Stoke v Liverpool Betting Preview
Interesting Boxing Day match up between the two sides who are level on points at the moment, with Liverpool taking ascendancy because they have a two goal advantage over the Potters in goal difference. Stoke have the longest active unbeaten run in the Premier League at the moment, not losing in their last eight, but Liverpool have started to produce some better results for their play, but can be prone to the odd slip up. Will Stoke’s great defence be able to shut out a limited Reds attack?
Stoke v Liverpool Betting Odds at online bookmaker Bet365
Liverpool 5/4, Draw 9/4, Stoke 23/10
Stoke v Liverpool Recommended Bet:
This looks as if it will be perhaps one of the bigger chess matches on Boxing Day’s Premier League fixture list. Matches at the Britannia have produced just eleven goals all season, so we may not be in for a goal fest. That is for two reasons. Stoke’s defence has been brilliant, keeping nine clean sheets this season and they have conceded just three goals in their eight home matches this season (a rate of just 0.38 per game). Secondly, Stoke don’t have a lot of power up front, averaging just a goal per game at home. Just 12% of Stoke’s home games have gone over 2.5 goals this season. Tony Pulis’s men are on a fifteen match unbeaten run at the Britannia Stadium, a run which started when they beat Swansea last season, then coached by Brendan Rodgers. You aren’t going to look at big goals from Stoke, but as underdogs here they do represent a lot of value. Why? Well they have won three of their last four home matches, not surprisingly all by a one goal winning margin, and they held Everton to a draw here in their last home match. The Potters are immensely strong at home, in eleven of their last 18 Premier League matches, Stoke have been level at half time in the game. Stoke have drawn 0-0 five times this season in the league, the most out of all teams in the big five European leagues. Top scorer Peter Crouch only has one goal in eleven appearances against former side Liverpool, but the Potters will be a threat from set pieces. They may come off second best in possession, but they will put up some stiff defence. With just two goals in their last four league matches, it a win comes it’ll probably be by a 1-0 scoreline.
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In nine previous Premier League meetings between the two clubs, both sides have failed to score on six occasions each. That equates to just eleven goals in those nine meetings. Liverpool have a good Boxing Day record recently, losing just one of their last ten. Brendan Rodgers’ men are also carry decent away form, losing just one of their last seven. However, they have only won two of those as well, with draws becoming the norm. They have also been helped out by the fact that in four of their last six away games, they have benefitted from an own goal by the opposition. The Reds are starting to find their feet, with three wins in their last four matches, but after going on an eight match unbeaten run, they have lost two of their last five. There is still a bit of an air of unpredictability about them, because they still suffer from a lack of conviction up front. It is what hurt them in a 3-1 defeat at Anfield against Aston Villa recently despite having over 70% of possession in the game. But their 4-0 romp against Fulham on the weekend, was a good response. The Reds have conceded 13 and scored 13 goals on the road and haven’t kept clean sheets in their last two away games. It all really points to the likelihood of there being another draw between these two. It is just one of those games where it may be worth backing a draw outright and that is priced at 9/4 with online bookmaker Bet365
Form
Stoke WWWDDD, Liverpool LWWWLW
Stat Attack
Stoke have nine clean sheets this season
The Potters have conceded just three goals at the Britannia this season in the league
Liverpool have lost just one of their last 10 Boxing Day Matches
Stoke have won just one of their last 11 Boxing Day fixtures
Stoke are unbeaten in 15 Premier League home matches
Liverpool have lost one of their last seven away from home
Online bookmaker Promotion
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