Liverpool vs. Swansea City: Team News, Preview, Live-Stream, TV Info

Tom SunderlandJan 19, 2017

Liverpool will look to steer their Premier League title charge back on track on Saturday when they play host to a Swansea City side aiming to establish themselves under new manager Paul Clement.

The Reds have drawn their last two league games while Swansea lie last in the table and have just one win in their last six outings, but the Welsh outfit could be tough guests with a new boss at the helm.

Clement's men suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Arsenal in his first Premier League game in charge of the Swans last time out, and the threat posed by a trip to Anfield doesn't give him room to breathe anytime soon.

Team News

Liverpool fans will have been pleased to see midfielder Philippe Coutinho make his return as a second-half substitute during Sunday's 1-1 draw at Manchester United after almost two months on the sidelines.

Liverpool	Swansea City
Plymouth Argyle 0-1 Liverpool	Swansea City 0-4 Arsenal
Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool	Hull City 2-0 Swansea City
Southampton 1-0 Liverpool	Crystal Palace 1-2 Swansea City
Liverpool 0-0 Plymouth Argyle	Swansea City 0-3 Bournemouth
Sunderland 2-2 Liverpool	Swansea City 1-4 West Ham United

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp isn't the type to rush recovering players, but there's a chance the Brazil international could start on Saturday, and the German was pleased to see his star back in action, per Squawka:

Meanwhile, Paul Joyce of The Times explained recently that FIFA would make a ruling on Friday about whether Joel Matip will be available for selection after failing to get clearance to play against United.

BBC Sport reported that the former Schalke 04 defender was named in Cameroon's 2017 Africa Cup of Nations squad but withdrew.

Klopp spoke to the media ahead of Wednesday's FA Cup third-round replay against Plymouth Argyle and explained that Matip is "not happy" with his recent omissions, although the manager's hands are tied, via This Is Anfield:

Also in defence, Liverpool stand a chance of bringing Nathaniel Clyne back into the fold after the right-back hurt his rib against Southampton, and Klopp had a promising update on the England international during the week, per This Is Anfield:

"
It’s getting better, with Nathaniel it was a muscle between the ribs.
If anyone’s ever had a bruise in the ribs, [they’ll know] sometimes it’s better broken.
Now we know after the scan, [there’s] nothing else. Each day helps him to settle, and get back on the pitch.
We’ll give him two or three more days then hopefully he’ll start running.
He’s made nearly all the games since I’ve come in, and before that, so when the first second it’s possible, he’s out there. He has a big chance for Swansea.
"

There's mixed news for Clement, who may be able to call on new signing Luciano Narsingh after the South Wales Evening Post reported the Dutch winger could return from a calf injury.

The South Wales outfit posted a picture of the £4 million signing in training on Wednesday, perhaps an indicator he could be in line for his debut against the Merseysiders:

However, Andrew Gwilym of the South Wales Evening Post previously reported star winger Jefferson Montero will be sidelined until the end of January with a hamstring complaint.

Left-back Neil Taylor is still out following surgery on a fractured cheekbone, while Modou Barrow has a chance of making his return from a knock he suffered in the Checkatrade Trophy meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Jan. 10.

Predicted Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Simon Mignolet; Nathaniel Clyne, James Milner, Dejan Lovren, Ragnar Klavan; Jordan Henderson, Emre Can, Georginio Wijnaldum; Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Adam Lallana.

Predicted Swansea City XI (4-2-3-1): Lukasz Fabianski; Kyle Naughton, Stephen Kingsley, Alfie Mawson, Federico Fernandez; Jack Cork, Ki Sung-Yueng; Wayne Routledge, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Luciano Narsingh; Fernando Llorente.

Preview

As far as the "like-a-new-signing" cliches go, Coutinho's return to the Liverpool squad is about as big as any boost the Reds could have gleaned from the transfer market ahead of Swansea's trip to Merseyside.

And the Brazilian is raring to go ahead of what could be his first Premier League start Nov. 26, having recently told Sky Sports (h/t Goal's Dejan Kalinic) of the "big objectives" he and his team-mates have:

"
We have to keep working together because the season is very long. We have big objectives to realise this season.
The confidence [of a good result] brings good feeling, tells us that we have to keep working hard.
This season promises to be very important for us and Liverpool have to keep playing well.
"

The main question for Reds fans is whether Daniel Sturridge will play alongside Coutinho, or whether Roberto Firmino will return to his central attacking role while Divock Origi drops to the bench.

For Clement, it's a case of the opposite, with new signings Tom Carroll and Martin Olsson both hoping to make an impact on Saturday, as touched upon by the Daily Mail's Riath Al-Samarrai:

Arsenal embarrassed Swansea and Clement on the latter's Premier League managerial debut, but a Liverpool team without a win in its last two league outings could prove to be an easier task.

The Swans boss cultivated an impressive resume as an assistant boss, working under Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, but Saturday's Anfield visit provides another test of his credentials.