Sparkless Liverpool bid to end home pain
Liverpool return to Premier League action today knowing they must rediscover the magic at home or risk finishing outside the top four for the first time since 2016.
When Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-1 at Anfield in mid-December it appeared to be business as usual for Juergen Klopp’s side.
But little did they know that they would reach April with no further wins on their home turf and a paltry two goals to show for their efforts.
The Premier League champions take on mid-table Aston Villa today with a chance to clamber back into the top four, at least temporarily. Liverpool suffered a chastening 3-1 defeat at Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in midweek but results in the Premier League last weekend went in their favour.
Klopp described their 3-0 win at sorry Arsenal, with Diogo Jota netting twice, as a “very important statement” but his side must rediscover the winning formula at home after six successive defeats in the league.
Meanwhile, Jesse Lingard is a revitalised player since joining West Ham on loan from Manchester United, where he had become a forgotten man.
The England midfielder flourished in the early days of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign at Old Trafford but became an increasingly peripheral figure as Bruno Fernandes assumed the main creative role.
But the 28-year-old has made up for lost time since arriving at the London
Stadium in January, scoring six goals in eight Premier League matches.
He has also won back his place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
West Ham, who host Leicester tomorrow, are fourth in the Premier League table, one point clear of Chelsea with eight games remaining.
Lingard, who scored a spectacular goal and played a part in the other two in Monday’s 3-2 win against Wolves, has urged his teammates to stay level-headed.
“We need to maintain our focus in each game,” he said.
“We’ve got a tough run of fixtures but the lads are ready and we’ll prepare for the next game.”
FIXTURES
(kick-offs Thai time)
Today
Manchester City v Leeds (6.30pm), Liverpool v Aston Villa (9pm), Crystal Palace v Chelsea (11.30pm)
Tomorrow
Burnley v Newcastle (6pm), West Ham v Leicester (8.05pm), Tottenham v Manchester United (10.30pm), Sheffield United v Arsenal (1am, Mon)
Monday
West Brom v Southampton (midnight), Brighton v Everton (2.15am, Tue)