Boxing Day Challenge

For this Boxing Day encounter, 2nd placed Liverpool will travel to Turf Moor, where Vincent Kompany and his survival chasing Burnley awaits. Match day nineteen represents the official half way point of the 2023/24 Premier League season, with both sides fighting for valuable points, though for very different reasons. As the Anfield giants sit one place from the pinnacle of the league, unfortunately, Burnley sit just one place from the bottom.

The Burnley Availability

On the injury front, Luca Koleosho is out, whereas late fitness tests will be carried out on Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Jack Cork, and Aaron Ramsey. With regards to form, the Clarets most recent outing saw them able to beat Fulham 0-2, at Craven Cottage, after losing 0-2, at home to Everton. The week prior ended in a 1-1 draw, in a good showing on their travels to face a stuttering Brighton. Former Manchester City skipper, Kompany, has made an impressive start to managerial life, however, with a mere eleven points taken from eighteen games played, this season will undoubtedly prove a long one for the newly promoted club.

Below is my prediction on the starting eleven for the home side, in a 4-4-2 formation. The game plan will be to frustrate their more talented rivals, thereby incorporating a dogmatic approach.

GK – James Trafford

RB – Vitinho

RCB – Dara O’Shea

LCB – Jordan Beyer

LB – Charlie Taylor

CDM – Sander Berge

CM – Josh Brownhill

RM – Jacob Bruun Larsen

LM – Wilson Odobert

CF – Zeki Amdouni

CF – Lyle Foster

The Liverpool Availability

In terms of injures, the unavailability of Thiago Alcântara continues for a few more weeks, whereas Stefan Bajčetić and Andy Robertson are out until the new year. Joël Matip has sustained a season ending ACL injury, one that may have seen him play his last game for the club. Alexis Mac Allister is no nearer to a comeback (though hopefully it is now just days), whilst Kostas Tsimikas will be out for a few months with a suspected dislocated shoulder. Luis Díaz is a doubt, as he sustained a knock in the weekend encounter with Arsenal. Recent form for the reds is somewhat patchy, as two weekend draws with both Arsenal (1-1) and Manchester United (0-0) were either side of an emphatic 5-1 win in the EFL Cup quarter final, as West Ham were thoroughly dispatched.

Jurgen Klopp suggests it would be “a surprise” for Diogo Jota to be available for Liverpool’s trip to Burnley.https://t.co/IHM1KdXuUJhttps://t.co/IHM1KdXuUJ

— David Lynch (@dmlynchlfc) December 24, 2023

Below is my prediction on the starting eleven for the home side where the hybrid initiative will continue, as Trent Alexander Arnold’s new role evolves. Some solid rotation will be needed; however, the reds manager may well roll the dice with the next fixture not until New Year’s Day.

GK – Alisson Becker

RB – Trent Alexander Arnold

RCB – Jarell Quansah

LCB – Virgil van Dijk

LB – Joe Gomez

RCM – Ryan Gravenberch

CDM – Wataru Endō

LCM – Curtis Jones

RW – Mohamed Salah

CF – Darwin Núñez

LW – Dominik Szoboszlai

How Will This Contest Play Out

Rotation and fatigue will play a major role in how this game plays out, given some players may well be coming in cold, with others struggling to maintain levels. Ultimately, the quality of the visiting team should see the reds over the line and attain all three points. Darwin will almost certainly come in for this game and look to prove a footballing point to the unsure Liverpool support.

Player to watch – Jarell Quansah

Liverpool next 5 PL fixtures

Burnley (A)
Newcastle (H)
Bournemouth (A)
Chelsea (H)
Arsenal (A)

Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/k2CdIwbADU

— Vision (@Lfc__vision) December 23, 2023

Score Prediction;

Burnley 1 – 3 Liverpool