Liverpool vs Leicester predicted XIs: Confirmed team news and probable line-ups

Liverpool vs Leicester predicted XIs: Confirmed team news and probable line-ups

Premier League leaders Liverpool will round off the Boxing Day action when they welcome struggling Leicester to Anfield, with the game kicking off at 8pm and being shown live on Amazon Prime.

The Reds secured a four-point lead at the top of the standings at Christmas following Sunday’s high-octane 6-3 win at Tottenham and they are now unbeaten in 21 matches across all competitions

Leicester can only dream of such form, with the Foxes sitting just a place and two points above the relegation zone following comprehensive defeats to Newcastle and relegation rivals Wolves over recent weeks.

Predicted XIs

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Jota, Nunez.

Leicester (3-4-2-1): Ward; Okoli, Coady, Faes; Justin, Winks, Soumare, Kristiansen; Buonanotte, El Khannouss; Vardy.

Team News

Liverpool’s pursuit of just a second league title in 35 years has been helped by head coach Arne Slot having a near fully-fit squad to choose from, with defenders Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate remaining his only confirmed absentees.

However, with the games coming thick and fast over the festive period, Slot could look to make alterations to his starting XI for this clash, with Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones among those pushing for recalls.

Leicester’s first-choice goalkeeper Mads Hermansen missed the defeat to Wolves with a groin problem and faces a race against time to prove his fitness for the trip to Merseyside, meaning Danny Ward could be called upon between the sticks once again.

Perhaps even more concerning for Foxes boss Ruud van Nistelrooy is that top scorer Jamie Vardy is also a doubt with the knock he picked up against Wolves, while Ricardo Pereira (thigh), Wilfred Ndidi (thigh) and Abdul Fatawu (knee) all remain on the treatment table.

Salah still driving Liverpool towards Premier League title

Liverpool are enjoying a season to remember under Slot, who has won 21 and lost only one of his 25 matches in charge across all competitions, with his side having scored two or more goals in each of their last nine Premier League games.

Mohamed Salah has been key to that success, with his two goals and two assists against Tottenham taking him to an eye-watering 33 goal involvements for the season – four more than any other player in Europe’s top-five leagues.

There may still be concerns about his long-term future at Anfield, with his current deal due to expire in the summer, but Salah is arguably in the form of his life and showing no signs of slowing down.

Leicester will certainly have trouble trying to contain Salah and co on Boxing Day, as they are without a top-flight clean sheet on the road this season and have conceded 11 across their three most recent away fixtures at Manchester United, Brentford and Newcastle.