The Foxes look like a shadow of their side from last season, with a disappointing 9th position in the league and being knocked out from the UEFA Europa League leaves the EFL Cup one of their realistic chances of getting silverware and entry into Europe next season. The Reds might have suffered a title setback against Spurs. However, Klopp may have been content with the result given that Spurs created a string of clear chances, a weak midfield and that Liverpool ended the game with 10 men.
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Why Should You be Watching?
Leicester has been inconsistent all season. However, seeing off Newcastle in their last match by 4 goals must surely have done wonders to their confidence and they will hope a good cup run is just the boost they need to kickstart their campaign.
Liverpool on the other hand have had better luck with injuries, a sizzling frontline, and Jordan Henderson’s return to the midfield have all played an instrumental part in making the Reds many pundits’ favorites for the League and possibly the cups.
Build Up with Facts
- Liverpool have been imperious at Anfield in every other competition this season, winning nine and losing none of their 12 home outings
- The Foxes prevailed in their most recent League Cup clash with Liverpool, progressing into the fourth round of the competition in 2017 .
- The Reds have not reached the semi-finals of the League Cup since 2016-17 and have not lifted the trophy for a decade, yet they remain the joint-most successful club in the competition’s history.
- Leicester have not beaten a Premier League team outside the bottom four since October, while away from home this season their only wins in the Premier League have come against newly-promoted clubs.
Liverpool’s form: WWWWD
Leicester’s form: WDLLW
Head to Head
Liverpool boasts the superior record overall, winning 50 of the 115 competitive head-to-heads over the years, drawing 25. Leicester’s only Anfield win in any competition this century came in their first trip of the millennium – the Foxes have lost eight of their last ten visits to the red half of Merseyside since May 2000.
Predicted Lineups
Liverpool
Kelleher, Neco Williams, Matip, Gomez, Tsimikas, Keïta, Milner, Chamberlain, Minamino, Firmino, Mane
Injuries
- Adrian
- Divock Origi
- Nat Phillips
- Harvey Elliott
Suspended
- Robertson
COVID Positive
- Virgil Van Dijk
- Fabinho
- Curtis Jones
- Thiago
Doubts
- Henderson- Could be out due to illness
- Divock Origi (knee)
- Adrian (calf)
Leicester
Schmeichel, Castagne, Ndidi, Söyüncü, Thomas ,Albrighton, Tielemans, Soumare, Barnes, Vardy, Daka
Injuries
- Jonny Evans
- Wesley Fofana
COVID-19
- Jannik Vestergaard
- Filip Benković
- Ayoze Perez
- Kelechi Iheanacho
- Hamza Choudhary
- Ademola Lookman
Players to Watch Out For
Liverpool
1) Tsimikas
After an adaptation period of a debut campaign, Tsimikas has proven to be an able deputy for Andy Robertson on bigger stages than the League Cup this season.
2) Chamberlain
With arguably Klopp’s first-choice midfield trio all sidelined through illness, the German coach won’t hesitate to lean upon a player he has deemed to be ‘pretty much the best Oxlade since I was here.
Leicester
1) Maddison
With eight direct goal contributions (four goals, four assists) in his last six matches, Leicester’s punctuated fixture list came at just the wrong time for the club’s in-form forward.
2) Tielemans
In the best scoring form of his career to date (averaging a goal every 213 Premier League minutes), the epicenter of Leicester’s midfield is also integral to their defensive resolve given the inflated tally of 12 goals conceded in the six games he’s missed this term.
Conclusion
For Leicester, beating Liverpool on Wednesday would also bode well considering that 2000 was the year they last won the League Cup, although they have only reached the semi-finals once in 21 attempts since 2000. If it does come down to squad depth with the uncertainty of COVID then Liverpool should just about have the edge, although this is a fixture packed with variables that could swing it either way.
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