League leaders Liverpool host Leicester City in the Premier League in the late Boxing Day kick-off this evening, with the hosts looking to extend their lead at the top.
Arne Slot’s side put in a brilliant performance in beating Tottenham 6-3 last time out, with that win bringing their lead to four points along with their game in hand.
And they now face a Leicester side that has been struggling for form of late, having lost 3-0 to Wolves last weekend in what was Ruud van Nistelrooy’s fourth game in charge.
The Foxes sit in 17th, just two points above of the relegation places, ahead of a run of fixtures that also includes games against Manchester City and Aston Villa.
Follow all the latest build-up and team news from Anfield below:
Match facts
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 21 matches in all competitions (W18 D3). It’s their longest run without defeat since a streak of 25 between April and November 2021, and their longest within a single season since a run of 24 between January and May 1989.
The Reds have conceded eight goals in their last three Premier League games, as many as they had in their first 13 under Arne Slot. However, the Reds have scored at least twice in each of their last nine league games, their longest such run since September-December 2021 (11).
If Mo Salah scores, he will become the eighth player to score 100+ goals on home soil in the league.
Chris Wilson26 December 2024 19:40
The irresistible combination behind Liverpool’s explosive rise under Arne Slot
Are you not entertained? After the seven-goal thriller came the excitement of nine goals. Tottenham found a way to go two better, but also significantly worse. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has witnessed 16 goals in four days, Spurs have veered from winning 4-3 to losing 6-3. Angeball can veer from the brilliant to the ridiculous, but rarely quite to this extent. And in reply to Ange Postecoglou’s question on Thursday: it was hugely entertaining, but this time too much of the entertainment came at Tottenham’s expense.
Even as Liverpool’s previously impressive defensive record took another dent – it is now eight goals conceded in three league games – they suggested they had a better balance. They have excelled at winning under Arne Slot but have rarely run riot. This time they did both, scoring six in a game for the first time under the Dutchman. “It was very good, maybe it was our best performance away from home,” said Slot, bracketing it with the 3-0 win at Manchester United.
It was certainly their most explosive attacking display, spearheaded – with a certain inevitability – by Mohamed Salah. He ended his afternoon with two goals, two assists and a sense he was too good for Djed Spence, the makeshift left-back luckless enough to be his immediate opponent. Luis Diaz, the stand-in centre-forward who has proved hugely effective there, added a double to his hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen.
Chris Wilson26 December 2024 19:30
Match facts
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League home games against Leicester (W10 D2), since losing three in a row between 1997 and 2000.
Leicester have won just two of their last 12 Premier League games against Liverpool (D1 L9). They’ve had three runs of three consecutive defeats in this run (including a current one), but they’ve not lost four straight league games against the Reds since between 1987 and 1996.
Chris Wilson26 December 2024 19:20
Head-to-head
These two sides have had 140 previous official meetings, with the first taking place in 1895. Overall, Liverpool have won 47, Leicester have won 35, and 22 have ended as draws.
These two sides met in the League Cup last season, with the Reds winning 3-1 in September 2023.
The last time these two sides met in the league was in May 2023, when Liverpool won 3-0 thanks to a goal from Trent Alexander-Arnold and a brace from Curtis Jones.
Chris Wilson26 December 2024 19:15
Arne Slot hails ‘best away performance’ of Liverpool reign after Spurs thriller
The Reds produced a masterful attacking display in north London with Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah on target twice along with efforts either side of half-time by Alexis Mac Allister and the imperious Dominik Szoboszlai.
It was a thoroughly-deserved success for Slot’s men and made it 21 triumphs in 25 matches since he replaced Jurgen Klopp this summer in further evidence Liverpool are the best team in the country right now, but the 46-year-old pointed out they were not perfect in the capital.
Chris Wilson26 December 2024 19:10
Virgil van Dijk reveals current situation on Liverpool contract negotiations
The Netherlands international’s current deal expires in the summer and from next week he would be able to negotiate with overseas clubs about moving at the end of the season.
However, it is understood the 33-year-old’s preference is to stay at Anfield and the player himself is just concentrating on a campaign which has them top of the Premier League and Champions League tables.
Chris Wilson26 December 2024 19:00
Confirmed lineups – Liverpool v Leicester
Liverpool:Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez
Leicester: Stolarczyk; Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Soumare, Winks; El Khannous, Ayew, Mavididi; Daka
Karl Matchett26 December 2024 18:59
Team news
The line-ups should be released in around five minutes…
Chris Wilson26 December 2024 18:40
Is Liverpool v Leicester on TV?
When is Liverpool vs Leicester?
Liverpool vs Leicester is due to kick off at 8pm GMT on Thursday 26 December at Anfield.
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Amazon Prime Video, with the streaming service showing every Boxing Day fixture in the Premier League.
If you want to stream major sporting events while you are travelling or watching from abroad you’ll need a VPN. Get the best VPN deals in the UK. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.
Chris Wilson26 December 2024 18:30
Predicted line-ups
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Diaz, Gakpo.
Leicester XI: Stolarczyk; Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Winks, Skipp, Soumare; De Cordova-Reid, Vardy, Mavididi.
Chris Wilson26 December 2024 18:20