{"id":210628,"date":"2025-12-25T18:39:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T18:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/210628\/"},"modified":"2025-12-25T18:39:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T18:39:11","slug":"predicted-xi-injuries-pls-worst-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/210628\/","title":{"rendered":"Predicted XI, Injuries & PL’s Worst Team?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Liverpool host Wolves<\/a> on Saturday afternoon, in what on paper looks like their most winnable fixture of the season so far. Here\u2019s what to expect including our predicted XI. <\/p>\n

Liverpool vs. Wolves<\/p>\n

Premier League<\/a> (18) | Anfield
December 27, 3pm (GMT)<\/p>\n

The Reds beat 2-1 Tottenham<\/a> before Christmas, making it all six games unbeaten, with much-needed life being injected into the season.<\/p>\n

Next up is Saturday\u2019s visit of a Wolves<\/a> side who have suffered an awful Premier League<\/a> campaign \u2013 here\u2019s all you need to know ahead of the match.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

1. A game to remember Diogo Jota<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This is the first time Liverpool and Wolves<\/a> have met since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota<\/a> back in July.<\/p>\n

For that reason, this promises to be an emotional occasion, as both sets of supporters show their love for a popular player.<\/p>\n

Gone but never forgotten, Diogo.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

2. Wolves the worst-ever Premier League team?<\/p>\n

\"WOLVERHAMPTON,<\/p>\n

It has been a disastrous season for Wolves<\/a>, who are threatening to be the worst Premier League<\/a> team in history, certainly in terms of points.<\/p>\n

They have picked up just two points from their first 17 league games \u2013 they came in back-to-back matches away to Spurs and at home to Brighton<\/a> in late September and early October.<\/p>\n

Vitor Pereira was replaced by Rob Edwards last month, but Wolves<\/a> have shown few signs of improving, so this is a must-win game for Liverpool.<\/p>\n

Few Premier League<\/a> games are ever easy, but the Reds couldn\u2019t ask for a kinder post-Christmas fixture.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

3. Liverpool team news: Isak out and two \u201950-50\u2019s<\/p>\n

\"LONDON,<\/p>\n

Alexander Isak<\/a>\u2018s broken leg is a seismic setback for both the player and Liverpool, with the Reds\u2019 record signing out for several months after undergoing surgery.<\/p>\n

Conor Bradley<\/a> and Cody Gakpo<\/a> are rated as \u201c50\/50\u201d for Saturday, while Joe Gomez<\/a> is still missing and won\u2019t return until the New Year.<\/p>\n

Giovanni Leoni<\/a>, Wataru Endo<\/a>, Stefan Bajcetic<\/a> and Jayden Danns<\/a> are all out.<\/p>\n

Mohamed Salah<\/a> is off representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, scoring a late winner in Monday\u2019s 2-1 win over Zimbabwe, while Dominik Szoboszlai<\/a> is suspended.<\/p>\n

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4. Predicted Liverpool XI<\/p>\n

\"LONDON,<\/p>\n

Liverpool will be well-rested after a week without a game and Arne Slot<\/a> should name a similar XI to the Spurs game.<\/p>\n

Jeremie Frimpong<\/a> will come in if Bradley is out, while Milos Kerkez<\/a> has been improved of late and should continue ahead of Andy Robertson<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With Szoboszlai banned for picking up five yellow cards, Liverpool have to make do without their player of the season so far.<\/p>\n

Federico Chiesa<\/a> could be the man to come in, potentially making his first league start of the season.<\/p>\n

Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson<\/a>; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister; Chiesa, Wirtz, Ekitike<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

5. How could Wolves line up vs. Liverpool?<\/p>\n

\"WOLVERHAMPTON,<\/p>\n

Like Liverpool, Wolves<\/a> haven\u2019t played since last weekend, but will Edwards make any changes?<\/p>\n

Former Reds youngster Ki-Jana Hoever<\/a> is likely to start at right wing-back, having played in last Saturday\u2019s 2-0 home defeat to Brentford<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Midfielder Andre was linked with a move to Liverpool before he joined Wolves<\/a>, and he and Joao Gomes are key figures for the visitors.<\/p>\n

Rodrigo Gomes, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Hugo Bueno and Toti Gomes are among those injured while Yerson Mosquera is suspended.<\/p>\n

Possible Wolves<\/a> XI: Sa; Doherty, Bueno, Krejci; Hoever, Lopez, Andre, Gomes, Moller Wolfe; Hwang, Strand Larsen<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

6. What Arne Slot said in his press conference<\/p>\n

Speaking to the media, Slot admitted he wasn\u2019t impressed by Micky van de Ven\u2019s leg-breaking tackle on Isak:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was for me a reckless challenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019ve said a lot about the tackle of Xavi Simons, which was for me completely unintentional, and I don\u2019t think you will ever get an injury out of a tackle like that.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tackle of Van de Ven, I think if you make that tackle 10 times, I think 10 times there is a serious chance that a player gets a serious injury.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

7. Liverpool\u2019s dominant Anfield record vs. Wolves<\/p>\n

\"LIVERPOOL,<\/p>\n

It\u2019s fair to say that Liverpool enjoy this fixture, winning all of their last eight home Premier League<\/a> clashes with Wolves<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Last season, a Luis Diaz<\/a> strike and Salah penalty helped the soon-to-be champions win 2-1 at Anfield.<\/p>\n

That said, Wolves<\/a> won 2-1 there in the FA Cup<\/a> fourth round in 2017, and drew 2-2 in the third round in 2023, with Liverpool winning the replay at Molineux 1-0.<\/p>\n

Wolves<\/a>\u2018 last victory at Anfield in the league was a 1-0 triumph in December 2010, during the nadir of Roy Hodgson\u2019s reign.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

8. Did you know?<\/p>\n

\"LEEDS,<\/p>\n

Hugo Ekitike<\/a> has been compared to Fernando Torres in terms of style, which is high praise for Liverpool\u2019s in-form new signing.<\/p>\n

In fact, the Frenchman has nearly hit the ground running as much as the Spaniard did in the Premier League<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ekitike has scored eight goals in 16 league outings, coming in only 11 starts, with Torres netting nine times in the same period.<\/p>\n

Both were 23 in their first seasons at Liverpool \u2013 let\u2019s hope the comparisons continue in the coming years!<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

9. Who is referee for Liverpool vs. Wolves?<\/p>\n

\"LONDON,<\/p>\n

Simon Hooper will referee Saturday\u2019s match, which won\u2019t exactly delight Liverpool fans!<\/p>\n

Many officials are unpopular among the fanbase, but Hooper\u2019s involvement in that Diaz disallowed goal at Spurs in 2023 won\u2019t be forgotten.<\/p>\n

Adrian<\/a> Holmes and Simon Long are his assistants at Anfield this weekend and Adam Herczeg is the fourth official.<\/p>\n

In the VAR booth, Michael Salisbury is assisted by James Mainwaring.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

10. Follow the match with TIA<\/p>\n

Liverpool vs. Wolves<\/a> kicks off at 3pm (GMT), but isn\u2019t live on UK television for that reason.<\/p>\n

So This Is Anfield\u2018s matchday live blog is the place to be, with Sam Millne keeping you company during the afternoon.<\/p>\n

Come on you Reds!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Liverpool host Wolves on Saturday afternoon, in what on paper looks like their most winnable fixture of the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":210629,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[61,60,109772,112],"class_list":["post-210628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-liverpool-vs-wolves","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210628","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=210628"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210628\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/210629"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=210628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=210628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=210628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}