TEAM NEWS
Liverpool have no fresh injury concerns ahead of Sunday’s home game against Aston Villa.
Manager Jurgen Klopp says he will field his strongest available side for the remainder of the season.
Villa left-back Matt Targett will miss at least the next two games because of a hamstring injury.
Fit-again pair Frederic Guilbert and Danny Drinkwater are hoping to play for the first time since the Premier League’s resumption.
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
I am at this game for BBC Radio 5 live and I only see one winner.
Liverpool were well beaten at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday but this is where we will see their response. The only way I could make a case for Aston Villa getting anything at Anfield is if Reds boss Jurgen Klopp decides to play a few of the kids.
I know Villa are fighting for their lives, but they can’t defend. They won’t be able to keep Liverpool out.
Prediction: 3-0
Lawro’s full predictions v Biffy Clyro frontman Simon Neil
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Liverpool have earned four successive Premier League wins against Aston Villa, by an aggregate score of 13-3.
- However, the Reds have won only three of the past nine league meetings at Anfield (D3, L3).
- This fixture has produced 20 away wins, the most in Premier League history (14 for Liverpool, six for Aston Villa).
Liverpool
- The new league champions are unbeaten in 56 home league games, winning the last 23 in a row.
- The Reds need five wins from their final six league matches to break the English top-flight points record of 100, set by Manchester City in 2017-18.
- Another five league victories would give Liverpool 33 for the season, eclipsing City’s record of 32.
- Liverpool’s only defeat against a side in the relegation zone in their past 24 league matches at Anfield came against Swansea City in January 2017 (W17, D6).
- It’s five losses in nine league and cup games for Jurgen Klopp’s side. They had only lost five of their previous 76 fixtures.
- Liverpool could lose consecutive league matches for the first time since August to September 2015.
- Mo Salah has scored 49 Premier League home goals in 59 appearances for Liverpool and Chelsea combined. Only Alan Shearer (47 games) has taken fewer than 60 appearances to reach 50 home goals in the division.
- Roberto Firmino has failed to score in any of his last 17 league games at Anfield since a 2-1 win versus Tottenham in March 2019.
Aston Villa
- Dean Smith’s side are enduring the longest current winless run in the division, with two draws and six defeats in eight games.
- Villa’s only two victories in their past 34 top-flight away fixtures came against Norwich in October and Burnley in January (D6, L26).
- They have only managed two points from 15 Premier League away fixtures against the side starting the day top of the table since beating Leeds 2-1 in January 2000.
- The Villans are on a club Premier League record run of 23 consecutive away fixtures without a clean sheet.
- They are winless in all 15 league fixtures this season against the teams who begin this matchround in the top nine of the table (D2, L13).
- Jack Grealish has gone nine league appearances without a goal and only contributed one assist in those matches.
Discussion about this post