Matchday 18 of the Premier League between Liverpool and Leicester will take place on December 26 at Anfield. Liverpool vs. Leicester: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Darren Bond (England)
Matches – 7 (Premier League, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 32;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.6;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 24;
Penalties – 0%.
Predicted lineups for Liverpool vs. Leicester
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson Becker – Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson, Joseph Gomez – Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai – Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz.
Leicester (4-2-3-1): Daniel Ward – Jannik Vestergaard, Conor Coady, Victor Kristiansen, James Justin – Oliver Skipp, Boubakary Soumare – Stephy Mavididi, Bilal El Khannous, Jordan Ayew – Jamie Vardy.
The starting lineup for each team is from their previous match in this tournament.
Liverpool
After two consecutive 2-2 draws with Newcastle and Fulham, Liverpool defeated Tottenham away with a tennis-like score of 6-3. The last time the club scored so many goals in the Premier League was in April 2023 against Leeds (6-1). Arne Slot's team is unbeaten in 12 consecutive league matches, securing 9 wins and 3 draws. They continue to lead the Premier League with a 4-point advantage over their closest rival.
Defenders Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley are sidelined due to injuries.
- At least three goals have been scored in 7 of Liverpool's last 9 league games.
- Both teams have scored in 7 of Liverpool's last 9 Premier League matches.
- The number "2" has appeared in the final score in 7 of Liverpool's last 9 Premier League encounters.
Leicester
Leicester suffered two heavy defeats in the last two rounds. First, they lost 0-4 away to Newcastle, followed by a surprising 0-3 home defeat to Wolverhampton. The team approaches the Christmas holidays with only one win in their last nine league matches (2 draws and 6 losses). Ruud van Nistelrooy's side is in 17th place, just two points above the relegation zone.
Midfielders Abdul Issahaku and Wilfred Ndidi, along with defender Ricardo Pereira, are out due to injuries.
- Three or more goals have been scored in Leicester's last seven league games.
- Both teams have scored in 14 of Leicester's last 18 Premier League matches.
- The club has lost the first half in 5 of their last 6 away Premier League games, scoring only once (with one draw).
Liverpool vs. Leicester: Match Prediction
Bookmakers offer odds close to one for a home win, reflecting the stark contrast in current form and league standings between the opponents. Leicester lost their last two matches by a combined score of 0-7, including a home defeat to Wolverhampton, who are in the relegation zone and had a four-match losing streak in the Premier League prior. I am confident that Leicester will also suffer a heavy defeat against the Premier League leaders.
Liverpool dropped points in their last home game against Fulham (2-2), so they will be eager to make amends in front of their fans. Before that, the club had won five consecutive home Premier League matches. The team rarely scores fewer than two goals at Anfield, so I expect them to score at least three times against Leicester, who concede among the most in the league. Additionally, Leicester lost by a large margin in their last three away Premier League games. Notably, Liverpool have won 7 of their last 8 Premier League meetings at this stadium, with 1 draw.
My prediction: Liverpool with a handicap (-2.5)
