LEICESTER CITY VS. LIVERPOOL: MAHREZ WANTS HOME FANS TO INSPIRE REDS REVENGE.
LEICESTER CITY vs LIVERPOOL
PREVIEW
Riyad Mahrez has urged Leicester City fans to inspire the club to victory in Tues day's match.
Riyad Mahrez has called on Leicester City fans to inspire their side to a revenge victory when the club hosts Liverpool in the Premier League.
Claudio Ranieri's side, unbeaten at home since a 5-2 loss to Arsenal in September, heads into February as the league leader, with the title having been won by every side in such a position in each of the past 11 seasons.
That said, Leicester has endured a dip in form ever since it was beaten 1-0 by Jurgen Klopp's side at Anfield on Boxing Day, with the 3-0 victory over Stoke City last week ending a run of just one win in seven in all competitions.
With matches against title-chasing Manchester City and Arsenal to come in the next two weeks, Mahrez wants the King Power Stadium to get behind the team as it enters a pivotal part of the campaign.
"We've only lost one game at home, so that shows how important the support has been," Mahrez told Leicester's official matchday program. "For me, every game excites me, whether it's a night game or played on a Saturday afternoon. Our fans are fantastic, so we'll need them to be behind us and I'm sure that together we can get the three points."
Liverpool's win in December was its seventh game in the top flight without defeat against Leicester, yet Klopp's side has been dogged by inconsistent displays since then, with two victories, two defeats and one draw in its last five league games.
The Reds reached the League Cup final after a penalty shootout win over Stoke before they were held 0-0 by West Ham in the FA Cup fourth round Saturday — a match in which Klopp fielded a number of youngsters.
The German took some criticism for his selection that day, but defender Steven Caulker believes giving key first-team players a break could pay dividends when they take on a Leicester side that will have had 10 days of rest since its last match.
"The manager wants to do well in every competition, and not forgetting the league," Caulker told Liverpool's website. "We've got two big league games coming up so he decided to rest a few of the main starters and keep them fresh for Tuesday, which is obviously a good decision because it's going to be a tough game."
Jeffrey Schlupp (hamstring) remains Leicester's only major injury concern, but Liverpool is still struggling with a number of problems, with Daniel Sturridge still not deemed fit and Martin Srktel (hamstring) and Divock Origi (knee) unlikely to have recovered.
Philippe Coutinho (hamstring) and Jordan Henderson (heel) could be available should they come through training unscathed, while Nathaniel Clyne is set to continue in the side having managed the full 90 minutes against West Ham.
Key Opta Stats:
- On the day of this game, Leicester City will have spent 43 days at the top of the 2015-16 Premier League table – only Man City (100 days) has been on top for longer this season.
- Liverpool has lost just one of its last five away games against Leicester in the Premier League (2-1-2).
- The Foxes have made 37.5 percent of their passes in the final third of the pitch this season, a Premier League high.
- Mahrez has been involved in more goals than any other Premier League player so far this season (21 – 13 goals, eight assists).
- In comparison, no Liverpool player has reached double figures in terms of Premier League goal involvement this season, with Roberto Firmino the most involved (five goals, four assists).
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