Liverpool continue their top-four push against relegation-battling Wolves in a Premier League clash at Anfield.
Victory would lift Liverpool up to fourth before Chelsea face Aston Villa in the teatime kick-off, whilst Wolves will remain rock bottom regardless of the result.
Team News
Alexander Isak is ruled out for Liverpool until late February at earliest with a leg injury suffered in their 2-1 win at Tottenham.
Conor Bradley (knock) is a doubt but Dominik Szoboszlai is suspended after his fifth booking of the league campaign.
Florian Wirtz (cramp) is available but Mohamed Salah (international duty), Wataru Endo (ankle), Cody Gakpo (muscle), Joe Gomez (hamstring) and Giovanni Leoni (ACL) remain absent.
Wolves will be without Toti Gomes after he suffered a hamstring injury in their 2-0 loss at home to Brentford.
Yerson Mosquera is back from suspension but Hugo Bueno (adductor) is a doubt.
Emmanuel Agbadou (international duty), Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (hamstring), Marshall Munetsi (calf), Daniel Bentley (ankle), Leon Chiwone (ACL) and Rodrigo Gomes (groin) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Liverpool host Wolves at Anfield on Saturday 27 December at 3pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Liverpool have won each of their last five meetings against Wolves (W5).
- Wolves have lost each of their last eight league trips to Liverpool at Anfield (L8).
- Mohamed Salah scored in both of Liverpool’s meetings against Wolves last season which ended in 2-1 wins, but the Egyptian is absent due to his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations.
- Hugo Ekitike has scored three goals in Liverpool’s last two matches (W2).
- Failure to win would see Wolves set a new record of 18 matches for the longest winless start in a Premier League season.
Prediction
Although they executed a clinical victory at Tottenham, Liverpool certainly could of done without Isak’s injury because it has left them light up front with only Hugo Ekitike, Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha available, but they most importantly don’t have any other major absentees.
Wolves meanwhile continued to be wasteful in a lacklustre defeat at home to Brentford where they lacked a sharp end product with composure, although they did well at times defensively to frustrate the Bees but marking and spacious gapping proved their downfall.
I however just can’t see Wolves grinding out any sort of result here as this does feel like it will be an one-sided result, even though Arne Slot will have a small dilemma with his forward options and busy schedule in the next fortnight.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Wolves
Result: Liverpool 2-1 Wolves
Leave a Reply