Liverpool will hope to keep pace with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table when they welcome Norwich City to Anfield on Saturday.
The 2021/22 Premier League season continues this weekend, with the elongated Gameweek 26 kicking off on Saturday. The top three teams will be in action on the day, with Liverpool playing hosts to Norwich City at Anfield, playing simultaneously with Chelsea.
Liverpool’s form in 2022 has been exemplary as they are unbeaten in ten games across all competitions this year. The Reds were last beaten in their final match of 2021 by Leicester City, and they are currently on a seven-game winning run. The latest success came in a 2-0 win over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League, taking Jurgen Klopp’s men closer to a quarter-finals berth.
On the other hand, Norwich City’s brief stint outside the relegation zone has ended, with the resurgent Newcastle United opening up a four-point gap in the 17th spot. The Canaries have not played badly in the past month, with Premier League champions Manchester City the only team to beat them in this period.
Liverpool and Norwich City have already faced off against each other twice this season, with the Reds winning 3-0 in both fixtures. Ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter.
Team News & Tactics
Liverpool
Looking ahead to #LIVNOR ?
We’re LIVE with Jürgen Klopp ahead of Saturday’s match against Norwich City! https://t.co/NOtyGc5bkV
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 18, 2022
Jurgen Klopp has one new injury concern hampering his preparations ahead of the visit of Norwich City. On Saturday, the Liverpool manager will be bereft of the services of Diogo Jota after the Portuguese international picked up an ankle ligament injury in the midweek UEFA Champions League contest against Inter Milan.
Jota is now in a race against time to be fit in time for the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea later this month. And with one eye on the big match next weekend, Klopp will likely make a few rotations to keep his key players fit while also handing some other stars some much-needed game-time.
One player to benefit from such an outlook will be Naby Keita, who should return to the midfield unit. Keita will likely combine with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in the middle of the park, with Thiago Alcantara and Harvey Elliott making way for them.
Joel Matip should also return to the starting eleven, pairing up with Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the Liverpool defence. Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold will be the two full-backs, with the duo shouldering the bulk of the creative responsibility from the flanks for Liverpool.
As for the attacking unit, Mohamed Salah should continue on the right flank, looking to continue recovering from the heartbreak of losing the Africa Cup of Nations final. Roberto Firmino, who was on target against Inter Milan, will likely reprise his usual False Nine role, with Luis Diaz coming into the side at Sadio Mane’s expense, with the Norwich City game being ideal for giving him some minutes.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Firmino, Diaz
Norwich City
Like his counterpart in the Liverpool dugout, Dean Smith is sweating over the fitness of a key star. But unlike Jurgen Klopp, the Norwich City boss has multiple first-team players on the sidelines ahead of the trip to Anfield on Saturday.
Tim Krul is the major absentee for Norwich City, with the Dutch goalkeeper recovering from a shoulder injury. In addition to Krul, Jakob Sorensen (knee), Lukas Rupp (shoulder), Andrew Omobamidele (back), and Adam Idah (knee) will not be available to take on Liverpool.
? DS: “Mathias had another 60 minutes in a practice game in the week. He’s getting back to the levels.”#NCFC | #LIVNOR pic.twitter.com/c78KLz9Ubv
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) February 18, 2022
But the good news is that Ozan Kabak has recovered from an illness and is available. However, the former Liverpool defender will not return to the starting XI straight away, with Ben Gibson and Grant Hanley pairing up at the heart of the Norwich City defence.
Max Aarons and Brandon Williams will be the two full-backs, but the dangerous Liverpool attack will likely pin back the duo for the most part. Angus Gunn will continue deputising for Krul between the sticks and will be in for a busy afternoon at Anfield.
Up ahead in midfield, the three stars will have the onus on them to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Pierre Lees-Melou, Billy Gilmour and Kenny McLean will thus form a defence-oriented midfield trifecta, although McLean will also look to provide the forward thrust from midfield.
Teemu Pukki will spearhead the Norwich City attack against Liverpool but will likely feed off scraps on Saturday. But Josh Sargent will be the main man for the visitors with his directness, while Milot Rashica will complete the numbers in the final third for the Canaries.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Gunn; Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Williams; Gilmour, Lees-Melou, McLean; Sargent, Pukki, Rashica
Key Stats
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League meetings with Norwich City, winning 13 and scoring 47 goals. The Reds average 2.8 goals per game in the Premier League against Norwich, scoring 53 times in 19 fixtures. It is their highest rate against any side they have faced at least five times in the division.
- Liverpool are unbeaten in 15 Premier League home games, winning the last six in a row by an aggregate score of 17-1. This season, the Reds have dropped points in only two of their 14 Premier League fixtures against teams in the bottom half of the table: a 3-3 draw at Brentford on 25 September and a 1-0 defeat at Leicester City on 28 December.
- Norwich City could win back-to-back Premier League away games for the first time since January 2012. However, their only victory in 25 top-flight away fixtures against sides in the top three was by 3-2 at Manchester City on the final day of 2012/13.
- Norwich have lost all eight matches versus top-six sides this season, conceding 28 goals and failing to score themselves. The Canaries have conceded 50 goals – their worst record after 24 league games of a campaign since 1946/47.
- This season, Mohamed Salah has recorded 16 goals and nine assists in the Premier League. He has twice reached double figures for both – in 2017/18 and 2019/20. Salah is one short of becoming the 10th player to score 150 goals for Liverpool in all competitions.
Player to Watch
Mohamed Salah
Salah returned to England following his Africa Cup of Nations heartbreak with vengeance on his mind. While the Egyptian wing-wizard seemed in menacing touch coming off the bench against Leicester City, he has looked somewhat off the boil in the last two games.
But scoring a crucial goal against Inter Milan will have boosted Salah’s confidence heading into two eye-catching fixtures ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea. In the next couple of games, he will look to breach the 20-goal mark in the Premier League, and Norwich City could be in for a ride on Saturday.
Prediction
Liverpool 3-0 Norwich City
Like last weekend against Manchester City, Norwich City will make Liverpool work hard to earn all three points. The first half will again be a tricky proposition for the more heralded team, with the Canaries holding the fort valiantly in the opening 45 minutes.
But the floodgates will open after the interval, with Mohamed Salah likely to score more than once. Luis Diaz should also be on target, netting his maiden Liverpool goal. In the end, Liverpool should cruise to a 3-0 win after a tough start to the game, putting the pressure on Manchester City ahead of their difficult match-up against Tottenham Hotspur.
