Liverpool vs. Leicester City: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
Liverpool will look to continue their recent run of form when they host Leicester City on New Year's Day, less than a month after beating the Foxes 3-1.
Leicester have sunk all the way to the bottom of the Premier League standings but finally bagged a win in Week 19, beating Hull City 1-0. The Reds haven't lost since a 3-0 drubbing against Manchester United, impressing greatly in their 4-1 win over Swansea City on Monday.
Continuing their momentum is key right now, with the holiday season coming to an end and the second part of the campaign about to kick off.
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Date: Thursday, January 1
Time: 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
TV info and live stream: The match will be broadcast on NBCSN Extra Time (for U.S. viewers), with mobile coverage available via NBC Sports' Live Extra app.
Preview
Leicester haven't enjoyed their first season in the Premier League after last year's impressive run through the Championship. It's been a painful reminder of the massive difference in class—and finances—between the top levels of English football.
The Foxes have won three out of 19 matches, and things don't look likely to improve on Thursday. Liverpool appear to be hitting their stride at just the right time, and as reported by ESPN FC's Steven Kelly, the match against Leicester is the Reds' chance to prove their recent upswing is genuine:
"It is important to begin 2015 as they mean to go on. Rodgers has found a solution of sorts to the long-term squad problems. There is certainly a belief now that fitness, pace and attitude are improving. There is also a theory that the absence of Steven Gerrard and Mario Balotelli during the 4-1 beating of Swansea was not a coincidence.
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Adam Lallana undoubtedly put together his best performance of the season on Monday, spearheading a group of players that finally seemed to be clicking. After months of inconsistency and lack of form, Brendan Rodgers suddenly appeared to have the answers.
As shared by the Premier League's official Twitter account, the Northern Irishman can see a real change in the group as well:
Martin Skrtel will be suspended for Thursday's fixture, according to BBC Sport, with Kolo Toure expected to replace the Slovak in the heart of the Reds defence. Steven Gerrard will also likely return to the starting XI.
According to ESPN FC's Ben Dinnery, the Foxes will be without Paul Konchesky and Matthew Upson:
Leicester's performance against Hull was impressive, but this is a very different Liverpool team. The pure energy and constant movement of Lallana and Raheem Sterling gave Swansea fits, and the Welsh outfit just couldn't keep up for the whole 90 minutes.
It's too early to suggest Liverpool's struggles are over—Week 18 against Burnley was the exact opposite performance—but Rodgers will no doubt copy Monday's formula and have his players come out with the same intensity and emphasise mobility.
The Foxes have tried to be successful using the same methods, and the Reds are simply more talented and better at it. Unless Leicester can impose their will in the centre of the pitch the way they did earlier in the season, the hosts should win comfortably.
Final prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Leicester City
