Liverpool v Leicester: Can Foxes overcome Anfield champions slump?
Leicester City return to action following the international break against a Liverpool side ready to stamp their glory on their new stadium.
After an August that saw Liverpool spend their entire opening month on the road away from Anfield as it finished its redevelopment, the Reds will be keen to hit the home pitch running.
Leicester City are going to have their hands full as Anfield can be one of, if not the most difficult place to play in all of England, but now having added over 8,000 new seats, it is most certain to only add to the potential folklore of the historic stadium’s future.
The Foxes are certain to be standing on the redeveloped Anfield’s pitch on Saturday evening to a thunderous rendition of, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” and the opening minutes of the match are likely to see the Reds and Liverpool faithful buzzing.
Claudio Ranieri will have to drill it into his players minds to keep their heads in the opening minutes to weather the almost certain Liverpool storm that will be expected of them in front of their home crowd for the first time this season.
However, despite the potential atmosphere being a distraction, the real test will be trying to make the most of their trip to Anfield in terms of the result.
In the last five seasons, the famous ground has only yielded three points to defending Premier League champions during their league visits.
In 2011-12 a North-West derby against Manchester United saw only a late Chicharito strike prevent a fabulous Steven Gerrard free kick from winning the Reds all three points.
The following campaign in 2012-13 saw Manchester City as the defending champions eked out a 2-2 draw that they truly did not deserve in their opening match of their season in which the Reds played them off the park but were unlucky.
Liverpool claimed the glory in 2013-14 in what was another North-West
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Derby in which this time the Reds took the three points at home in a 1-0 victory that was part of the spark in their near title winning campaign.
Manchester City fell in their 2014-15 return to Anfield in a 2-1 loss that saw the Reds reclaim a bit of dignity after the Citizens clipped them to the title the season before.
Lastly and most recently Liverpool played Chelsea to a 1-1 draw in the 2015-16 campaign in one of Christian Benteke’s only bright moments for the Reds.
Now that we are caught up on five years of Liverpool owning former Champions, Leicester City have the opportunity to break the streak and put down a major marker for the next run of the campaign.
To do so, they are going to have to weather the early Liverpool storm, however, a hard pressing Liverpool opening could be just what the Foxes want as Jamie Vardy will want nothing more than a chance at an early counter attack one-on-one against Simon Mignolet.
Last season goals from David Nugent and Jeffrey Schlupp were able to help end honors even at Anfield, but this season the Reds are expected to be a tougher test.
If Leicester stick to their game plan from the last season and build on the counter they have all the opportunity to flip the result on its head. An early goal from the Foxes will help to take the Kop out of the game and could make the odds much more on an even plane.
It is certain to be a great return to Premier League action for both clubs and there is no better venue than historic Anfield, except a packed out King Power Stadium of course.