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Former Liverpool boss, Brendan Rodgers returns to Anfield this Saturday with his current team, Leicester City to face Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. The Reds are enjoying their best start to a Premier League campaign, winning seven out of seven game. They are up against the same Leicester squad who were the last team to defeat Liverpool at Anfield.
Leicester City are currently third in the Premier League table and in good form. This could be a cause for concern to Jurgen Klopp’s men. Liverpool’s defensive frailities and Leicester’s big results add up to Liverpool’s main troubles as they welcome their previous manager to Anfield.
Defensive fragility
European champions, Liverpool earned their first UEFA Champions League points on Wednesday against Red Bull Salzburg. Up against a fearless Salzburg side, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the Reds who found themselves locked at 3-3 at one time even after a 3-0 lead before managing to secure a 4-3 win.
With Joel Matip expected to miss the clash against the Foxes, Liverpool will turn to Joe Gomez to partner Virgil van Dijk at centre-back. This weekend, the Reds will be hoping for the centre-back pairing to pull up their socks.
Leicester, on the other hand, having sold Harry Maguire to Manchester United for £80m haven't faltered much as they relied on Çağlar Söyüncü and Jonny Evans to keep them organized at the back.
This weekend, Liverpool will be hoping to solidify their defence ahead of the Leicester fixture.
Leicester’s big results
The 2015/16 Premier League winner are back in form this season. The side which won their first Premier League cup under Claudio Ranieri has been a constant threat to the top six teams. This season, they’ve managed to hold onto a draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and surprised Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-1 win.
With James Madison proving to be a star for Leicester City and Jamie Vardy scoring five goals in seven games, this Leicester side is bound to cause trouble for the Reds. Virgil van Dijk and Co. will surely be busy on Saturday.
Leicester, meanwhile, will look to continue their form against the top six teams, searching to stop Liverpool in their perfect run.
A warm welcome for Brendan Rodgers
Under Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool’s biggest achievement had been coming close to winning the league in the 2013/14 season. Losing the title to Manchester City also sent Brendan Rodgers’s career in decline. In the follow-up to losing the title against City, the Reds also had to deal with the loss of their star player Luis Suarez. Rodgers turned to Mario Balotelli to replace the Uruguayan and it was a gamble that didn’t pay off for the now Leicester manager.
Rodgers, who took over in June 2012, was sacked after a 1-1 draw at Everton in October 2015, with Jurgen Klopp taking over the 10th placed Reds. Under the German manager, a remodeled Liverpool went on to appear in consecutive UEFA Champions League finals before winning the trophy in the summer of 2019.
This Saturday, Brendan Rodgers should expect a warm welcome from Anfield faithful before a tricky game of football.
