Leeds United vs Liverpool FC, Premier League 2022-2023, Today Match Prediction

Leeds United vs Liverpool FC Match Prediction & Analysis

Liverpool showed flashes of their quality against league leaders Arsenal last weekend, coming back from 2-0 down to claim a well-deserved draw at Anfield.

It doesn’t make up for a string of poor performances and results this season but it shows that their problems have come from an attitude shift rather than a lack of ability.

They will need a huge rebuild in the summer – the top four, and therefore Champions League football, looks out of bounds for the Reds this year.

For Leeds, Premier League survival is very much in their hands, although home games like this are so crucial to their chances of success.

A win here would take them five points clear of the bottom three, although another huge performance is needed.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Leeds United Preview

Reasons to be cheerful:

     Beat Liverpool 2-1 earlier in the season

     Won three of their seven matches under Gracia

Reasons to be fearful:

     Kept just five clean sheets from their last 35 league games

     Just one win from 15 against top-half teams this season

Like several teams around them in the league table, Leeds have benefitted from a new-manager bounce after the appointment of Javi Gracia.

Unfortunately, most other clubs are also picking up points, which means that they need to keep winning to ensure themselves of safety.

Their record under Gracia is good, with three wins from seven – in their previous 23 games before the Spaniard’s arrival, they had only four.

Twenty of their 29 points have come at Elland Road this season, pointing to an optimism that the team have when playing in front of their home crowd.

Can they find the same spirit again here?

Star Man – Jack Harrison

Has 13 goal contributions this season – five goals and nine assists – and often pops up at a crucial time with a goal. 

Liverpool FC Preview

Reasons to be cheerful

     Unbeaten in their last five visits to Elland Road

     Return of Luis Diaz is a massive boost

Reasons to be fearful

     Without victory in five straight games in all competitions

     Have the league’s worst away defensive record in 2023

There’s no doubt that injuries have played a part in Liverpool’s demise this season, none more so than Luis Diaz.

The Colombian winger has been a revelation since signing for the Reds, so his long-term injury hasn’t helped Klopp’s men who have struggled in his absence.

It’s too late, probably, to make a push for the top four this season but they can ease their problems by having a strong end to the campaign.

It would mean turning around their away form, which has been poor all year. In 2023, no team has conceded more than Liverpool’s 14 goals on their travels.

Only Nottingham Forest (22%) have collected a lower ratio of points away from home this season than Liverpool (30%).

They need a huge push here.

Star Man – Mo Salah

Just loves to score goals and has 24 this season, as well as 11 assists. His goal against Arsenal last weekend got his side back into the game.