Leicester vs Liverpool LIVE: Stream FREE, TV channel, team news as Tsimikas STARTS Prem clash – latest updates
THE PREMIER LEAGUE continued its hectic festive schedule today with some post-Christmas crackers.
Antonio Conte's Spurs drew with Southampton, Crystal Palace beat Norwich 3-0 and and Watford succumbed to a 4-1 defeat at home to West Ham.
And this evening there's the big one from the King Power when Leicester host Liverpool.
Arsenal were due to face Wolves, but that game has been postponed after a request from Wolves following a Covid outbreak at the club.
- Kick-off time: Leicester vs Liverpool (8pm)
- TV/ live stream: Amazon Prime Video (free trial available)
- Leicester XI: Schmeichel, Castagne, Amartey, Ndidi, Thomas, Dewsbury-Hall, Soumare, Choudhury, Maddison, Iheanacho, Vardy
- Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Fabinho, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mane, Salah, Jota
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Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
- Kealan Hughes
Vardy having a party…
Leicester's talisman is back in the starting line-up tonight and ready to wreak more havoc on Liverpool.
He has scored ten goals in his last 14 appearances against Klopp's side, including two goals last time out.
- Kealan Hughes
Leicester angst
Leicester are of course missing right-back Ricardo Pereira after Tyler Morton fractured his leg with a dangerous tackle in that Anfield clash last week.
Rodgers fumed at the referee for only dishing out a yellow card and he will be hoping for better consistency tonight.
Credit: Rex - Kealan Hughes
Head to head
Leicester have won just one of their last five matches against Liverpool – a 3-1 victory in February 2021 the last time they met at the King Power.
They claim close to winning at Anfield last week before Takumi Minamino struck a 95th-minute equaliser after Rodgers' side led 3-1.
- Kealan Hughes
Injury woes
So Leicester start without a recognised centre-back as Amartey and Ndidi lined up in central defence.
Jota will be looking to take advantage of that vulnerability by continuing his scoring streak – the Portuguese has six goals in his last seven Prem game.
- Kealan Hughes
Leicester team news
Jamie Vardy leads the line alongside Kelechi Iheanacho after the Nigerian starred against Manchester City.
Youri Tielemans missed out but Wilfred Ndidi returns, albeit in defence.
Timothy Castagne, Boubakary Soumare and Hamza Choudhury als return to the side.
- Kealan Hughes
Liverpool team news
Liverpool welcome Virgil van Dijk back to the side after he missed out previously due to Covid.
Alisson, Joel Matip, Fabinho, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah also come back into the starting line-up.
- Kealan Hughes
Betting
Paddy Power are offering punters up to £20 back as cash if their bet on Leicester vs Liverpool loses.
New customers who sign up and stake £20 on the Premier League showdown will get their money straight back if they're not successful!
The bookmaker are also offering customers a boosted 154/1 bet builder on the all-important clash at the King Power Stadium.
- Kealan Hughes
Recent form
Liverpool are unbeaten in seven Premier League matches.
They drew 2-2 with Tottenham last time out and have lost just once away from home all season – to West Ham.
Meanwhile, Leicester have scored four goals in their last two home matches but were beaten 3-0 by Chelsea at the King Power last month.
The Foxes have won two of their last five league games.
- Kealan Hughes
'Ridiculous'
Brendan Rodgers' is in agreement with his counterpart Klopp, with his team given a short time to recover between games.
He said: “It's a ridiculous schedule. We all know that players aren't fully recovered for 72 hours after a game.
“So for us to be playing on Tuesday against Liverpool, it is ridiculous.
“However, we have to play the game so there will be virtually no physical work, just recovery work and then we'll look at some video images and prepare from there.”
- Kealan Hughes
Klopp fuming
Despite the extra days' rest, Jurgen Klopp has still bemoaned the busy fixture list and criticises the decision made by Premier League clubs to block the change to bring in five substitutes.
He said: "[Five substitutes] is the right decision, especially in this moment, because you bring players back in this moment, after Covid infection or an injury, and because of the games they have to play you risk injury and they have to go out again, maybe after 60 minutes.
"That is a real problem. This wonderful game is so wonderful because usually the players on the pitch are in good shape, are well trained, are well recovered and go for it.
“That is why we love the game. Now the situation is much more difficult."
- Kealan Hughes
Reds well rested
Meanwhile, Liverpool enjoyed a day off on Boxing Day.
That means the Reds' last game was against Leicester – in the Carabao Cup six days ago.
Liverpool came from behind to win on penalties in that Anfield clash with Diogo Jota and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain starring.
- Kealan Hughes
Injury troubles
Leicester have had just a day's rest since their 6-3 defeat to Manchester City on Boxing Day.
Key players Jamie Vardy, Wilfred Ndidi and Harvey Barnes missed that one but Brendan Rodgers could bring two of those players back today.
But the Foxes have serious injury issues, particularly in defence, so Rodgers could struggle against his former team once again.
- Kealan Hughes
90 minutes until kick-off
Leicester vs Liverpool kicks off at 8:00 pm at the King Power Stadium.
Amazon Prime Video will be showing the match live – coverage starts at 7:30 pm.
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