BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson has predicted that Liverpool will return to winning ways in the Premier League with a win against Leicester on Saturday, if Jamie Vardy misses the game.
The two teams meet again in the early evening slot just days after Leicester knocked Liverpool out of the League Cup on Tuesday.
Both teams boasted heavily changed line-ups, but goals from Shinji Okazaki and Islam Slimani were enough to oust Liverpool from the competition.
Despite that, Lawrenson has predicted that Liverpool will squeak the three points on Saturday with a 2-1 win.
“Liverpool should really have been clear by half-time when they went to the King Power Stadium in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, but ended up losing 2-0,” Lawrenson said.
“But I would be less concerned by them failing to take their chances, and more worried about how they are falling apart at the back.
“Because every time the Reds have come under pressure defensively, they concede.
“What will help Liverpool a lot on Saturday is if Leicester striker Jamie Vardy misses the game with his groin injury.
“The Reds have really struggled against Vardy in the past – he has scored twice in each of their last two visits here in the league – so if he is absent or not 100% fit, then their defence will have a much easier time of things.”
OPINION
It’s not been a September to remember for Liverpool. It started with a 5-0 defeat to Man City after Sadio Mane was sent off for a collision with the City keeper. They then drew 2-2 with Sevilla in the Champions League in a game they really should have won, 1-1 with Burnley in the Premier League, and lost to Leicester. It’s a huge contrast to the last result in August when they beat Arsenal 4-0 and looked at their rapier-sharp best. Klopp needs to focus on his defence and Lawrenson is right that if Vardy doesn’t play it will be a huge boost to Liverpool. However, for a team that wants to be taken seriously in the Premier League and Champions League, hoping your opponents don’t put out a full-strength team suggests that all is not right. Klopp will have to wait until January to make any real improvements and hope the damage is not already done by then.