24th December – Top Two clash as Leicester host Liverpool

Season defining. Title winning. Dripping in the sweat of champions.

Just three phrases that have been used to describe the gargantuan Boxing Day fixture between Leicester and Liverpool.

Feels a bit like a movie intro, doesn’t it? Two sides aiming for one goal. One was the unlikely champion. The other the well-oiled European machine ready to conquer England. Who will come out on top?

In all seriousness, what a game this is going to be! Brendan Rodgers facing off against his former club for the second time, after James Milner’s late penalty won it for the Reds at Anfield.

Leicester have been somewhat a surprise package this season, currently sitting ahead of Manchester City despite their defeat at the Etihad Stadium. Everybody’s Fantasy Football captain Jamie Vardy has bagged 17 Premier League goals already this term, and has five in three against the coming visitors at the King Power.

Liverpool, fresh from their Club World Cup triumph in Qatar, remain unbeaten in league football and continue to find new ways to win, with the latest being a gruelling extra time win against Flamengo.

Team news

The overshadowing factor of the win in Doha was the injury to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The former Arsenal man’s ankle ligament injury marred the Reds’ victory but surely won’t be as serious as the previous one.

He joins Fabinho, Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip on the sidelines with Gini Wijnaldum touch-and-go for Boxing Day.

Harvey Barnes faces a late fitness test in order to be fit for the fixture, with Matty James the only definite absentee.

From the Dugout

Brendan Rodgers on whether it means more against Liverpool

“Not really. It’s a fantastic club. It will be a great occasion and all the staff are looking forward to it.
It’s very difficult to dominate (like Liverpool did in the 80s). There’s a number of teams with great wealth. I think that’s pretty difficult now in this modern time, but they are fantastic team.”

“They and Man City are a great benchmark.”

Jurgen Klopp on Leicester and Reds:

“Leicester have the highest quality with all the things: desire, hard players, aggressive challengers, super footballers. The wings, creative, quick…then you have Jamie Vardy on top of that and Maddison in between.

“We have only highest-quality players. It’s not the biggest group, it’s a small group and getting smaller week by week.

“But so far we could deal with it. To come through a season you need to be lucky in these moments that you can bring on a team which is able to win a game. That’s what we try to do.”