side, and can change the game with a single strike. Not only that, but Brendan Rodgers doesn’t have many other options, bar Lucas. He said in his pre-match interview, that he expects Joe Allen and Emre Can to come back after this international break.
Jordan Henderson will most likely keep his ever-present place in this side. The newly appointed vice-captain is such an important figure in this Liverpool side, and it makes you realize just how good he is, when he is missing for whatever reason.
Philippe Coutinho, I thought had a good first-half against Basel on Wednesday, and then a poor second. I hope he manages to keep his place in the side, just because of the glimpses I saw in the first-half. I hope he plays with Henderson and Gerrard in a midfield trio, because I think that’s where his game is best-suited.
Adam Lallana didn’t start in mid-week, like Alberto Moreno, you’d expect that to be due to fatigue. I’m 99% confident Lallana will come back in the side for the visit of West Brom. His form since coming keeps improving, and his best game was against Everton last weekend. He’ll hope to carry that sort of form on, I think he’ll play on the left hand side.
Raheem Sterling didn’t have his best game in midweek, but nowadays, he’s probably Liverpool’s best player, so you cannot afford to leave him out. It wasn’t even that bad of a game, looking back at it, it’s because of the ridiculously high standards he has set for himself, because of his superb performances, of late.
Mario Balotelli or Rickie Lambert? Rumour has it that Rickie Lambert is going to be handed his first Premier League start by Brendan Rodgers. Take that with a pinch of salt, because it’s only coming off Twitter. I, personally, would go with Balotelli. I think he’s the better player, he offers more, and I don’t think he’s the type of player you want to leave out. I can’t imagine someone as volatile as Balotelli, reacting well to being dropped, especially with some of the criticism being directed at him recently. I think it might be Lambert, but I’d go with Mario. It doesn’t look like Sturridge is quite ready yet. He’ll be ready after the international break, as he hasn’t been called up by England, thankfully.
Hopefully Liverpool can get their Premier League campaign back on track with a win, but I just don’t know anymore. I don’t expect a clean sheet from Liverpool. I do expect we’ll edge it, though. 3-1 to Liverpool, Lallana to get off the mark.
(FansCorners.com)
Bobby Vincent
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