Swansea City host high flying Liverpool for the Monday night fixture this week. This Premier League gameweek has already seen Liverpool’s top four rivals – Manchester United – pick up maximum points in a huge encounter against Spurs. This effectively makes this trip down to Wales a must win, as Brendan Rodgers prepares to face his former side.
Rodgers took over at the Liberty Stadium in the summer of 2010. In his first season with the Swans, Rodgers and his side – coincidentally captained by current Swansea boss Garry Monk – were promoted to the top flight. They managed to win the play-offs and Rodgers was quickly becoming a fan’s favourite.
In Swansea’s first season in the Premier League; many were tipping them as clear favourites to go straight back down. However, the season was a very successful one by their standards. They were comfortably above the relegation zone and Rodgers’ quick and flowing passing and moving, the style we see week in and week out at Liverpool, was brought to the Premier League and was working very well.
That summer, though, Rodgers’ services were bought by the Reds and here we are three and a half seasons later.
(swanseacity.net)
The last time these sides met at the Liberty, it was also on a Monday night and it was a massively entertaining fixture. The game finished 2-2 in the end and Jonjo Shelvey had an enormous part to play in every goal. Shelvey also had a big say in the game earlier this season which saw Liverpool coast to a 4-1 victory at Anfield.
The Reds’ last game was over a week ago now against Blackburn in a goalless stalemate. The game seems an age ago because of Liverpool’s usual congested fixtures. Let’s hope there is an obvious benefit of having a week off – a bit like it was last season.
Steven Gerrard has also made it clear to the public that he is back and fit for selection. Does he go straight back in the side or will Rodgers keep the winning formula? I think because of what is happening at the end of the season with him retiring and everything – there is in a way, an automatic selection for the majority of the games; especially the ‘bigger’ ones (Manchester United next weekend etc.). Swansea? I think he may get a ‘rest’; sounds stupid because he’s had essentially a month’s rest – but he’s 34, will he play both of these games in a space of a week? Both games will be higher intensity than usual, too – which may not suit him.
Mamadou Sakho *should* be back, and I pray to God he is. He did well when called upon in the u21s last week and the boss praised the Frenchman’s professionalism and character after the game. I think he’ll be ready for this, as I do with Joe Allen, who like Brendan Rodgers, will be facing his former club, too. This means a shift back into defence for Emre Can.
The side I’d go with:
(fanscorners.com/Liverpool/squad-selector/)
Bobby Vincent
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