12 Jun 2019
Liverpool should have no problems maintaining their title charge on Friday evening when facing already-relegated Huddersfield Town at Anfield.
The Genting Casino Premier League odds are 1/12 for the home side to win as they bid to win England’s top flight league for the first time in 29 years.
Huddersfield, who are bottom of the table and have lost all but one of their last 13 league games, are available at 28/1 to win at Anfield for the first time since a 3-2 win there in August 1956 when they clashed in the old Second Division.
This will be the 79th meeting between the two clubs and Huddersfield lead the series with 31 wins to Liverpool’s 30. However, Liverpool have won 10 of the last 12 meetings, with two draws. The draw is available at 10/1 this time.
Huddersfield have failed to score against Liverpool in each of their last eight attempts following their 1-0 home defeat in the reverse fixture in October. The Terriers are 23/20 to score at least once (over 0.5 goals) on Friday.
Liverpool have already set a club record for number of points in a single Premier League campaign and this will be their last domestic fixture before facing Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final next Wednesday. Liverpool are 6/5 to win the Premier League and 5/2 to win the Champions League.
TEAM NEWS
As they attempt to win a tenth consecutive fixture, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could decide to rest a few players, although there is enough of a gap between the Barcelona clash to field a strong first XI.
Fabinho was withdrawn on Sunday’s 2-0 win at Cardiff after a clash of heads, but Klopp insisted the midfielder was “okay” and that suggests he will come into contention.
Joe Gomez has now come off the bench against Porto and Cardiff, so he could expect to see a longer spell on the park this time and could even start.
Dejan Lovren is also available once again following illness that kept him out of the last two games, while Adam Lallana is on the verge of returning from the muscle injury that has sidelined him for the last month.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who last played for Liverpool’s first team 367 days ago, is still building up his match fitness following a serious knee injury and he is likely to remain sidelined.
With Jordan Henderson likely to be rested, James Milner is almost certain to be employed in the midfield and up front Divok Origi could be recalled and start in Roberto Firmino’s place.
Huddersfield, who sank to a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Watford on Saturday, their 11th in 12 matches since Jan Siewert took over from David Wagner, are expected to welcome back Karlan Grant, who played as substitute and scored. He had been ill for much of the preceding week and did not train, but is expected to start at Anfield.
Isaac Mbenza managed to last 81 minutes against Watford, having played just 45 minutes in the previous two-and-a-half months following a calf injury in a defeat by Chelsea.
Laurent Depoitre is back in training after recovering from a foot injury but will likely miss out, but midfielder Philip Billing is available for selection after being left out of the q=squad against the Hornets.
TERRIERS LACK BITE?
Liverpool face perhaps their easiest task of the three remaining games in their title bid. They have won their last six Premier League games, with the winning goal coming after half-time in each of those contests. The Reds are 5/1 to be level at half-time but go on to win.
Klopp will hope that the hosts can start quickly, however, enabling to rest players once the job is done and Liverpool are 3/10 to lead at half-time and full-time.
Sadio Mane has scored 10 goals in his last 13 Premier League games for Liverpool and he is likely to remain as the focal point for a Liverpool attack that has scored 79 goals this season. Mane is 1/2 to score at any time and 15/8 to score two or more.
Mohamed Salah has scored 19 league goals this season, and could become just the third Liverpool player to score 20 in consecutive Premier League campaigns. The Egypt international is 4/9 to score at any stage and 11/2 to net a hat-trick.
After conceding in each of their previous four Premier League games, Liverpool kept clean sheets against Chelsea and Cardiff, but both teams squandered gilt-edged chances to score and it is 23/20 that both Liverpool and Huddersfield score on Friday.
To see all the odds on this clash, click here.
