Liverpool’s impressive start to their festive fixtures came to an abrupt end as they lost back-to-back league matches for the first time in Brendan Rodgers’ reign as manager, which also resulted in a slide from 1st at Christmas to 5th at the turn of the year.
The fixtures probably couldn’t have been anymore difficult – Manchester City and Chelsea away and while some very questionable officiating in both matches possibly might have denied Liverpool a win and a draw respectively, the Merseyside club came away empty-handed from both fixtures.
However, just three days later Liverpool have a chance to return to winning ways as Hull travel to Anfield; who not only will be looking to build on their 6-0 drubbing of Fulham in their previous fixture, but will also be looking to do the double over the Liverpool after Steve Bruce’s men inflicted a surprise 3-1 victory over when the sides met just under a month ago.
Although Liverpool had been dominant at home for the majority of 2013, the New Year provides Brendan Rodgers with a long list of absentees through injury to an already small and inexperienced squad.
Joe Allen had to play with an injection to last 60 minutes at Chelsea, when he had to be substituted to give Brad Smith a first senior appearance; while Brendan Rodgers also confirmed that Jordan Henderson played the game not at full-fitness.
Mamadou Sakho also limped off at the end of the game with what appeared to be a hamstring injury and although not confirmed, he is also set to miss out for a few weeks like Joe Allen.
Captain Steven Gerrard made a return to training after picking up a Hamstring injury in Liverpool’s win over West Ham in December; however the Hull clash will come too soon for the skipper and he once again will miss out. Daniel Sturridge and full-backs Jose Enrique and Jon Flanagan will all again miss out through injury.
Talismanic striker Luis Suarez was also seen hobbling away from the defeat at Stamford Bridge but it is rumoured he has been told to only train lightly in order to be fully-fit to face a Hull side he failed to score against when the sides met away from home.
No Premier League player had ever scored 20 goals before the New Year and Luis Suarez couldn’t change that statistic, despite being on 19 goals before the Manchester City & Chelsea games. The Barclays Premier League’s leading goal-scorer will no doubt be looking to smash the 20 goal barrier in-front of a home crowd.
Steve Bruce has adopted the 352 formation once again after it proved fruitful in the aforementioned win against Liverpool. They were unlucky in defeat against Manchester United, with an own-goal giving the Champions a 3-2 lead, while they also dismantled Fulham at home 6-0. However, both of those fixtures were at The KC Stadium.
The hosts on New Years Day are starting to gain a reputation as “flat-track bullies” after steamrollering the so called ‘lesser sides’ at Anfield this season. However, as the cliché goes: “There are no easy games in football”, especially when you have a squad as thin as Liverpool currently have.
Reinforcements are expected in January to bolster Liverpool’s assault on the Champions League, although none will be available for this clash. But if business is concluded early, we might see some new faces watching their new team-mates on New Years Day.
Despite Liverpool’s depleted squad and Hull’s recent demolishment of the seemingly doomed Fulham, at home Liverpool rarely slip up and although Steve Bruce will set-up defensively and compact, Liverpool usually manage to find a way through at Anfield. Therefore I can’t see past a Liverpool victory to kick-off the new calendar year.
Prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Hull
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Liverpool XI: Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Cissokho; Lucas, Henderson; Sterling, Coutinho, Moses; Suarez.
Hull XI: McGregor; Chester, Davies, Rosenior, Figueroa; Huddlestone, Livermore, Elmohamady, Boyd, Koren; Sagbo.
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Betting tips:
- Luis Suarez has been on a mini-drought by his standards; however a return to Anfield should provide a return of goals too. Suarez to score 2 or more would be a very sound place to put your money.
- Liverpool to win and both teams to score should provide good value for punters; with Liverpool rampant at home, but failing to keep clean-sheets, you feel an attacking set-piece from Hull could lead to a goal.
- Liverpool’s last four home matches have all seen a total of over 3.5 goals scored in the game and I’ve predicted this trend to continue with a 3-1 Liverpool win.
- Hull will be well priced to snatch a draw at Anfield and although unlikely, with the number of players metaphorically on the Medical Table for Liverpool, the away side would be delighted with a point.
