Kick-off: 2000, 30/12/2022
Stadium: Anfield
TV: Sky Sports
Liverpool made it three straight Premier League victories by winning at Aston Villa and are expected to comfortably account for Leicester.
The Foxes were off the pace and especially sluggish at the back during a home loss to Newcastle, so the Reds are hard to oppose here.
We’re snapping up 5/6 for Jurgen Klopp’s side to prevail by more than one clear goal for our first Liverpool vs Leicester prediction.
Liverpool Odds
Liverpool hit the ground running after the World Cup break when Mohamed Salah struck with just five minutes gone at Villa Park.
Virgil van Dijk doubled the advantage before half-time and, even though Ollie Watkins gave Villa hope, 18-year-old Spaniard Stefan Bajcetic sealed a 3-1 success.
The Reds are playing catch-up in the race for a top-four finish but that was another boost, following wins over Tottenham and Southampton before the lay-off.
“We are not in the best position, there is distance between us and other teams, we know that,” commented Klopp.
“The first two or three are maybe too far away. If they win all their games, we have no chance.
“We have to do our part and it means winning football games. It must be the target, to qualify for the Champions League.”
Darwin Nunez had another frustrating evening in the Midlands, failing to convert several chances, as he had done in a 3-2 EFL Cup loss to Manchester City.
With the Reds having agreed a deal for PSV striker Cody Gakpo, Nunez knows he must start to be more clinical in front of goal.
Looking at the Liverpool vs Leicester odds, the Uruguay international never stops running and is 3/1 to net the final goal in this game.
Last Liverpool line-up: Alisson, Van Dijk, Robertson, Matip, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Thiago, Henderson, Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Nunez.
Centre-back Ibrahim Konate rejoins the Liverpool squad after returning from an extended break following France’s World Cup final defeat.
Forward Roberto Firmino and midfielder Curtis Jones (both calf injuries) continue to be absent, along with James Milner (hamstring).
Leicester City Odds
Leicester showed encouraging signs prior to the Qatar 2022 lay-off when winning five of eight Premier League fixtures and two EFL Cup ties.
However, City’s defending during a 3-0 home defeat by Newcastle was a throwback to their dismal start to the season.
The Foxes were two down inside 10 minutes and the Magpies added another just after the half-an-hour mark.
As well as missing Jonny Evans, James Justin, Ricardo Pereira and Ryan Bertrand at the back, influential midfielder James Maddison was sidelined by a knee injury.
“It was an awful start,” admitted Brendon Rodgers on LCFC TV. “We didn’t play with a lot of quality either.
“In fairness to the players, they kept going, the spirit was there. We tried to change it at half-time to put more pressure on the backline and give us extra numbers in midfield.
“But overall, it was a disappointing performance. Across the field, we weren’t at our level.”
Leicester had only conceded one goal to Manchester City in eight previous outings in all competitions, so Rodgers knows how to shore things up.
This is a tough test so soon after that mauling by the Magpies, though, and 31/10 for the Foxes to go down by any two-goal margin completes our Liverpool vs Leicester betting tips.
Last Leicester line-up: Ward, Faes, Amartey, Castagne, Thomas, Barnes, Tielemans, Dewsbury-Hall, Praet, Soumare, Daka.
Rodgers has confirmed that Maddison and Dennis Praet will be absent for the trip to Anfield.
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