Here we go the Boxing Day match that will decide whether or not we have a Premier League title race in the new year. Table topping Liverpool FC heads to the King Power Stadium, with a ten point lead and a game in hand on second place Leicester City.
A Foxes win and maybe, just maybe, they’ll be another title contender still this season. The manager of the reigning champions, Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, has essentially conceded defeat already in this regard. His side beat Leicester over the weekend, but they remain one point behind the Foxes.
No more hype needed for a match of this magnitude, so let’s turn to the team news for this one, starting with the visitors.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had to wear a protective boot at the end of Saturday night’s Club World Club Cup final, and unfortunately, it means he’ll be back on the sidelines for a prolonged period of time.
“The ankle [is] what we probably expected; you have three ligaments on the outside of the ankle, one of them is damaged,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said.
“Now we have to see how quickly we can fix that. I don’t know exactly. I had that injury myself, but it was years ago and it can take a while or can be quick, we have to see. No chance for Thursday and no chance for this year; Oxlade will not play anymore [in 2019] that’s clear. Then we have to see how quickly it can settle.”
Another midfielder, Georginio Wijnaldum missed both Club World Club matches this week due to a muscular problem, and he’s a doubt for this one.
Midfielder Fabinho (ankle ligament) and centre backs Dejan Lovren (hamstring muscular injury) and Joel Matip (knee) remain out until the new year.
In turning to the hosts, Harvey Barnes picked up a knock to his ankle against City and will face a late fitness test.
Long term injury absentee Matty James is the only other fitness concern for the Foxes.
Liverpool FC at Leicester City FYIs
Liverpool FC starting XI: go to this link
Kickoff: King Power Stadium, December 26, 8pm
Form Guide: Liverpool FC- WWWWW Leicester City- LDWWW
Google Result Probability: Liverpool FC win 45%, Draw 27%, Leicester City win 28%
Prediction: Leicester City 1, Liverpool FC 1
Liverpool have only dropped two points from a possible 51, a run of form that is mind-blowing! However, they have to drop additional points again at some point.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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