A big league tie sees Liverpool host to second-from-bottom Stoke on Saturday at 7:30 EST. While most fans are consumed with Wednesday in Rome, a win here is important for Liverpool, it would put massive pressure off the match at Stamford Bridge next weekend and put them in strong position to hang on to their hopes of the top four.
Team News:
In their 5-2 over Roma, Liverpool suffered two injuries, one more severe than the other. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was injured and removed from the game near the 20-minute mark and it has been confirmed by the club he will be finished for the rest of the club season and will be unavailable for the World Cup. The news is getting not just for Chamberlain and the club, as this leaves a massive selection dilemma with three fit first-team midfielders, but for country as Chamberlain had certainly played his way onto the plane to Russia. He is expected to be ready by pre-season and we certainly wish for a speedy recovery.
The other injury is more minor in nature and was done to Sadio Mane. The problem, defined by Klopp as "not that serious," is likely to see Mane miss out at the weekend. Mane's thigh problem was severe enough to keep him out of training and go see the medical staff presumably for a scan, but it seems apparent he will be eligible for Wednesday. Your other misses for the weekend remain the same: Joel Matip, Adam Lallana, and Emre Can all remain out.
The absences and timing, along with last weekend's poor final 15 minutes or so, put Klopp in an interesting selection situation. It has been referred to as an important game, but the Reds cannot risk the absence of additional players for the return leg against Roma. While the defending raised problems and a more first-team based squad may take part, players like Dominic Solanke, Danny Ings, and Ben Woodburn may all feature in the starting eleven as a result of the attacking and midfield injuries.
As for Stoke, they will first be doing without Saido Berahino and Jese Rodriguez for breaking team rules. The two forwards being exile, combined with a thigh injury to Eric Maxim Chupo-Moting, leave just former-Red Peter Crouch and Mame Diouf as first-team striker options. Also battling fitness is another ex-Red Glen Johnson, who was withdrawn from the 1-1 against Burnley last Sunday with a groin strain. Manager Paul Lambert has called his inclusion "unlikely," however, and his expected replacement will be Kurt Zouma.
Projected Liverpool Line-Up: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, van Dijk, Lovren, Robertson; Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Solanke
Projected Stoke Line-Up: Butland; Zouma, Shawcross, Martins Indi; Bauer, N'Diaye, Allen, Pieters; Shaqiri, Sobhi; Diouf
Previewing the Game:
The hunt for top four is well and truly on. Liverpool's collapse against West Brom does not allow them to clinch with a victory, but with their next game away to Chelsea, a win here would mean that a draw in London would be good enough for top four and the final game against Brighton could have much less pressure. The balance between finding a strong side but giving enough rest for Wednesday will be crucial for the team's general aspirations of the season. Too much emphasis on the league hurts the second leg, too much focus on Champions League puts Liverpool dangerously close to missing out on top four, the middle-ground includes giving chances to 'second-string' players and those players making good on the chance.
The midfield is the primary focus of worry for most fans. With Can, Lallana, and Chamberlain all seemingly out of selection for the vast majority, if not the entirety, of the remaining season, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, and Gini Wijnaldum remain the three fit men. Jurgen Klopp mentioned getting "creative" with selection in the middle of the park. Some of the creative ideas for the weekend could be: selecting Ben Woodburn into the squad into the midfield, moving Trent Alexander-Arnold into a more favored central position and selecting Joe Gomez or Nathaniel Clyne at right-back, or dropping Roberto Firmino deeper into the pitch as a more attacking-midfielder. I believe the most likely of these is giving Alexander-Arnold the spot, resting Milner, and selecting Clyne (fitness presumed) for the right-back role. Regardless, the midfield has become a strength over the past couple of months for Liverpool and the three first-choice men seem set to keep it that way.
Stoke's team selection will provide an interesting challenge for Liverpool. A back three has not worked against Liverpool in nearly every situation this season. Teams that have tried include Manchester City in both legs, Roma mid-week, Bournemouth for the first half of their most recent meeting, West Ham, Watford, even Stoke earlier this season saw three go past their back three, including two from Salah, one of which he burned Erik Pieters on the left-wing. With Johnson set to miss, a back three looks like the most likely option. Pieters and Moritz Bauer will likely be listed as wing-backs but it is crucial they play more as a back five than leaving their center-backs open in a back three. Also interesting is the question of starting Peter Crouch and getting some offense from the start, or including an extra center-back. Lambert will be faced with the dilemma of halting an offense that has put more than one goal past Stoke each of the past four meetings and for that reason I believe defending will be prioritized.
Final Thoughts:
Liverpool cannot be drawn into complacency with the top four job so close to being done. Just as I said last week, relegation teams are always dangerous to face. Stoke need the points and have taken a draw from each of the past two games. They need to get points and have an opportunity to get big ones in relegation six-pointers against Crystal Palace and Swansea in the last two games of the season. I think Stoke realize this and sit back, hoping to grab a point away from home. That said...
Score Projection: Liverpool 2: Stoke City 0:
I do not think Stoke's defense will have it in them to defend a full 90 minutes. While Xherdan Shaqiri is very dangerous, he alone is not enough to provide service to whomever the attackers may be. I will select Liverpool to win, Chelsea to defeat Swansea 3-0, and these results set up a big clash at Stamford Bridge next weekend.
Team News:
In their 5-2 over Roma, Liverpool suffered two injuries, one more severe than the other. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was injured and removed from the game near the 20-minute mark and it has been confirmed by the club he will be finished for the rest of the club season and will be unavailable for the World Cup. The news is getting not just for Chamberlain and the club, as this leaves a massive selection dilemma with three fit first-team midfielders, but for country as Chamberlain had certainly played his way onto the plane to Russia. He is expected to be ready by pre-season and we certainly wish for a speedy recovery.
The other injury is more minor in nature and was done to Sadio Mane. The problem, defined by Klopp as "not that serious," is likely to see Mane miss out at the weekend. Mane's thigh problem was severe enough to keep him out of training and go see the medical staff presumably for a scan, but it seems apparent he will be eligible for Wednesday. Your other misses for the weekend remain the same: Joel Matip, Adam Lallana, and Emre Can all remain out.
The absences and timing, along with last weekend's poor final 15 minutes or so, put Klopp in an interesting selection situation. It has been referred to as an important game, but the Reds cannot risk the absence of additional players for the return leg against Roma. While the defending raised problems and a more first-team based squad may take part, players like Dominic Solanke, Danny Ings, and Ben Woodburn may all feature in the starting eleven as a result of the attacking and midfield injuries.
As for Stoke, they will first be doing without Saido Berahino and Jese Rodriguez for breaking team rules. The two forwards being exile, combined with a thigh injury to Eric Maxim Chupo-Moting, leave just former-Red Peter Crouch and Mame Diouf as first-team striker options. Also battling fitness is another ex-Red Glen Johnson, who was withdrawn from the 1-1 against Burnley last Sunday with a groin strain. Manager Paul Lambert has called his inclusion "unlikely," however, and his expected replacement will be Kurt Zouma.
Projected Liverpool Line-Up: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, van Dijk, Lovren, Robertson; Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Solanke
Projected Stoke Line-Up: Butland; Zouma, Shawcross, Martins Indi; Bauer, N'Diaye, Allen, Pieters; Shaqiri, Sobhi; Diouf
Previewing the Game:
The hunt for top four is well and truly on. Liverpool's collapse against West Brom does not allow them to clinch with a victory, but with their next game away to Chelsea, a win here would mean that a draw in London would be good enough for top four and the final game against Brighton could have much less pressure. The balance between finding a strong side but giving enough rest for Wednesday will be crucial for the team's general aspirations of the season. Too much emphasis on the league hurts the second leg, too much focus on Champions League puts Liverpool dangerously close to missing out on top four, the middle-ground includes giving chances to 'second-string' players and those players making good on the chance.
The midfield is the primary focus of worry for most fans. With Can, Lallana, and Chamberlain all seemingly out of selection for the vast majority, if not the entirety, of the remaining season, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, and Gini Wijnaldum remain the three fit men. Jurgen Klopp mentioned getting "creative" with selection in the middle of the park. Some of the creative ideas for the weekend could be: selecting Ben Woodburn into the squad into the midfield, moving Trent Alexander-Arnold into a more favored central position and selecting Joe Gomez or Nathaniel Clyne at right-back, or dropping Roberto Firmino deeper into the pitch as a more attacking-midfielder. I believe the most likely of these is giving Alexander-Arnold the spot, resting Milner, and selecting Clyne (fitness presumed) for the right-back role. Regardless, the midfield has become a strength over the past couple of months for Liverpool and the three first-choice men seem set to keep it that way.
Stoke's team selection will provide an interesting challenge for Liverpool. A back three has not worked against Liverpool in nearly every situation this season. Teams that have tried include Manchester City in both legs, Roma mid-week, Bournemouth for the first half of their most recent meeting, West Ham, Watford, even Stoke earlier this season saw three go past their back three, including two from Salah, one of which he burned Erik Pieters on the left-wing. With Johnson set to miss, a back three looks like the most likely option. Pieters and Moritz Bauer will likely be listed as wing-backs but it is crucial they play more as a back five than leaving their center-backs open in a back three. Also interesting is the question of starting Peter Crouch and getting some offense from the start, or including an extra center-back. Lambert will be faced with the dilemma of halting an offense that has put more than one goal past Stoke each of the past four meetings and for that reason I believe defending will be prioritized.
Final Thoughts:
Liverpool cannot be drawn into complacency with the top four job so close to being done. Just as I said last week, relegation teams are always dangerous to face. Stoke need the points and have taken a draw from each of the past two games. They need to get points and have an opportunity to get big ones in relegation six-pointers against Crystal Palace and Swansea in the last two games of the season. I think Stoke realize this and sit back, hoping to grab a point away from home. That said...
Score Projection: Liverpool 2: Stoke City 0:
I do not think Stoke's defense will have it in them to defend a full 90 minutes. While Xherdan Shaqiri is very dangerous, he alone is not enough to provide service to whomever the attackers may be. I will select Liverpool to win, Chelsea to defeat Swansea 3-0, and these results set up a big clash at Stamford Bridge next weekend.
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