Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Leicester vs Liverpool in the Premier League on Boxing Day.
Team news
Harvey Barnes could be available for Leicester after coming off against Manchester City with an ankle problem following a collision with Ederson.
Fellow midfielder Matthew James (calf) remains the only long-term absentee.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is missing for Liverpool across the festive period after the midfielder sustained an injury to his ankle in Qatar. He was pictured celebrating Liverpool's eventual 1-0 win wearing a protective boot over his right ankle.
Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and Fabinho are also still sidelined through injury.
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Brendan Rodgers believes it will be hard for Liverpool or Manchester City to dominate the Premier League over a long period of time because of the level of competition.
How to follow
Follow the action with our dedicated live blog. Highlights of the game will be published just after full-time on the Sky Sports website and app plus the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.
Opta stats
- Leicester have lost four of their last five Premier League meetings with Liverpool (D1) since winning 3-1 in February 2017.
- Liverpool have won their last two Premier League away games against Leicester - they've never won three consecutive away matches against them in top-flight history.
- Both teams have found the net in each of the last seven Premier League meetings between Leicester and Liverpool. In the previous 20 meetings between them in the competition, both teams had scored in just eight matches.
- Leicester and Liverpool played on Boxing Day in the Foxes' title-winning campaign of 2015-16 - the Reds won 1-0 at Anfield, inflicting one of just three league defeats on Leicester that season.
- Liverpool have won their last four Boxing Day matches in the Premier League, by an aggregate score of 11-0. They've never won five consecutive such matches in their league history.
- Liverpool have won 29 Premier League games in 2019 - only once in their history have the Reds won more top-flight games in a single calendar year (33 in 1982).
- At the start of the day, Liverpool are 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League table. In English top-flight history, the only side to be 10+ points clear at Christmas and not win the title were Newcastle in 1995-96.
- Leicester lost their last Premier League game, conceding as many goals in their 1-3 defeat against Man City as they had in their previous eight combined in the league. The Foxes haven't lost back-to-back league games since their final three under Claude Puel in February.
- In Premier League history, only Andy Cole (11) and Thierry Henry (8) have scored more Premier League goals against Liverpool than Leicester's Jamie Vardy (7). Indeed, Vardy has scored in each of his last three home games against Liverpool in the competition (5 goals).
- Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has been directly involved in 10 goals in his last nine starts in all competitions (4 goals, 6 assists), registering at least one assist in his last four starts. Mané could be the second Liverpool player to assist in five consecutive starts in 2019, after Trent Alexander-Arnold (six in April and May).
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We take a look back at some of Liverpool's best goals of this decade
Charlie's prediction
It is a stunning game. I have seen a lot from Leicester but they are still a bit off the top level. Liverpool have been out celebrating their new trophy and I don't blame them for it - their fixture list is supposed to be hampering them, but they have played two games in Doha where they were not overly stressed in either.
I cannot see the excuses with fatigue or travelling, but I think Leicester will turn this around here. Their energy and movement will cause Liverpool problems, who may want to play on the counter-attack; Liverpool are due a loss and I think this will be the game.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-1 (11/1 with Sky Bet)
