Swansea City vs. Liverpool: Team News, Live Stream, TV Info, Ticket News
Presenting an unwanted distraction in their top-priority quest for UEFA Europa League glory, Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool travel to south Wales this weekend for a lunchtime clash with Swansea City on Sunday.
The Reds lost 1-0 to Villarreal in the first leg of their European semi-final on Thursday night, with the focus turning to a concerted effort at Anfield next week—but before Klopp can push for his second cup final since arriving on Merseyside in October, he must prepare his side for a victory over Francesco Guidolin's Swans.
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Swansea have reached the 40-point mark in the Premier League and look set to avoid relegation to the Championship ahead of a renewed push in 2016/17, but they will be keen to seal a win over the Reds as the rebuild continues.
Speaking ahead of the game, as relayed by BBC Sport, Guidolin said his side would "play the right way" in their final three outings this season, treating them "as three finals."
Despite the end-of-season setting, both Swansea and Liverpool will be keen to seal the three points—so who will win out at the Liberty on Sunday afternoon?
Date: Sunday, May 1
Time: 12 p.m. BST/ 7 a.m. ET
Venue: Liberty Stadium, Swansea
TV Info: BT Sport 1 (UK only) / NBCSN (U.S. only)
Live Stream: BT Sport Player (UK only) / NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. only)
Form Lines (Last 5 Games)
Swansea: W-D-W-L-L
Liverpool: W-W-W-D-L
Team News
Guidolin heads into Sunday's clash with a nearly full-strength selection, with only Leroy Fer and Alberto Paloschi likely to miss out, with the pair struggling with hamstring injuries.
Fer's absence will be felt most, with the Dutchman starting in each of Swansea's last six league games, joining the likes of Leon Britton and Jack Cork as Guidolin searches for stability in the middle of the park.
Addressing reporters including the South Wales Evening Post before the game, Guidolin stressed that he would find alternatives:
"I have other options in my mind.
You will speak about them after the game—and I will think about them before.
[...]
I don't know how bad the injuries are. I hope they will play again this season, but I don't know.
"
Ki Sung-Yueng and Bafetimbi Gomis are most likely to return to take Fer and Paloschi's place, while Jefferson Montero is also pushing for a starting role.
Meanwhile, Klopp is set to field a much-changed lineup, with injuries and a congested schedule proving obstacles as the German searches for consistent form.
With Mamadou Sakho suspended by UEFA, Philippe Coutinho withdrawn through illness at half-time against Villarreal and Emre Can, Divock Origi, Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez and Jordan Rossiter all injured, Klopp is likely to name a number of youngsters in his starting lineup at the Liberty.
This is set to include 22-year-old Wales international goalkeeper Danny Ward, as Klopp told reporters, including the Liverpool Echo's James Pearce, on Friday afternoon:
"It is likely he will play at Swansea. I just need to find out how he feels after the long trip [back from Villarreal on Thursday].
He will certainly get another game before the end of the season because of the intensity of our schedule. Yes, probably [he will play].
We have to respect the intensity of the last game and think about line up for Sunday at 12 p.m.
"
Jon Flanagan, Brad Smith, Kevin Stewart, Sheyi Ojo and Jordon Ibe are all in line to start, while the likes of Cameron Brannagan, Connor Randall and Pedro Chirivella will be hoping to feature.
Twenty-three-year-old striker Danny Ings has returned to full training after a six-month layoff with an ACL injury, but he is unlikely to take to the field in south Wales.
Predicted Lineups
With the Premier League serving as Guidolin's sole focus at the business end of the season, the Italian is unlikely to make many changes to the side that lost 4-0 to Leicester City last time out, despite a limp performance at the King Power Stadium.
This should see Lukasz Fabianski keep his place in goal, with a back four of Angel Rangel, Ashley Williams, Federico Fernandez and Neil Taylor prowling the 18-yard box.
Fer's absence could see Ki join Britton and Cork in midfield, in what is likely to be a 4-1-4-1 formation—with the veteran Britton operating in the holding role.
While Montero could hope for a starting role on the left wing, Wayne Routledge is more likely to keep his place, with Andre Ayew fielded on the opposite flank and Gylfi Sigurdsson continuing his run as Swansea's No. 9.
With Thursday's Anfield clash to prepare for, Klopp could make up to 11 changes to his lineup at the Liberty, with Ward taking up Simon Mignolet's role between the sticks for one.
Ward could marshal a back line that includes Flanagan, Smith, Martin Skrtel and first-team regular Dejan Lovren, with the Croatian most likely to keep his place in defence due to Sakho's absence and Kolo Toure's age—the 35-year-old defender will likely be needed for the Villarreal match.
In midfield, Stewart should join James Milner in a two-man engine room in what looks set to be a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Ojo and Ibe could flank one of Adam Lallana or Roberto Firmino in support of Liverpool's lone striker, with Klopp set to decide between Daniel Sturridge and Christian Benteke up front.
Likely Swansea XI: Fabianski; Rangel, Williams, Fernandez, Taylor; Britton; Ayew, Ki, Cork, Routledge; Sigurdsson
Likely Liverpool XI: Ward; Flanagan, Skrtel, Lovren, Smith; Milner, Stewart; Ojo, Lallana, Ibe; Sturridge
Players to Watch
Martin Skrtel
Skrtel looks set to play out his final games as a Liverpool player this season, with the Mail's Simon Jones linking the Slovak centre-back with a summer move to Besiktas following a drop down the pecking order under Klopp.
A rare start at the Liberty could provide Skrtel with a swan song, and as This is Anfield's Henry Jackson opined before the game, despite his drop in quality in recent years, this would be deserved given his loyalty.
"He may not be the most popular player around, and he certainly has his faults, but he has the chance to enjoy a happy ending at Liverpool," Jackson writes, and with little else to play for on Sunday, Skrtel could look to impress his suitors ahead of a summer move.
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Despite Swansea's 2015/16 campaign proving something of a disappointment for most, Sigurdsson's consistency in the Swans' midfield has provided cause for optimism.
The Iceland international has scored 11 goals in 35 league games so far this season, including two in his last five outings, and his creativity, finesse and long-range shooting ability will pose a major threat to Klopp's makeshift defensive line on Sunday.
If the 26-year-old midfielder is in the mood, he could make the difference as Guidolin's side search for victory.
Key Battle
Jordon Ibe vs. Angel Rangel
Claudio Ranieri's decision to field Jeffrey Schlupp on the left flank for Leicester City in the absence of the suspended Jamie Vardy has proved a masterstroke as the Foxes push for the Premier League title, and the 23-year-old's pace proved central to their win over Swansea last weekend.
Schlupp exploited Swansea right-back Rangel's lack of mobility throughout that routine victory, and Klopp could follow suit by fielding the fleet-footed Ibe on the left on Sunday afternoon.
Ibe has failed to impress for much of 2015/16, but he has taken up responsibility admirably when fielded in Klopp's youthful, rotated sides—as something of a senior figure, despite his young years at 20—and the German will look to his prodigious talent for inspiration up against Rangel.
Odds
Swansea: 11-5
Liverpool: 7-5
Draw: 63-25
Odds via Odds Shark, correct at time of writing.
Ticket Information
For ticket information on all Premier League games, visit the official site or go to the ticket page on Swansea's official website.
Statistics via Transfermarkt.co.uk.
