Boxing Day will be an important day in the 2019-20 Premier League title race. Leicester City host Liverpool at the King Power Stadium and a win for the visitors will all but end Leicester’s unlikely title charge. The Reds are returning to Premier League action after winning the Club World Cup and will be in confident mood.
The hosts, meanwhile, come into the game after succumbing to defending champions Manchester City at the Etihad. A loss for Leicester City could also see them lose the second spot in the league as Manchester City are just a point behind them in the table.
Leicester vs Liverpool: Let’s take a look at 5 players to watch out for in this crunch tie
Mohamed Salah
The Egyptian winger has continued his good form this season and will be licking his lips after the events of the Leicester City-Manchester City game.
Riyad Mahrez tore apart Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell last weekend, and Salah would love to capitalise on the English full-back’s dip in form and look for a similar gameplan to exploit the Foxes’ left side of the defence.
Jamie Vardy
A player in Leicester’s team who could expose the Liverpool defence is Jamie Vardy, who has been in spectacular form this season. Vardy is the top scorer in the league with 17 goals and briefly pegged back City last weekend, easily running in behind the defence and scoring a delightful chip.
Vardy’s pace could worry Liverpool, who will be without Joel Matip for this game. Vardy could target young defender Joe Gomez and come out on top if he gets some space to run into.
Virgil van Dijk
But, Vardy has the phenomenal Virgil van Dijk to contend with in Liverpool’s defence, who has looked unshakeable this season as well.
The big Dutchman could very well decide which way this game goes, even from set-pieces, having scored a brace against Brighton last month.
James Maddison
Liverpool’s only chink in their armour for this game against Leicester City is their midfield as their lynchpin Fabinho will miss the game due to injury, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is also out due to injury.
This is an area Leicester City can target, especially James Maddison, who likes getting into advanced positions. The Englishman is capable of playing clever passes or scoring goals and while he was stifled against City, Rodgers will be keen to utilise the resources at his disposal against the Reds.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has grown tremendously as a player this season and has been superb going forward.
Leicester City’s left side looked shaky last weekend, and the marauding runs and crosses by the English full-back could add more confusion to the Foxes’ backline.
