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Liverpool have the inducement of attending to inside three factors of Man City with a win over Leeds on Wednesday evening, as Marcelo Bielsa’s facet head to Anfield.
Liverpool vs. Leeds
Premier League (26), Anfield
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
7.45pm (GMT)
The Reds had a weekend to treasure, beating Norwich 3-1 at Anfield after which seeing Tottenham defeat Metropolis, because the Premier League title race exploded into life.
Subsequent up is the midweek go to of a struggling Leeds staff – one who Liverpool beat 3-0 at Elland Highway again in September.
Listed here are 10 issues to know forward of the match.
1. Troublesome second season
After strutting into the Premier League as everybody’s second-favourite staff, ultimately ending ninth, Leeds have come crashing again right down to actuality this season.
The Whites have suffered an injury-plagued marketing campaign, shedding the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford for lengthy spells, they usually have conceded 50 objectives in 24 league video games.
Sunday’s 4-2 defeat at house to Man United was the newest setback, and with every passing week, the extra a relegation battle appears to be like possible.
Leeds go into the Liverpool sport fifteenth within the desk and 5 factors away from the drop – may the Reds be enjoying them at a greater time?
2. Bielsa on the transfer?
Bielsa is an nearly godlike determine amongst Leeds supporters, a lot in the way in which Klopp is at Liverpool, however his inventory has fallen this season.
The Argentine is massively revered amongst his friends, however accidents have hampered his facet and he has been naive in his ways, seemingly solely desirous to play one, attack-minded means.
Bielsa’s present deal expires on the finish of the season and it may very well be that he decides to convey an finish to his time at Elland Highway.
Former Salzburg and RB Leipzig boss Jesse Marsch is reportedly seen as a front-runner to interchange the 66-year-old, ought to his exit be confirmed.
3. Potential Leeds XI
As talked about, Leeds have been badly hit by accidents all season and they are going to be with out quite a few key figures on Wednesday night.
Phillips and Bamford are the 2 most high-profile absentees.
Captain Liam Cooper can be nonetheless lacking on the again, whereas kids Leo Hjelde and Sam Greenwood are unavailable, too.
Star man and Liverpool-linked winger Raphinha was dropped for the United sport however is predicted to start out in opposition to the Reds.
Robin Koch is out after struggling a concussion in opposition to United.
Attainable Leeds XI (4-1-4-1): Meslier; Ayling, Struijk, Llorente, Firpo; Forshaw; Raphinha, Dallas, Klich, James; Gelhardt
4. Who’s out for Liverpool?
Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino are Liverpool’s solely absentees, having injured themselves in final week’s 2-0 win away to Inter Milan.
Each attackers are touch-and-go to be match for Sunday’s League Cup ultimate in opposition to Chelsea.
In any other case, Klopp once more has the luxurious of getting an enormous group to select from, with some unlucky people not even making the matchday squad.
5. How may Reds line up?
Klopp rotated his squad for the Norwich sport, making seven adjustments total and giving some key figures a much-needed relaxation.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson ought to return in opposition to Leeds, whereas Ibrahima Konate could also be most popular to Joel Matip at centre-back.
It may very well be that Matip is seen as the person to accomplice Virgil van Dijk within the League Cup ultimate as a substitute.
In midfield, Fabinho and Thiago could each come again into the staff, whereas Harvey Elliott may even make it an entire change in the midst of the park.
Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz once more look primed to make up the assault within the absence of Jota and Firmino.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Elliott, Thiago; Salah, Diaz, Mane
6. Jota & Firmino match for Wembley?
Talking in Tuesday’s pre-match press convention, Klopp solid doubt over Jota and Firmino’s availability for the ultimate:
“For tomorrow, no likelihood. After which the ultimate, we’ll see. I actually don’t know within the second. It will be simpler to say ‘no’ now, however we’ll see.
“They’re [pushing], however they weren’t on the pitch for coaching, in order that’s not a superb signal.
“We have now to see what we are able to do with the boys within the subsequent few days, then we decide later within the week.”
At the very least Salah, Diaz and Mane can be found, because it stands, with Liverpool’s new-found attacking depth making a world of distinction.
7. Sturdy document vs. Leeds
Liverpool have loads of cause to really feel assured going into the midweek conflict, not least their current document in opposition to Leeds.
The Whites haven’t tasted victory in opposition to the Reds since again in April 2001, when objectives from Rio Ferdinand and Lee Bowyer earned them a 2-1 win at Anfield.
It felt like a devastating second in Liverpool’s season on the time, however a month or so later they’d clinched a cup treble and reached the Champions League for the primary time.
Within the 11 conferences since Leeds‘ final triumph, the Reds have received on eight events and drawn the opposite three, having fun with nearly complete dominance within the fixture.
8. Do you know?
It stays to be seen if Matip will begin in opposition to Leeds, however there is no such thing as a denying that his availability has been an enormous plus-point this season.
The 30-year-old already has 28 begins to his identify in 2021/22, which is a welcome distinction to his earlier numbers.
The truth is, Matip has solely began a complete of twenty-two matches over the previous two complete seasons mixed, making 25 appearances total.
What a distinction a superb damage document makes.
9. Oliver named as referee
Michael Oliver will take cost of Wednesday’s sport, with many viewing him as the very best referee within the nation.
Admittedly, there’s not a lot competitors, however the 36-year-old does invariably do properly, regardless of a horror present within the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park final season.
That is the fourth Liverpool sport Oliver has refereed in 2021/22, having overseen the 4-0 win at house to Arsenal and the disastrous 1-0 defeat at Leicester within the league.
He additionally refereed the 0-0 draw with the Gunners within the League Cup semi-final first leg at Anfield final month, sending off Granit Xhaka.
10. Observe TIA’s dwell weblog
As was the case final weekend, Liverpool’s sport is not going to be televised within the UK, as a result of Champions League motion being on on the identical time.
Which means TIA’s matchday dwell weblog is the very best place to comply with the match, with Dan Clubbe conserving you entertained from 7pm (GMT).
Kickoff is at 7.45pm.
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