EPL: Liverpool vs Swansea- Preview, TV channel info, Team News, Prediction, Betting odds

Liverpool will be hoping to build on their morale-boosting win over Manchester City last week

Liverpool host Swansea City at Anfield in Sunday’s late kick-off in the Premier League. Liverpool are riding high on confidence after demolishing Manchester City 4-1 at the Etihad in their last game. They have also won five out of their last six games in all competitions.

Swansea are going through a rough patch having won just one of their last nine games in the Premier League with their last game against Bournemouth ending in a 2-2 draw. The home side are currently 9th in the Premier League standings while the visitors find themselves at 14th.

Liverpool have managed to turn things around under new boss Jurgen Klopp, who brought back the confidence in the team. They will be looking to register two consecutive wins for the first time since the start of the season in the Premier League.

Kickoff and Live Telecast

Channel: Star Sports 4 and Star Sports HD4

Live Stream: starsports.com

Date and Time: Saturday, 29 November 2015 – 21:45 IST (16:15 BST)

Venue: Anfield

Team News

Liverpool

Daniel Sturridge has been given green light after a midweek injury scare before the Europa League game against Bordeaux, but scans showed the striker has no injury concerns and is expected to make it to the bench against Swansea.

Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson is also expected to make it to the bench after returning to full training last week, but the Reds will be without Lucas Leiva, who is suspended for the game. Mamadou Sakho, Joe Gomez, and Danny Ings are all long-term injury concerns, and won’t feature in the matchday squad.

Young stars Jordan Rossiter and Jon Flanagan are still recovering from injury, and it’s unlikely they’ll play any part tomorrow. It’s unlikely, Jurgen Klopp will make any changes from the team that started against Swansea, except for Joe Allen, who’ll come in for the suspended Lucas Leiva.

Philippe Coutinho has also returned to training after his slight hamstring concern and is expected to start considering his brilliant form recently. Christain Benteke is likely to be left out of the starting XI, despite being in fine goal scoring form.

Swansea City

Swansea City have absolutely no injury concerns unlike their opponents but have former Liverpool player Jonjo Shelvey suspended for the game. Bafetimbi Gomis is expected to start up front, with the trio of Andre Ayew, Gylfi Siggurdson, and Jefferson Montero behind him. Jack Cork and Ki Sung-Yeung are expected in the middle of the park, while a back four of Kyle Naughton, Federico Fernandez, Ashley Williams, and Neil Taylor expected to start. Lukasz Fabianski will start in goal for the visitors.

Probable Lineups

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Simon Mignolet, Nathaniel Clyne, Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren, Mamadou Sakho, Alberto Moreno, Joe Allen, Emre Can, James Milner, Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino

Swansea City(4-2-3-1): Lukasz Fabianski, Kyle Naughton, Federico Fernandez, Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor, Jack Cork, Ki Sung-Yeung, Andre Ayew, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jefferson Montero, Bafetimbo Gomis.

Form

Liverpool

The Reds have won 4 of their last 5 games, and look in brilliant form. Jurgen Klopp’s team started their brilliant form against defending champions Chelsea in a game which they won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge. Philippe Coutinho scored twice for the Merseyside outfit while Christian Benteke completed the rout.

In the Europa League, Liverpool traveled to Russia to face Rubin Kazan in midweek and Klopp surprised everyone by fielding a strong side, And the Reds didn’t disappoint, winning 1-0 thanks to a brilliant goal from youngster Jordon Ibe. Liverpool then hosted Crystal Palace at Anfield, and despite putting up a good performance they were not clinical enough and fell to a late defeat.

Liverpool then came up with the best performance of the season by any team as they demolished league favourites Manchester City at Etihad. The Reds took everyone by surprise as they registered an emphatic 4-1 over Manchester City. Coutinho, Firmino, and Martin Skrtel were on the scoresheet for the Reds, while Mangala scored an own goal.

They kept the momentum going on against Bordeaux in the Europa League at Anfield as they won 2-1 after going a goal down. James Milner and Christian Benteke found the net for Liverpool.

Last 5 matches: W-W-L-W-W (Last match: Liverpool 2-1 Bordeaux)

Swansea City

Compared to their opponents on Sunday, Swansea have been in very poor form, and Garry Monk is under tremendous pressure to get a result at Anfield. Swansea’s only win in the last five games came to Aston Villa, which they won 2-1. Gylfi Siggurdson and Andre Ayew were on the scoresheet for them. They lost against Stoke City, Arsenal and Norwich while managing just a point at home against Bournemouth.

Last 5 matches: L-W-L-L-D (Last match: Swansea 2-2 Bournemouth)

Key Stats

• Liverpool have won five and lost none of the last seven meetings in all competitions with Swansea City.
• Swansea have won just one of their last seven Premier League away games (W1 D2 L4) and just one of the last nine overall (W1 D3 L5).
• Liverpool have won 11 and lost none of their 14 league meetings with the Swans at Anfield, scoring an average of 3.3 goals per match and netting four or more in nine of those games.
• Jonjo Shelvey has found the back of the net in three of the last four meetings between Liverpool and Swansea, scoring twice for the Swans and netting one own goal.
• Daniel Sturridge has scored four goals in four Barclays Premier League games against Swansea for Liverpool.
• Liverpool have won just one of their last five Premier League games at Anfield (W1 D2 L2).
• Phillippe Coutinho has scored four goals in his last three Premier League appearances, the same total he managed in his previous 30 games combined.
• Liverpool have made the most tackles in the top flight this season (315), while Swansea have attempted the fewest (190).
• 44% of the goals Swansea have conceded have come from set-pieces, the highest proportion in the top flight this season (8 out of 18).
• Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have averaged a goal every six shots so far this season, compared to one every 10 under Brendan Rodgers.

Key Battles

Roberto Firmino vs Ashley Williams

The Brazilian star has started to settle in at Merseyside, and we saw the best of Roberto Firmino against Manchester City. Firmino scored a goal against Manchester City, but could’ve easily had a hat-trick. Not only did he score a goal, but also assisted Philippe Coutinho, and it was from his pass that Mangala scored an own goal of.

He has been instrumental in Liverpool’s recent surge in form, and with Jurgen Klopp trusting him up front ahead of Christain Benteke, it will be a massive ask from Ashley Williams to keep him quiet for 90 minutes. Firmino is clinical in front of the goal, passes the ball really well, and his spatial awareness makes him a key player for the Reds

Philippe Coutinho vs Jack Cork

Just like his Brazilian teammate Philippe Coutinho is also in great form having scored 4 goals in his last four games for Liverpool. Coutinho scored twice in the 3-1 win against Chelsea, he also found the back of the net in the defeat against Crystal Palace, and 4-1 win against Manchester City.

The Brazilian star doesn’t shy away from taking shots from distance or dribble past players to create a chance for his teammates. The front three of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, and Adam Lallana like pressing high up the pitch, and it will be crucial for Jack Cork that he keeps them in check, and doesn’t lose the ball often.

Prediction

It’s difficult to look behind a high-flying Liverpool team, and look set to get all the three points at Anfield. Lucas Leiva will be a big miss for the Reds, but are expected to dominate a Swansea side who have been struggling recently.

Liverpool 3-0 Swansea City