Leicester v Liverpool: Back a fast start for rested Reds

Leicester too soft at the back

Leicester are certainly an entertaining watch recently but for all their attacking endeavour they’re just not getting the results with just two league wins in eight leaving them down in 10th in the table.

Only Newcastle, Norwich and Leeds have conceded more than Leicester and that’s where the big problem lies for Brendan Rodgers as his side continue to slide out of the race for European places.

They’ve scored in their last seven but their last two games just about sum them up, as they led 3-1 at Anfield against a much-changed Liverpool but lost on penalties in the Carabao Cup, before scoring three at the Etihad but losing 6-3 to Man City.

Rodgers is either unable or unwilling to try and shut up shop at the back, and if they play that way again against the league’s joint top scorers then they could face another heavy defeat.

Liverpool get key men back

Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho are back in training after Covid while Jordan Henderson returned from his own illness, but Thiago remains sidelined while in isolation as Liverpool look to close the gap on leaders Man City.

It’s ironic that Jurgen Klopp was so vocal about the amount of football around Christmas but has been handed an inpromptu six-day break after Leeds asked for their Boxing Day game to be postponed due to Covid.

After Leicester had to play Man City just 48 hours before this fixture then it makes Liverpool even bigger favourites along with their record of just one away defeat in 16 and their average of scoring three goals per away game this season.

Klopp will point to missing Van Dijk and his first-choice midfield against Spurs as the swings and roundabouts of the current Covid situation, but regardless that extra rest will do wonders against this open Leicester side.

All about goals and a fast start

Liverpool’s away games average just over four total goals a game while overall the sides sit first and second in the over 2.5 standings and there’s no reason why this should be any different.

Over 3.5 goals in fact is priced at just 2.111/10 but will be in many Bet Builders if not standalone bets for the game.

Not many will be backing Leicester at 8.07/1 even after three straight home wins in all competitions where they’ve scored 11 goals – while Liverpool are a short priced1.364/11 favourites and the draw 4.57/2. That’s how it ended after 90 minutes of their Carabao Cup meeting last week.

Watch out for a fast Liverpool start here after their mini-break with 3.02/1 on them to be ahead after 20 minutes looking an intriguing bet but 2.255/4 for the away side to lead after 30 minutes available as a safer option.

Salah and Mane boost for Klopp’s Reds

Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita are all available until after this and the Chelsea game on 2 January before they belatedly head off to the Africa Cup of Nations and that’s a massive boost for the Reds here.

They’ll make a big different to the side that faced Leicester an Anfield last week and plenty will be backing Salah to score even at 1.574/7, while Diogo Jota has four goals in his last four Premier League games against Leicester, including a hat-trick for Wolves.

Jota always looks dangerous and scored in the Carabao Cup game after coming off the bench so 2.26/5 on him to score anytime is worth looking at as he looks very much a man in scoring form.

Watch also for Naby Keita, who made a big impact as a sub at Anfield last week and can really do some damage further forward if Fabinho plays. He’s 4.57/2 for an assist and 4.216/5 to score.

Jamie Vardy scored twice at Anfield but didn’t play at the Etihad so he may be value at 2.8815/8 to score anytime given he usually gives Liverpool plenty of problems.

James Maddison is 5.04/1 to score, as he did at Anfield, but any Leicester goal most likely will come in a losing cause unless they can somehow find some defensive nous from out of nowhere.