Liverpool return to Premier League action this Saturday evening, hoping to get back to winning ways after going four games without a victory.
The Reds’ last league fixture saw them let off the hook as they drew with Manchester City who failed to convert a late penalty that would’ve surely won Pep Guardiola’s side all three points.
This weekend’s opponents Huddersfield Town sit in eighteenth place and they have so far failed to claim their first win of the season.
The Terriers have lost three of their last four league games and are the lowest scorers in the division having netted just four times all season.
It’s not good reading especially when you consider that Liverpool have conceded just three goals this campaign, the joint least amount with Manchester City.
One of the main reasons for that superb defensive record is Virgil van Dijk, however the Dutchman is a doubt having returned from international duty with a rib issue. He follows Adam Lallana, James Milner and Mo Salah on the treatment table.
Aaron Mooy, Abdelhamid Sabiri, Christopher Schindler and Tommy Smith are all doubts for David Wagner’s side going into Saturday’s game. Whereas Terence Kongolo, Ramadan Sobhi and Danny Williams look almost certain to miss out at the Kirkless Stadium.
Previous Head-to-Heads
The Reds have faced the West Yorkshire-based side on seventy-seven occassion, losing thirty-one of them meetings and winning twenty-nine.
The first encounter between the sides saw the Terriers come out victorious in the quarter-final of the FA Cup back on the 6th of March 1920.
Fourteen years later, the Reds were thumped 8-0 by Huddersfield and it remains the second biggest defeat in their history.
However Liverpool are now unbeaten since 1959, with the Merseysiders winning nine of the twelve fixtures across the past sixty years.
Jurgen Klopp did the double over his former Borussia Dortmund colleague and best pal Wagner last season, winning both games 3-0.
Prediction
Despite sitting joint top of the table, the Reds’ performances this season haven’t really matched their league position and at times it’s felt like the season has yet to take off so far.
With an attacking force as good as one Liverpool can boast, it seems poor that they’ve only managed to hit four goals once this season and that came in the opening day victory over West Ham United. Whether Mo Salah is fit or not, Jurgen Klopp should have enough strength in depth to fill the Egyptian’s spot.
The mood around the club needs to be lifted and a big victory on Saturday would more than do this.
It’s going to be far from easy doing that though despite Huddersfield being so poor this season. David Wagner and the fans know that they’re in for a long seven months, but it’s still early doors and there’s no real pressure or panic to pick up points just yet.
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Keita, Wijnaldum; Shaqiri, Firmino, Mane
Huddersfield Town 1-4 Liverpool
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