High-flying Liverpool make the trip across the border to Swansea knowing a win over their embattled opponents would push them right into title contention.
Last week’s thumping 5-1 win over Hull at Anfield, moved the needle significantly for the Reds in the Premier League outright betting market, and they are now second favourites for the title behind Manchester City.
Jurgen Klopp will know that the early kick-off with the Swans on Saturday (12.30pm), presents a chance to finally put those nasty blips Liverpool seem to suffer against unfancied clubs firmly to bed.
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Swansea for their part are in horrific form having lost for four of their last five. Their manager Francesco Guidolin currently stands on the brink of being the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season as a result.
The Swans are massive outsiders in this contest at , mainly because the goals have just dried up for them.
Swansea have only hit the back of the net five times in their six league matches and when you add that to 10 goals conceded at their end, the reasons are clear why Liverpool are for an away win.
Of those five goals mentioned, a striker has only accounted for a single one of those, with summer signing Fernando Llorente grabbing that in the loss to Man City last weekend – that really isn’t good enough at this level.
It’s not a closed shop for Klopp
Having closely analysed Swansea’s poor goal scoring average, the reading is a lot rosier if you’re Liverpool’s manager.
Klopp’s Reds are second in the Premier League charts with 16 goals this campaign – Man City just pip them with 18.
That’s a majorly impressive average of 2.67 goals per game so far this season and you’d think they’d have the market of over 2.5 goals in the match at in danger by themselves. Over 3.5 goals is by the way – just putting it out there!
There’s a nasty habit Liverpool need to get out of if they are to be true title challengers, and that’s to stop switching off for periods at the back. The Anfield outfit have seen their net bulge in all over their league matches to date and it’s been two or more goals conceded in half over those.
All this makes us tip our cap for the shot of a Liverpool win with both teams to score.
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Another factor that will have Klopp beaming that toothpaste ad-worthy smile is four of his players share the top scorer at the club tag evenly, on three goals apiece.
Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana, Saido Mané and James Milner with his three converted penalties share that honour.
That muddies the first goalscorer market a little, but of the four – Coutinho and Milner are the only ones to have landed the opening strike in a game this season. The little Brazilian is the slight favourite at for the first, while the former England midfielder is a bigger shot.
The Swans have only one name of note in scoring terms and that’s Leroy Fer – who has grabbed three himself this campaign. He’s to score first, however he’s more likely to find the net as an anytime option at .