Aston Villa vs. Liverpool: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
Liverpool will be hoping to build on their recent upturn in form when they take on a toiling Aston Villa team in the Premier League.
On the whole, neither side has enjoyed a particularly prosperous campaign, but there have been signs of life from the Reds in recent weeks.
A warning must be issued, though. So far this season, it’s clashes like the upcoming trip to Villa Park in which Brendan Rodgers’ team have slipped up; if they’re to harbour any ambitions of finishing in a Champions League spot, three points here is vital.
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That's especially true when you consider the form showcased by Paul Lambert’s team of late. Indeed, the Midlands club’s last win came in early December when they beat a horribly out-of-form Leicester City.
Here’s all the information you need on where to catch this one via an online stream or on the box.
Date: Saturday, Jan. 17
Time: 3 p.m. (GMT)/10 a.m. (ET)
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra (US)
TV Info: NBC Sports (US)
Reds Looking to Capitalise on Villa Unrest
Liverpool made hard work of their recent 1-0 win against Sunderland, but it was a performance rife with encouraging signs. The most positive facet of the display was arguably the effervescent efforts of Lazar Markovic, who finally looks as though he’s beginning to show his quality following a big-money move to the Premier League.
The Serbian was a constant menace to the Black Cats’ defence throughout the game, and as he revealed to the club’s official website, he was delighted to notch his first Premier League goal for the Reds:
Encouragingly for the Anfield outfit, this upturn in form has come about without key man Raheem Sterling. The young winger was given some time off in early January by his manager and looks set to return to the fold for this weekend’s trip to the Midlands; the travelling Kop will be desperate to see a refreshed and revitalised Sterling.
As noted here by Squawka Football, while the England international has been in blistering form this season, perhaps it was a shrewd move by Rodgers to give him a rest:
He’ll be hoping to link up with the likes of Markovic and cause major problems for this Aston Villa team, who are devoid of direction and confidence at the moment. The Villans actually won the reverse fixture at Anfield earlier in the season, capping off an exceptional start to the campaign, but much has changed since the cohesive, diligent display they turned in that day.
It seems the supporters have finally had enough too. As noted by Laurie Whitwell of the Mail Online, the fans in attendance at the game this weekend will stage an eight-minute protest on the iconic Holte End. According to the piece, various supporter websites are encouraging punters to leave their seat for the opening eight minutes of the game.
It’d be a shame to see, especially when you consider that Villa are probably going to need all the help they can get in this one. The supporters will also surely be keen to see new signing Carles Gil in action, and Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe thinks he’s a player who could add some much-needed ingenuity to their forward forays:
It’s vital he brings some kind of creative edge, for the club have scored a meagre 11 goals this season, seven fewer than any other team in the entire division. A volatile atmosphere can only hinder the men who don the famous claret-and-blue jersey, while a raucously supportive Villa Park could inspire them to a strong performance against what’s often been a ropey Reds defence.
But with recent form leaving much to be desired, and with unrest emanating from every pore of the Midlands club, this could be an easy afternoon for the Merseyside club.
If Rodgers’ team begin with a swagger comparable to their display in the north-east, then the fans in attendance could turn on their players, and that’ll surely see Liverpool’s quality take over.
Prediction: Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool
