Liverpool will take on Crystal Palace tomorrow in what will be a crucial game for both the sides. Liverpool are on course to finish in the top four and secure Champions League football next season whereas Palace, who were staring down the barrel after the turn of the year, have secured five wins in their last seven matches and could finish mid-table if they can keep up their form.
The architect in Crystal Palace’s change of fortunes has been the on-loan player from Liverpool – Mamadou Sakho. The Liverpool outcast has been absolutely brilliant for the Eagles but will miss tomorrow’s clash as he cannot appear against his parent club.
Team News
The Reds have a big fitness problem in their first team squad as Joel Matip is doubtful for tomorrow’s game with a thigh problem. Lucas Leiva is also doubtful with a calf issue whereas Ragnar Klavan has been ruled out. This means Joe Gomez may start his first match of the season after suffering a season-ending knee injury in September 2015.
Adam Lallana has returned to first team training but the game against Palace is too early for him. He might, however, feature for the Reds in next week’s clash against Watford. There have been no indications about the return date of club captain Jordan Henderson.
With Sakho out of tomorrow’s match, the fit-again James Tomkins will start in his place. Loic Remy and James McArthur have also recovered from their respective injuries and will be in contention to start at Anfield. The likes of Scott Dann, Pape Souare, Fraizer Campbell and Connor Wickham are the long term absentees for the Eagles.
Form guide
The Reds go into this game after winning their previous two matches against Crystal Palace. The London side can make it three wins in a row at Anfield and create a new record of winning three games on the trot away to Liverpool. But their manager Sam Allardyce has never won a match at Anfield in his previous 13 attempts. With a leaky Liverpool defence going up against the in-form attacking trio of Crystal Palace, goals are guaranteed tomorrow in what will be a close affair.
Liverpool: W-D-W-D-W-W
Crystal Palace: W-W-W-L-W-D
Predicted lineups
Liverpool – Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Matip, Milner, Lucas, Can, Wijnaldum, Coutinho, Origi, Firmino.
Crystal Palace – Hennessey, Kelly, Ward, Tomkins, Van Aanholt, Milivojevic, Cabaye, Puncheon, Townsend, Zaha, Benteke.
Predicted score
Liverpool 2-1 Crystal Palace
Odds
Liverpool win – 4/9
Crystal Palace win – 5/1
Draw – 100/30