When Liverpool host Aston Villa in their Premier League encounter on Saturday, seven points will be the difference between the champions elect and the side currently sixth in the table.
Liverpool vs Aston Villa predicted line ups
Liverpool (4-2-1-3): Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Konsa, Torres, Carlos, Digne; Onana, Tielemans; Ramsey, unknown, McGinn, Watkins.
The Reds currently boast an unbeaten streaking run in all competitions now standing at 12 games after a convincing Champions League victory by a 4-0 scoreline against Bayer Leverkusen mid last week.
Villa, on the other hand, have only one drawn and lost their last three games and have the worst defense of the teams in the top half of the premier league having conceded 15 goals in 10 league games.
The match will start at 8 pm and will air live on TNT Sports 1.
Salah has Henry in his sights
Mo Salah’s winning goal against Brighton last week put him 1 goal ahead of Liverpool god Robbie Fowler hence taking the 8th position on the list of top Premier league goalscorers.
It’s now 164 and counting for Egyptian, the man is already on seven league goals this campaign.
Salah remains on penalty and free-kick duties for the Reds – and occasionally at set-pieces near the box – and again, he appears to be in with a chance of battling Manchester City’s Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot this season.
The 32-year-old will also feel he can overtake Thierry Henry on the all-time list before the season is out, with the former Arsenal star 11 goals ahead on 175. Other legends that include ex-Chelsea star Frank Lampard who had 177 premier league goals in his career and Yossi Benayoun and Steve McManaman are also in Salah’s sights as a legend.
He has netted seven goals against Villa and was instrumental in the 3-0 fashion by which the homerasters subjected the Villans to last season.
At the other extreme of the pitch, England striker Ollie Watkins will be eager to arrest a scorers’ draught of five games without finding the back of the net.
The ex-Brentford forward has scored five league goals this season, his last first division goal coming in the 3-1 victory against Fulham on mid-October.
As for Watkins, his last goal at Anfield date back to last year in the fixture that Liverpool won 2-1 in the stoppage time after he fired in the opener.
Liverpool: Jonas Olsson( suspension); Aston Villa: Scott Sinclair ( injury).
Alisson, Diogo Jota, and Harvey Elliott will not join the team before the start of November international break, according to Arne Slot.
That means Caoimhin Kelleher will retain his place in goal for the Reds whilst Darwin Nunez will start upfront again after being on the bench for the Bayer Leverkusen fixture in midweek.
There was also a place among the substitutes for Scotland captain Andy Robertson who may regain his left-back spot at Anfield next.
Federico Chies has been out for a month now and, while he is improving, the match should be too soon for the Italian international.
Matty Cash limped off with the calf problem during the Villans’ match against Tottenham last Saturday and could be set for a Anfield absence. Ezri Konsa is pencilled down to operate as a right-back.
Ross Barkley also remains sidelined through injury for the visitors and will not be available until late November at the earliest.
