Saturday 28th April 2018
Liverpool v Stoke City 12:30
Another huge Premier League weekend for struggling Stoke, who play in the Saturday lunchtime fixture this week, in what looks a game the Potters must win – they come into the weekend second from bottom with just 29 points.
Therefore, with just 3 games remaining for Stoke then matches are clearly running out and it doesn’t get much easier here as they take on a rampant Liverpool team that not only put 5 past Roma in midweek but have never lost at home to Stoke in the Premier League (9 games).
Okay, with Liverpool looking safe to finish the season in the top four and the fact they will still have both eyes on the Champions League that might give Stoke some hope here. However, the match betting still suggests a hard match for the visitors with Liverpool 1.30, the Draw 5.50 and Stoke 9.00.
The teams have already played this season too at the Britannia Stadium and that finished in a comfortable win for the Reds (Stoke 0-3 Liverpool), while this repeat fixture last season ended in another easy victory for the Merseysiders (Liverpool 4-1 Stoke), so more bad news for Potters fans.
If we add in that Liverpool have won their last 5 games against Stoke and are also a massive 32 matches unbeaten at home against them then everything suggests to Liverpool taking maximum points here.
The last four league head-to-heads produced OVER 2.5 GOALS, so at 1.57 this option may still appeal despite being odds-on – but it is worth noting 5 of the last 7 repeat fixtures at Anfield actually went the other way at Under 2.5 Goals – this is a much-bigger price at 2.35.
Another option could be for Both teams to score as this has paid out in 3 of the last 4 – this can be backed at 1.90.
We’ve only seen 1 draw in the last 11 head-to-heads, so even a point looks out of the question for Stoke – but really, they need 3 if they want to keep their Premier League survival dreams alive.
Team news for Liverpool is worth noting as they may well rest players ahead of next week’s Champions League second leg semi-final with Roma so a word of caution has to be attached to any goal scoring bets you might fancy.
Based on both team’s current situations it’s actually a tough game to predict. Yes, if this match was in the heart of the season, or Liverpool needed something from it and also didn’t have the Champions League to contend with next week then it would be a straight-forward call – an easy Liverpool win. Okay, it might still be. But with the Reds sure to make changes and rest players for the big Roma second leg next week then the safest call here looks to be BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE at 1.90.
We think that no matter what team Liverpool put out it will be a surprise if they are not scoring at least one, while having leaked two against fellow strugglers – West Brom – last weekend, and the fact they need to get something from this game, then there is some hope Stoke can get on the scoresheet too.
BEST BET: Both Teams To Score @1.90
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Saturday 28th April 2018
Liverpool v Stoke City 12:30
– Already played this season, Stoke 0-3 Liverpool
– Last season’s repeat fixture ended, Liverpool 4-1 Stoke
– Liverpool have won the last 2 repeat fixtures 4-1
– Liverpool have won their last 5 league games vs Stoke
– The last 4 league head-to-heads went OVER 2.5 GOALS
– Both teams scored in 3 of the last 4 league head-to-heads
– Liverpool have scored at least 2 goals in their last 4 vs Stoke
– Liverpool have NEVER lost at home to Stoke in the Premier League (9 games)
– Liverpool are 32 home league games unbeaten vs Stoke
– Stoke last beat Liverpool away in the league in 1959 (33 games ago)
– 5 of the last 7 repeat fixtures went UNDER 2.5 GOALS
– Stoke have only scored 2 goals away at Anfield in the Premier League
– 1 DRAW in the last 11 league head-to-heads
– Liverpool’s leading league scorer this season is Mo Salah (31)
– Stoke’s leading league scorer this season Shaqiri (7)