The 2023–24 season is barely a month old, and the fixture list is already jam-packed.
The Reds’ Europa League campaign began last Thursday against LASK, and they then defeated West Ham 3-1 at the weekend.
Now, Jurgen Klopp and company will play Leicester City for the first time since they were unexpectedly relegated from the Premier League last season.
The Reds also have a trip to high-flying Tottenham three days after their cup match against Leicester, so as if that weren’t enough, there will likely be a lot of midweek rotation.
However, Liverpool have excelled in every challenge they have faced this season thus far, and Klopp will undoubtedly be hoping that even a second-string lineup should be sufficient to defeat the Championship team.
Everything you need to know about the game is provided here.
DATE, KICK-OFF AND STADIUM
- Date: Wednesday, 27th September 2023
- Kick-off time: 19:45 BST / 14:45 ET / 11:45 PT
- Stadium: Anfield
Head-to-head recording.
Liverpool and Leicester have faced off against one another 121 times in history.
Surprisingly, the Reds have prevailed in 55 of those encounters, while drawing 25 and losing 41.
Liverpool, however, has been by far the superior team in the last ten meetings between the two clubs, winning seven, drawing one, and losing just twice.
The Reds’ most recent loss to the now-champion team occurred in December 2021, the middle of a disastrous campaign for Liverpool.
With an overall score of 7-1, Klopp’s team has won all three of the most recent meetings between the two teams.
Just two months ago, the Reds defeated the Foxes by a score of four in a preseason match in Singapore.
WHERE TO WATCH THE LIVERPOOL VS LEICESTER GAME ON TV.
Unfortunately, the match won’t be broadcast in the UK because it wasn’t chosen for coverage (yet another Liverpool match Liverpool fans can’t watch live).
The game is accessible on DAZN in Europe.
LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, an Englishman who was prematurely substituted against Aston Villa earlier this month, is the only player whose status in the squad for the game on Wednesday night is in serious doubt.
It is unknown if Alexander-Arnold will have fully recovered from his hamstring injury in time.
The initial estimate for the defender’s absence was two weeks.
Alexander-Arnold did not make the squad for Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over West Ham at the weekend, which marked three weeks since he first sustained the injury.
Due to the short turnaround between games, it is still unlikely that the 24-year-old will participate against Leicester; Klopp is probably going to give him until at least the weekend’s crucial match against Spurs to get back into match shape.
Another notable absence, though one that is certainly puzzling, is Thiago Alcantara.
The midfielder’s return to the Reds has not materialized despite reports that it was imminent at the beginning of the preseason.
A month and a half into the regular season, there are still no signs that the Spaniard will play for the Reds again.
Only young full-back Conor Bradley has been confirmed to be out, and it appears that he will be out for the majority of the remaining months of the year.
Again, Joe Gomez is the only really viable option to play right-back as a result, but supporters won’t mind because the club’s longest-tenured player has stepped up in recent weeks and excelled on that side of the defense.
In a drastically different starting lineup on Wednesday, young players like Ben Doak, Stefan Bajcetic, Jarell Quansah, and Bobby Clark might all get some playing time, and Caoimhin Kelleher should return to his role as the cup keeper.
In addition, Harvey Elliott, who didn’t play against West Ham, is probably going to have a major role.
LEICESTER TEAM NEWS
Concerns about first-team injuries or suspensions don’t exist for Leicester City. However, as was to be expected, their squad suffered greatly as a result of the club’s relegation last year, with well-known players like Harvey Barnes, James Maddison, and Youri Tielemans all leaving to continue their careers in the Premier League.
But even so, the game on Wednesday won’t be a walk in the park.
With seven victories and one tie through their first eight games, Enzo Maresca’s team is having a strong campaign and is currently leading the Championship.
To advance in the cup and to let Premier League teams know they’ll be back the following year, they’ll be looking to make a statement win against Liverpool.
PREDICTED LINEUP
It’s expected that Klopp will heavily rotate his team given Liverpool’s busy schedule this week and the upcoming match against Tottenham.
(4-3-3): Caoimhin Kelleher; Joe Gomez; Ibrahima Konate; Jarell Quansah; Kostas Tsimikas; Wataru Endo; Harvey Elliott; Ryan Gravenberch; Ben Doak; Cody Gakpo; and Diogo Jota.
PREDICTION.
Despite the disparity between the two, Liverpool may find it difficult to navigate this match because it will be followed by challenging Premier League matches against West Ham and Tottenham.
Many people wouldn’t be devastated by an early exit from this competition, which is undoubtedly the least valued of the four the Reds are participating in this season.
The Reds should have more than enough to advance, though, as they are in excellent form and the game is being played at Anfield. with the customary result.
Liverpool 3-1 Leicester City
