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How Liverpool could line up against Watford

Sports Mole looks at how Liverpool could line up for Saturday's Premier League clash with Watford as top host bottom at Anfield.

Liverpool welcome Watford to Anfield for their final Premier League game before Christmas as top host bottom in what on paper looks likely to be a one-sided contest.

Jurgen Klopp's side are eight points clear at the top of the table and have won 24 of their last 25 Premier League games, and victory on Saturday lunchtime would temporarily extend their advantage ahead of their trip to Qatar for the Club World Cup next week.

The Reds have a particularly fearsome record at home to the Hornets in recent times too, but Watford could prove to be a banana skin as they look to make a fast start under new boss Nigel Pearson.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Liverpool could line up for the contest.



Possible LIVXIvWAT

Out: Joel Matip (knee), Nathaniel Clyne (knee), Fabinho (ankle), Dejan Lovren (thigh)
Doubtful: Adam Lallana (muscle)

> Click here for Liverpool's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

Dejan Lovren limped off early for the second game in a row against Red Bull Salzburg on Tuesday night and this injury is more serious than the last, meaning that Joe Gomez will be handed a start alongside Virgil van Dijk as Liverpool only two remaining fit centre-backs.

Van Dijk scored twice in this fixture last season while Liverpool as a whole have scored more headed goals alone than Watford have scored in total this season, so the backline will be optimistic of keeping their first Anfield clean sheet of the campaign.

Injuries to Joel Matip, Fabinho and Nathaniel Clyne do limit Klopp's options as far as rotation is concerned, though, with the main bulk of the changes expected to come further upfield.

Liverpool fielded a 4-2-3-1 formation in their last home game against a team in the relegation zone, and that worked well as they brushed Everton aside in the Merseyside derby earlier this month.

It is a system which the Reds regularly switch to during matches as well, and with at least one of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane likely to be rested, they could go with it from the start this weekend as Divock Origi looks to lead the line.

Watford will be hoping that as many of the usual front three as possible sit out given that Salah has directly contributed to seven goals in four games against them, Mane eight goals in five games and Firmino eight in six.

Liverpool's fringe players have stepped up to the plate in recent weeks and so Klopp will not be hesitant to throw them in again against a team they are expected to beat, with the likes of Naby Keita, Xherdan Shaqiri, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner among those pushing for a start.

Adam Lallana should be in contention after missing the last two games, meaning that captain Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum could be given the day off.

body check tags ::

Who will win Saturday's Premier League clash between Liverpool and Watford?

Liverpool
Draw
Watford
Liverpool
0.0%
Draw
0.0%
Watford
0.0%
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool17161042142849
2Leicester CityLeicester17123240112939
3Manchester CityMan City17112447192835
4Chelsea179263125629
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs177553224826
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd176742620625
7Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd176742116525
8Wolverhampton WanderersWolves175932421324
9Arsenal175752427-322
10Crystal Palace166461418-422
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle176471724-722
12Burnley176382229-721
13Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton165472024-419
14Bournemouth175481924-519
15West Ham UnitedWest Ham175481928-919
16Everton175392029-918
17Aston Villa1743102330-715
18Southampton1743101836-1815
19Norwich CityNorwich1733111835-1712
20Watford171610932-239

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