Liverpool entertain Bolton at Anfield this evening looking to notch up another win after their impressive 2-0 victory at the Emirates last Saturday lunchtime. Owen Coyle will be hoping his Bolton side can bounce back from their home defeat against Man City but face a tough task, as Kenny Dalglish’s new-look side start to gel after a summer of major investment.
Likely Line-Ups
Dalglish started with Luis Suarez on the bench at Arsenal as he eases his star player back into full fitness after his Copa America exploits last month. Suarez came on and changed the game and also grabbed a goal and two assists in the 3-1 Carling Cup win at Exeter and will surely take his place in the starting line-up. Martin Kelly is set to continue at right-back with Glen Johnson still injured and Raul Meireles is the only other absentee with an injured collarbone.
Bolton should stick with Ivan Klasnic alongside Kevin Davies up front despite a solid debut showing from Tuncay in the Carling Cup in midweek. Right-back Gretar Steinsson is a doubt which could see new loan signing Dedryk Boyata given an early opportunity- the new boy can operate at both centre-half and full-back.
Solid Liverpool Middle
Charlie Adam and Lucas Leiva already look an ideal pairing in the heart of Liverpool’s midfield. The pair’s games complement one another perfectly- the craft of Adam combined with the industry and battling abilities of Lucas has seen them pick up WhoScored.com ratings of 7.97 and 7.75, making them the top two players for Liverpool.
While Adam’s 4 tackles per game have been impressive, Lucas has made an incredible 8. When it comes to interceptions, it’s the same scenario- Adam’s 2.5 would better most other midfielder’s stats but Lucas again is superior, with 3.5.
Adam’s set-pieces and eye for a killer pass has brought 2.5 key passes per game, with Lucas’ 0.5 key passes indicative of his role as the less creative of the pair- his job is to win the ball and leave the rest to Adam. This is shown in the pair’s pass accuracy – Lucas’ 82% is higher than Adam’s 78% as he doesn’t try anything fancy, whereas Adam is always looking for the spectacular pass. Only two games into the season and they are looking a solid central midfield partnership.
Key Battles
Ivan Klasnic v Daniel Agger
In Ivan Klasnic, Bolton have one of the form strikers in the Premier League right now. Klasnic has scored in both his opening two games, including a brilliant first-time finish against Man City last week as the Trotters clawed their way back into the game. Daniel Agger has been given a chance at the heart of Liverpool’s back-four and he has been far more impressive than Jamie Carragher so far. Bolton have scored 6 goals, the second highest tally of any Premier League side, while Liverpool have conceded just 1 goal- their battle looks a fascinating one.
Klasnic’s 2 goals have come from an average of 1.5 shots per game, while Agger has been quick to block 0.5 shots per game. Klasnic has also been a creative threat, making 2 key passes per game and grabbing 1 assist, with Agger managing to make 1 interception per game. The Bolton man has also made 1 successful dribble per game, a tally bettered only by Chris Eagles for the visitors, and with Agger beaten by 1.5 dribbles per game –the most of any Liverpool player- the Liverpool centre-half needs to improve if he’s to deal with his opponent’s ability on the ball. Klasnic has been dispossessed 3 times per game , however, compared to his strike-partner Kevin Davies’ 0.5 per game and Agger, with 1.5 tackles per game, is second only to Jose Enrique here in the Liverpool back-line. Klasnic’s average of 8.13 per game indicates his form- Agger is far behind on 6.96.
Luis Suarez v Gary Cahill
Suarez has had only 94 minutes of league action but his impact highlights his class- 2 goals, one in each game, and while Andy Carroll struggles to find his feet at Anfield, the Uruguayan becomes more integral to their play with each passing game. Cahill has shown the form that has caught the attention of Arsene Wenger but even at his very best, he’ll be pushed to deal with a real world-class talent.
As mentioned, Suarez has played just over the equivalent of one match worth of minutes, but his stats are nonetheless impressive. He’s third best for goal attempts for Liverpool with 2 shots per game, though Cahill’s 2.5 blocks is more than the rest of the Bolton back-four combined. Suarez is also third best for Key Passes for Liverpool, with 1.5 per game, but Cahill’s interceptions –an average of 3- suggest he’s a worthy adversary.
Suarez has also been dispossessed 1.5 times per game and though Cahill’s average of 1 tackle suggests a lowly likelihood of a challenge, his timing and reading of the game at the back has seen him make an incredible 11 clearance per game. Cahill has also scored 1 goal for Bolton and picked up a match rating of 7.8 from WhoScored.com, with Suarez coming in at 7.28 per game. Cahill’s stats may well be impressive but Man City’s 3 goals last week at the Reebok showed they can be cut open at the back. If Dalglish gives Suarez 90, the visitors will be in trouble.
