LFC: Bournemouth vs Liverpool - Match Review, Analysis & 5 Things We Learnt

"Reds To Stick With 'False Number Nine' Role?

            Bournemouth         1 - 3              Liverpool

                   
                  Gosling 57'                                                               Sterling 20' , 51'  

                                                                                                    Markovic 27'

Possession: 43% - 57%

Shots: 13-16

On Target: 3-5

Corners: 3-7

Fouls: 8-7

Yellow Cards: 0

Red Cards: 0

A joyous, yet relieved Brendan Rodgers exited the Goldsands Stadium on Wednesday night with a certain 20-year old superstar (If you could recognise him with his new hair-do) to thank for as his job as Liverpool manager remains intact for the time being. Lazar Markovic's first goal for the club was a massive boost to the squad as well, however Raheem and his dazzling new hairstyle took all the plaudits as Brendan's men ran out 3-1 winners, thus securing their place in the Capital One Cup quarter final, where they will be pitted against none other than Chelsea, who are not strangers to a cup exit by the hands of Liverpool in the past.

How the Goals Went In

Raheem Sterling (1st), 20 minutes: Any fears of an early smash, grab and parking of the bus by the home side where distinguished in the 20 minute mark, as an incredible 51-pass move  resulted into young Raheem heading the ball past a hapless Artur Boruc after Henderson teed him up perfectly with a header of his own. Most of the acclaim for this goal must be handed to Markovic, who played a magnificently timed through ball to set up Henderson in the first place.

Lazar Markovic, 27 minutes: It has finally arrived, exactly a week succeeding his abysmal sending off against Basel at Anfield for barely 'poking' the Basel player Safari. Boruc parried a Coutinho shot on the right byline, of which fell brilliantly to Markovic, who delivered enough power and accuracy to ease it into the net and score his first, of many Liverpool goals to come. Bournemouth will be angered by the fact that one of their defenders, Tommy Elphick claimed to have heard the whistle sound as Coutinho was darting past him, and thus stopped prior to the Brazilian getting his shot away. Markovic won't be losing sleep however, as the man who 'pokes who he wants' has finally got off the mark goalscoring wise.

Raheem Sterling (2nd), 51 minutes: Suarez-esque I would call this one. Although not attempting to fill the lads head with any added pressure, this strike was one the Uruguayan would look proudly upon. The youngster latched on to a pass from Lallana and darted past one of Bournemouth's centre backs' right hand side, then to his left, and after almost dazing the poor fellow to the ground, Raheem let loose a shot with his right peg that landed comfortably in the right hand corner of the net. Huge credit to Kolo Toure as well, who intercepted a Bournemouth attack and played a 'Gerrard-like' pass to Lallana in the build up to the goal.

Heroes, Villains & Talking Points (Within Liverpool Squad & Based on my Personal View)

Man Of The Match: It may only be a petty Bournemouth side, however young Raheem's performance is one that should give us reds fans plenty of cause for optimism as we head into Sunday's crunch match against Arsenal. The 20 year old was here, there and everywhere, and although netting twice could have had a handful more to add on to his double.

Worst Player: This category is always a head-scratcher when we do win, however Brad Jones gets my vote this time around. The 32 year old was relatively untroubled throughout the match, however when the keeper was forced into action he could not prevent a tame shot from Dan Gosling fumble into his hands and past him in his own net. Certainly not one to remember for the Australian, who is looking to impress the boss following the recent performances of the reds' current number one Mignolet.

5 Things We Learnt From The Match

1. The new 'false number 9' role to be carried forward?

The 'two-up top' idea failed, the 'lone striker' project with a certain Mario Balotelli failed, miserably. The last of formations that proved to be a success under Rodgers was the 'SAS' partnership of last season, however the boss has none of the two in his grasp at the moment, and this new look 'false number nine' system is appearing to be a very promising one indeed. Although boasting no aerial threat and power with the deployment of this system, Rodgers seems content with keeping the ball on the floor and 'passing our way into the opposition's net. Heck, if it produces performances of parallel quality to Wednesday night's, why not? Having a 20 year old as the vocal point of the 'false number nine' comes with its fair share of pressure obviously, and the return of Daniel Sturridge in the New Year may abolish the system before it really lifting its feet off the ground.

2. It could have been a whole different football match if.....

Us reds fans have the right to show high levels of hope and enthusiasm after Wednesday's match, however let us face it, if Bournemouth where not as nervy and more clinical upfront, this could have resulted into a complete opposite match entirely. Bournemouth should have been one-up after a mere two minutes of play, only for Brett Pittman to fire wide after getting himself one-on-one with Brad Jones. Yes, unfortunately this match could have easily concluded in a 3-1 win for the home side rather then the visitors, and Rodgers must be wary of this when high-fliers Arsenal make the trip to Merseyside this coming Sunday. Liverpool's defensive frailties are still there for everybody to witness.... Is a certain returning Frenchman the person to change these continuous defensive errors the right way around? Let us analyse the possibility with the next of my points.

3. Mamadou Sakho - The 18 Million Pound Answer?

Add 7 million pounds to that, and you have got yourself the main culprit of our catastrophic defending this season. Ever since the departure of red legend Jamie Carragher to the Sky Sports team, Liverpool's defence has been nothing short of dreadful. From conceding more than 50 goals last campaign to an even more disastrous start this time round, us reds fans have pleaded with Brendan numerous times to sort this mess out. Whilst his 25 million answer of Dejan Lovren proving to be a disastrous one entirely, we look to a player who was brought in two summers ago to make a step up and conclude these defensive errors once and for all.

Mamadou Sakho's return from a lengthy lay-off has been of a relief to many fans worldwide, and the 24 year old has showed us with his performance on Wednesday night that he is indeed the man to hold the mantle in the heart of Liverpool's back line for the present moment. The Frenchman possesses many of the traits his counterpart in Dejan Lovren lacks in abundance; Strength, Power, and Leadership are just three of many skills the former gives to the squad in contrast to the latter. Who will the 24 year old partner however? Martin Skrtel? Kolo Toure? Dejan Lovren? Although a thought amongst many to ponder for Brendan as Sunday looms in the distance, I will give you a hint of my personal opinion with this video clip.:

4. Possibly The Worst Match to Play Prior To a Season-Defining League Fixture?

Yes, Liverpool did play exceptionally good football at times on Wednesday night. Does it, however, give us a different viewpoint and approach to the big match on Sunday? We played well against a Bournemouth side, who, although top of the Championship at the moment, are in that league for a reason. I do not advise Rodgers to rest on his laurels and rely on the players who shone in the Capital one Cup to produce a 'mirror-image' display against a team of Arsenal's calibre. In fact, I foresee a number of changes from the reds boss, as he will no doubt look to shore up his back line as solidly as possible. Will he opt for the same formation? Possibly. Both Lambert and Balotelli have proved to be extremely poor signings thus far, and Raheem seems to be answering his goalscoring critics at the moment, whilst ravishing in the new role entrusted upon him.

5. Brendan Rodgers vs Fabio Borini

You know you are in the bosses bad books when two of your main strikers are misfiring, one is out injured, and the boss opts for a 'false number nine' formation rather than picking you in a match against lower league opposition. It took Brendan 89 minutes to give in to the numerous darts across the touchline made by Borini in attempt to get noticed, and his introduction proved far too late, as the Italian hardly had a touch of the ball. Fabio Borini has given 100 % in every little stint granted to the forward, and talks of a rift between manager and player would not have me entirely surprised. I have made desperate shouts in the past couple of weeks for the Italian to be given a chance in the first team, but it seems that Brendan's hard-headedness has prevailed on each and every occasion. As I doubt he will be let loose in this Sunday's fixture, we look beyond Christmas in hope that the ever-determined Fabio Borini shines once given a stint amongst the regulars.

There where a staggering 51 passes completed prior to Liverpool's first of three goals on Wednesday night, a feat that has brandished talk about the return of the 'Tiki-Taka' football Brendan holds so dearly to his heart. The main question on this debate is: Does this system still work in modern day football? Can a team pass it around for 90 minutes straight in hope that they will find their way through the defence? What if you are faced with an opposition such as Stoke or West Ham, who seem content on placing eleven behind the ball in hope of a counter attack or dead ball coming in their favour? The system works well against a lacklustre Bournemouth back four, will it do the same against Arsenal this weekend? Lots of questions to ponder amongst you fans, as we enter a must-win fixture.

One thing is for certain, Brendan Rodgers lives to fight another day! Do not worry Brendan, you only have the small matter of Arsenal to deal with next, a fixture that is no doubt pivotal in determining whether Liverpool are going to turn around there season or not. Win on Sunday, and Brendan's song will be chanted along the Mersey until Christmas morning. Lose however, and the reds will drop further down the table, in and amongst the relegation battlers, somewhere neither him, or us reds fans want this beloved club to be come Sunday evening.

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Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !! YNWA !!

LFC: Liverpool vs Sunderland - Match Preview

"Improving Game by Game"

As I begin to write my preview on the afternoon of the 4th of December, I reminisce back to a year ago to the exact date, where Norwich visited Anfield to face a vibrant and in-form Liverpool side. Four phenomenal strikes from ex-red Luis Suarez meant the reds ran out 5-1 winners that day. Whilst we have yet to observe the red men push on and excel since the iconic number seven's departure, things have slowly began to stick together, with Liverpool winning two league games on the bounce for the first time this season.

Important Information and Statistics

Date: 6th December 2014                                               Sunderland League Position: 14th

Time: 3:00 pm (UK Time)                                              Liverpool League Position: 8th

Venue: Anfield                                                               Sunderland Current Form: LWDDDL

Referee: Neil Swarbrick                                                 Liverpool Current Form: DLLLWW

Is It On TV?: No

"Back to Back Wins" - A Fluke or A Sign of Things to Come?

Liverpool 1-0 Stoke. A Glen Johnson headed goal, which proved to be the winner took 85 minutes to arrive. Leicester 1-3 Liverpool. The reds went behind in the match, and Morgan's sending off played a big part in determining the outcome of the game. Two fixtures that although produced maximum points for the reds, could have resulted into two very dissimilar conclusions. None were truly convincing, and it is pivotal that Rodgers' men do not become complacent and take Sunderland for granted come the 'Black Cats' visit on Saturday afternoon.

With that being said, Liverpool played some brilliant football towards the latter parts of Tuesday night's match, with Jordan Henderson's strike to kill the game at 3-1 being the pick of the bunch. (I'm not too sure about the midfielder's celebration, however).

Team News - Mario Balotelli to Return and Disrupt The Flow of the Team?

After enduring a short 'holiday' of three weeks or so, Mario Balotelli is poised to finally make his return this weekend following a groin injury. The only question that remains glued onto everybody's lips at the moment is; Where does the Italian fit in once he returns? Does Rodgers shift him straight into his first-team plans, thus disrupting the 'winning mentality' of the team, or does he bench him and force him to fight for his place on the sidelines?

Personally, I would go with the latter of options. Rickie Lambert has more than warranted his place in the squad, whereas Balotelli looks a disinterested figure whenever he graces a football pitch. So, who would I go with on Saturday? My answer is: NONE! There is another of Rodgers' forwards who I reckon should be given the green light this weekend, however you will have to read on till my 'Team Selector' to find out!

Rodgers to Opt For Lucas-Gerrard Partnership Once Again?

Roll back the months to summer, where our beloved number 21 was subject to wide speculation regarding an exit from the club. Whilst the majority of reds fans were in agreeance with these rumours, I remained implicit and got to work on a personal blog which included five reasons why we should keep the Brazilian. (http://www.kennymifsud.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/lfc-five-main-reasons-liverpool-should.html) One of the main reasons I brought up was the fact that having Lucas in that defensive midfielder role would mean Gerrard could advance himself up the field and show his attacking capabilities, those of which we witnessed plenty of in our 3-1 win over Leicester on Tuesday.

Lucas has definitely hushed up his critics for the moment being, and Rodgers could find this new 'partnership' work a real treat for him and his squad. Does a 34 year old Steven Gerrard have the legs to play that 'number 10' role week in, week out, however?

A Quick Glance at the Opposition

Gus Poyet's Sunderland have become the draw specialists this season. Although win-less since the beginning of November, the 'Black Cats' can be heartened by the string of draws they have produced against reasonably tough opponents of late. (Most notably a 0-0 stalemate against high-flyers Chelsea last weekend). 14th place is not a position Gus would like to see his team in however, and he will look at this weekend's fixture as a possible stepping stone to bigger and better things at the club.

Liverpool's most previous of encounters against Poyet's men came at a nervy time for Brendan's team, who found themselves deep in battle at the top of the table when Sunderland made the visit to Anfield in March. Bar a nervy finish, Liverpool ran out 2-1 winners that night, thus sustaining their push for the league title. Sunderland themselves have found joy against the reds on a number of occasions in the past, however the bulk of these have materialized at the Stadium of Light, rather than under the Anfield limelight.

Top Scorer: Steven Fletcher, 4 goals                    Red Cards: 0

Goals Scored: 13                                                   Most YC's: Lee Cattermole, 7

Goals Conceded: 23                                 Play-Maker: S.Larsson & Van Aanholt, 2 Assists Each

Clean Sheets: 4                                                       Biggest Victory: 3-1, Two Occasions

My Prediction and Probable Starting Line-Up

Whilst portraying a pessimistic view and failing miserably with my 1-1 prediction of the Stoke match, I have since unearthed a new-found faith in Brendan and his team. My prediction this time? A 2-0 win alongside a clean sheet would do nicely heading into our tension-building fixture against Basel next week. As for the scorers, I will go for Steven Gerrard, (Who else?) and Fabio Borini.

My probable starting line-up alters somewhat from midweek, as I am guessing Rodgers will tweak his winning squad vaguely.:

                                                        Jones

Johnson                         Toure                            Skrtel                      Moreno

                                                         Lucas

                                        Gerrard                       Coutinho

                                                       Lallana

                                       Borini                            Sterling

Subs: Mignolet. Enrique, Sakho. Allen, Henderson. Markovic, Lambert.

You may find a key player missing from my probable starting line up, rather, a '20 million pound' figure. Yes, I have opted against including Dejan Lovren in the squad, and the Croat fails to even make the bench, matter of factly. I do believe that Kolo Toure has added numerous traits of which Lovren lacks in abundance; leadership, experience, and downright ability on and off the ball. Kolo has been one of the main driving forces behind the reds' minor 'revival' of late, and therefore, I do not reckon Lovren is any better than the players I have included on the bench either. The 20 million pound record signing will have to work hard and bide his time on the sidelines.

As yet another magical Anfield night beckons in the near future, it is essential that Rodgers gets his team focused for the preceding match. Basel will have to wait, I'm afraid. The match on Wednesday night will no doubt be lingering on players' minds as we kick off on Saturday, but the team and fans both know that nothing bar a victory against Sunderland is of essence in order for us to keep tabs on the top four and the top four European places.

Brendan Rodgers has been given a life-line with our recent back-to-back victories, let us hope that he proceeds to show us that he is indeed the man to take this exceptional club forward for years to come.

Follow me on Twitter and share your views: @kennymifsud

YNWA

LFC : Liverpool vs Stoke City - Match Preview

"Season Defining Fixture"

August the 17th, 2013. A Simon Mignolet last-minute penalty save resulted into Liverpool running away with a 1-0 win at home to Stoke, and thus kicking off the new league campaign in style. Would I have foreseen such a remarkable campaign to follow suit? Of course not, and here I sit, a year and a bit later with the same fixture about to be played, thinking the exact same thing, however this time, withholding a completely dissimilar view.

Important Information and Statistics

Date: 29th November 2014                                           Stoke League Position: 11th

Time: 3:00 pm                                                               Liverpool League Position: 12th

Venue: Anfield                                                             Stoke Current Form: LWLDWL

Referee: Craig Pawson                                                 Liverpool Current Form: WWDLLL

Is it on TV?: No

"Season Defining Fixture"... Is It?

Heading into the week leading up to the reds' European endeavours and following their crushing defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace, I would argue the case that, yes, this is indeed a season-defining two matches. Two losses and Liverpool's season would be over. As simple as ABC. After Liverpool's lacklustre 2-2 draw at Ludogorets on Wednesday, Rodgers' men now rely on yet another magical Anfield night against Basle in a fortnight if they are to qualify for the second phase, where nothing bar a win would do for the reds.

With this being said, I do feel that this IS a season-defining fixture, one that will undoubtedly make or break Liverpool's season, and Brendan's career as the reds' boss. Whilst currently sat 12th in the league table, five points behind fourth place, and a further eighteen behind top spot, yet another loss will, in my opinion, be too much of a gap to reduce, particularly with the loss of Sturridge until January.

Team News - Fitness Updates on Balotelli, Sakho, and Enrique

Whilst taking a breather from first-team action for the last two matches, Balotelli looks a good bet to lead the line for the red men on Saturday, as he looks to kick start his strike partnership alongside the improving Rickie Lambert. Some will argue the case and opt to start Lambert as a lone-striker, however I reckon a match of this magnitude requires the various options Mario would bring to the table.

One positive to counter a number of negatives defensive-wise is the fact that Mamadou Sakho has returned to training with the first team. Brendan will very much be buoyed by the return of the 18 million pound man, who will no doubt add a more dominant and committed look to the extremely poor and weakened back line. Who of these counterparts will he replace, however? Lovren? Skrtel? Or the in-form Kolo Toure? It is decision time for Rodgers. The injury-rattled left back Jose Enrique also returns to the forefront, as he himself looks to cement his place in front of fellow Spaniard Moreno.

Lazar Markovic - The 20 Million Pound Man Gone Missing

"A 20 million pound Serbian winger by the name of Lazar Markovic has gone missing in the Liverpool region. If found, please return to Melwood. (Or keep him, as long as we get our refund!)"

All jokes aside, the young Serb has been one of, if not the biggest, FLOP of this Premier League season. Apart from his disappearances in large parts of matches he did feature in in the early stages of the campaign, the youngster has now seemingly gone 'AWOL' and vanished from the scene entirely, accumulating a petty four appearances since his arrival in July.

One final question I will pull up for you to ponder about as I begin to dissect Saturday's opposition is this;

Why did Brendan buy Markovic for 20 million, when we already possessed a better player in Jordon Ibe?

Harsh on the Serbian, but true nonetheless.

A Quick Glance at the Opposition

From Mignolet's penalty saving heroics to that staggering 5-3 win at the Britannia, matches between these two very rarely disappoint us fans, and are always filled with acres of tension. (Moving to one side a couple of the extremely boring 0-0 stalemates in the past).

Mark Hughes' men have ridden the storm thus far this season. Whilst not playing 'out of this world' exceptional football, they are keeping up with the teams in the top half of the table, and currently find themselves one point ahead of their visitors on Saturday. Stoke will be without 'Anfield legend' Victor Moses for this fixture, who will be sidelined for the next eight weeks. Other ex-reds include Charlie Adam and Peter Crouch, who may both feature predominantly this weekend. Loanee winger Oussama Assaidi will be ineligible to participate against his parent club.

Top Scorer: M.B. Diouf, J. Walters, 3 goals each          Red Cards: 0

Goals Scored: 13                                                      Most YC's: M.B. Diouf, P. Bardsley, 4 each

Goals Conceded: 15                                                        Play-Maker: Victor Moses, 3 assists

Clean Sheets: 2                                                                Biggest Victory: 1-0

My Prediction and Probable Starting Line-Up

Portraying a pessimistic approach to predictions for a change, I am foreseeing a 1-1 draw between the two sides on Saturday, with Rickie Lambert to net for the third time in three matches.

As for the probable starting line up, things do not differ apart from the keeper, who has not missed a single Premier League match since joining the club two summers ago;

                                                    Jones

Manquillo                  Skrtel                         Sakho                    Moreno

                                                  Gerrard

                                  Henderson                  Can

                                               Coutinho

                                  Balotelli                    Lambert

Subs: Mignolet. Lovren, Enrique. Allen, Lallana. Sterling, Borini.

Simon Mignolet has not missed a Liverpool match in the Premier League since his arrival in the summer of 2013. A run of games that began with a 1-0 win at home to Stoke, should, in my opinion, end prior to this home match against the Potters. The reds' defensive frailties are a well-known factor this season, and it is essential that the boss stands up and makes these big squad decisions in order to improve the team, and thus keep his job at the world's greatest football club.

Liverpool find themselves in a miserable stage at the current moment. The players look unhappy each time a ball is kicked, and fans worldwide are growing ever-so impatient as every defeat passes them by. A large part of them have already played the 'Rodgers Out - Klopp In' card, and I am afraid that, anything bar a convincing win come Saturday afternoon will conclude with a phone call being made from Boston to Brendan Rodgers' office land line. 

Till then however, let me lighten up the mood with this video, which shows the goal that clinched the victory for the red men when they last played Stoke at Anfield in the August of 2013;

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YNWA

LFC: Crystal Palace vs Liverpool - Match Preview

"Sweet Revenge, The Second Attempt."

Following Liverpool's first attempt at revenge falling short at the hands of Chelsea two weeks back, a second bite at the cherry is on the cards for the reds, and it could not come any better than this, an away fixture to Crystal Palace, the team that all but dampened Liverpool's title hopes last season with an astonishing, yet enraging comeback from three goals down to tie the match at 3-3. As we see Suarez mourn the defeat in the image above, we reflect upon a season of 'ifs' and 'maybes'. We may not come this close to winning the title for a number of years, and yet it took three second half blows to the chest by a somewhat 'lower table' team to end any hopes of Stevie lifting that much coveted trophy.




Crystal Palace are a much changed team this season under the guidance of Neil Warnock, and whilst the reds face their own struggles all across the pitch, Rodgers knows this could be yet another stepping mine on the road to recovery. Part one of "Sweet Revenge" came to no prevail, thus on to round two !

Important Information and Statistics

Date: 23rd November 2014                                              C. Palace League Position: 17th

Time: 1:30 pm                                                                  Liverpool League Position: 11th

Venue: Selhurst Park                                                        C. Palace Recent Form: WLLDLL

Referee: Jonathan Moss                                                   Liverpool Recent Form: DWWDLL

The Eagerly Awaited Return of Daniel Sturridge... Oh Wait!

It seems that Liverpool's lack of fortune has come in abundance this season, where one cannot possibly buy Brendan and his squad a slight sprinkling of luck. Daniel Sturridge can count himself a cut above the rest where misfortune is concerned. After injuring himself in the early stages of September, we thought that we would welcome our front man by early to mid-October. This was not the case however, and his injury was yet again set back, this time till mid-November.

As I began planning my "Welcome Back Sturridge" post on this match preview, the dreadful news broke. Sturridge will be unavailable for selection until the New Year. The 25 year old's injury issues seem to regress as the months fly by. Now here is quite an astonishing stat for you, which compares Sturridge's injury woes to ex-front man Luis Suarez's.

Daniel Sturridge has suffered from 11 separate injuries since joining the reds in 2013. Luis Suarez? Not a single one. Not even a slight niggle.

The Return of Martin Kelly

If one would have come to me a couple of years ago, and begged the question, "Where do you see Martin Kelly in the beginning of 2015?" , I would have given a pretty straight-forward response: Easily Liverpool's first choice right-back, with a 20 million + price tag on his shoulders and more than ten international caps under his belt. And all this whilst we were under the guidance of Roy Hodgson, for Christ's sake! The only factor that dented Kelly's hopes of pursuing a long and successful career at Merseyside is that one long-term injury he sustained a couple of years back.

Leading up to that unfortunate event, Kelly was being widely tipped to do great things at the club, however, now we look at a player who is strutting his stuff for Crystal Palace. An extremely unfortunate lad, and a person who will undoubtedly receive nothing less than an exceptional reception from fans of both teams come Sunday afternoon.

11th Place, Matters to Get Worse Before They Get Better?

11th place, five points ahead of our next opponents at 17th (which could be reduced to two by the end of the week). On top of this, we have the whole 'Daniel Sturridge saga' to further deprive our optimism. I am afraid that things can indeed get much worse before they improve for Rodgers' men. I will be writing an entire blog on this in the near future, thus I will keep this as brief as possible.

To keep it quite simple, this is not good enough for a team of Liverpool's calibre. Brendan needs to come up with a Plan B and fast, as he himself is under intense scrutiny at the present moment. Will he risk resting the misfiring Balotelli, and give Borini a well-deserved run out? Or will his hard-headedness prevail above all and instead opt for the 'lone striker' option, one which has fell short of expectations on numerous occasions. Liverpool are currently four points behind fourth place, and I fear the deficit could be stretched further this weekend.

Liverpool Need a Plan B

A Plan B + B, to be more specific. Liverpool are far too predictable this season. With Balotelli as the lone striker, opponents are conscious of how to set themselves up defensively, thus frustrating the attacking flow, and further aggravating the Italian himself. Whilst we possessed two different options in Suarez and Sturridge last season, the same cannot be said this time around, and this is where B + B enter the fray.

One of the few matches in which Balotelli and Borini both started together resulted into a 2-1 win over Ludogorets. (Not to mention their link-up goal for Balotelli's strike against Swansea). Mario Balotelli is not a lone striker, and Rodgers should instead go with the B-B Partnership against Palace.

A Quick Glance At the Opposition

Although under the new regime of Neil Warnock, Crystal Palace are enduring a lacklustre campaign, much like Liverpool's in comparison. Win-less since September, the Eagles need a boost if they are to escape the relegation dog-fight at the bottom. If I were a Palace fan, I would be pretty optimistic heading into this fixture, against a predictable and disheartened Liverpool side at home. In Palace's fixtures against the top teams this season, they have narrowly been defeated by the one goal on each occasion, therefore they can feel invigorated by that fact alone.

Top Scorer: Dwight Gayle, 5 goals                                      Most YC's: Mile Jedinak, 4

Goals Scored: 14                                                               Red Cards: 3

Goals Conceded: 20                                                   Play-Maker: Jason Puncheon, 3 assists       Clean Sheets: 2

My Prediction & Probable Starting Line Up

Following on from this week's latest of revelations regarding one Daniel Sturridge, I am going for a narrow 1-0 win for the reds, with Steven Gerrard netting the only goal. I would most defintiely take that result now, and so should Rodgers, as he aims to lift his team out of the slumps of mid-table.

As for the team Rodgers is most likely to put out, I am yet again going to wear my 'Team Kolo & Borini' badge on and include them in the team.

                                              Mignolet

Manquillo                   Skrtel                      Toure                     Moreno

                                              Gerrard

                                   Allen                        Henderson

                                             Coutinho

                                 Balotelli                      Borini

Subs: Jones. Enrique, Lovren. Lucas, Lallana. Sterling, Lambert.

My inclusion of Joe Allen may surprise a few of you. I believe that with Allen in the team, Gerrard feels less hesitant on showing the attacking side to his game, and we all know that when that happens, we end up on the winning side more times than not.

As we hit a pivotal time in the season for Brendan and his squad alike, we look ahead to a fixture that is of absolute essential to get the full three points. Anything bar a convincing win and a positive performance to head into the Champions League match away to Ludogorets on Wednesday is of utmost importance. If Liverpool were to draw, or worse, lose the match then that would spell the start of an extremely torrid time at the den for the current boss. He is already under fire as it is, and getting a win on Sunday afternoon, to then follow it by the start of a run of victories, will undoubtedly lift the squad's spirits, and thus lift us cheering reds' fans worldwide. 

Let us hope we see this man get on the score-sheet this weekend. He deserves it after all.

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YNWA