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Soccer tips: Leicester vs Liverpool - Reds can punish flimsy Foxes defence

The hosts are shipping goals by the bucketful and Jurgen Klopp’s men can help themselves to at least three when the two teams meet at the King Power.

The Festive fixture list didn't look kind for Leicester when they were paired with Manchester City on Boxing Day and Liverpool two days later.

It's fair to say they failed the first part of that test spectacularly after being thumped 6-3 at the Etihad although fighting back from 4-0 to 4-3 at least provided some thrills along the way.

But having to go back into combat so soon against a Liverpool side who had the 26th off due to COVID in the Leeds camp is harsh. This could be another difficult afternoon for Brendan Rodgers.

When, where, and how to watch

When: Tuesday, December 28, 20.00 GMT

Where: King Power Stadium

Follow this game via our score centre

Best bets for Leicester v Liverpool

Liverpool to score over 2.5 goals at 6/5

Liverpool to win and both teams to score at 6/4

James Maddison to score at 9/2

Virgil van Dijk to score with a header at 13/2

Leicester won the most recent Premier League clash between the pair back in February and were all set to dump Liverpool out of the Carabao Cup last week.
The Foxes led 2-0 and 3-1 as their near full-strength side dominated Liverpool's weakened line-up but everything changed in the second half.

Jurgen Klopp sent on some first-team reinforcements and, in front of pumped-up Anfield, Leicester buckled under the wave of Liverpool attacks.

The hosts forced a replay thanks to goals from Diogo Jota and Takumi Minamino and Liverpool came through a penalty shootout to book their place in the last four.
The idea that Leicester were vulnerable at the back has really come sharply into focus in the last week after Rodgers' side shipped nine goals in two games.

Having to take on Liverpool - the highest away scorers in the Premier League by a distance - once more is, shall we say, less than ideal.

Liverpool have played 27 times this season and lost just once, another stat which shows the extent of Leicester's task

Last three Premier League meetings

Leicester 3-1 Liverpool (February 13, 2021)

Mo Salah's 67th-minute strike after great work by Roberto Firmino looked to have put Liverpool on the way to three much-needed points in their battle to make the top four.

But Leicester produced a superb fightback with three goals in the final 12 minutes as the visitors fell apart.

James Maddison's free-kick on 78 levelled the scores before a terrible mix-up between Alisson and debutant Ozan Kabak allowed Jamie Vardy to make it 2-1 three minutes later.

Harvey Barnes wrapped it up after 85 as the Reds crashed to their third straight Premier League defeat.
Liverpool 3-0 Leicester (November 22, 2020)
Klopp's side went joint top of the table with Spurs after nine games following a comprehensive 3-0 win at Anfield.
Leicester could have gone top themselves with victory but ran into a Reds side extending their unbeaten run in the league at home to a club-record 64 games.

Jonny Evans turned a corner into his own net after 21 before Jota headed home Andy Robertson's cross 20 minutes later. Firmino nodded a third after the break.

Leicester 0-4 Liverpool (December 26, 2019)
Fresh from being crowned world club champions in Qatar, Liverpool produced one of the best performances of their title-winning season by thrashing Leicester at the King Power.
The Foxes were Liverpool's nearest rivals in the table going into the match but the Reds roared 13 points clear after a scintillating display.

Firmino scored after 31 and 74, James Milner slotted home a penalty on 71 and Trent Alexander-Arnold iced the cake with a brilliant fourth after 78 following a breakaway.

Last 10 Premier League meetings

Liverpool wins: 7
Draws: 1
Leicester wins: 2
Liverpool goals: 23
Leicester goals: 13

Liverpool can outscore Leicester

Liverpool are clearly going to be favourites here but it's a little surprising to see the market so lopsided.

The Reds are just 4/11 to take all three points while Leicester are a hefty 6/1. The draw is 4/1.

I can't see past Liverpool, who need to win to keep Manchester City in their sights, but let's try and find some more imaginative ways of backing them.
As mentioned, Klopp's side are the most prolific scorers on the road. They've plundered 28 goals in their nine matches - eight more than any other top-flight side have managed away from home.

That works out at over three goals per game and I'm willing to bet they maintain that average against a porous Leicester defence.

Liverpool to score over 2.5 goals is 6/5.

As Leicester showed against City and, also at Anfield last week, scoring goals at the right end isn't a problem.
They've blasted 12 in the last four matches although, significantly, they've won just one of those.

The way to spin this into a bet is to back Liverpool to win and both teams to score at 6/4.

That's a huge leap on the basic Liverpool win price of 4/11 and makes plenty of sense.

Goalscorer Bets for Leicester v Liverpool

Roberto Firmino, Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool, Porto, Champions League
It's getting harder to back Mo Salah in the goalscorer markets these days as his odds are so cramped.
For the King Power, he's 8/13 anytime and just 14/5 for a brace.

First goalscorer is tricky too as there are two obvious rivals to open the scoring in Sadio Mane and Jota.

Mane is odds-on for an anytime goal so Jota is the most appealing at Evens.
But let's be more imaginative and dig out a bet which preys on Leicester's shocking inability to defend set pieces.
Man City punished them and Liverpool have the players to do so too.

Virgil van Dijk will be available for selection again having had to isolate and he's the man who can cause the damage.

Scan the markets and van Dijk is 13/2 to score with a header. Of course, that could come from open play too but, most likely, he'll nut one in from a corner or free-kick.

We landed the 7/2 when James Maddison scored in the Carabao Cup tie at Anfield. And he's an even bigger price, 9/2, to repeat the trick here.

The England man now has three goals in his last five appearances against Liverpool. One of those came in this fixture last year.
Even more compelling is the fact that he's scored in six of his last eight matches, including each of the last three.
That's a tremendous run and his price looks way too big.

READ MORE: Finish strong or all goes wrong? How Premier League sides perform in the second half of the season

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