Liverpool find themselves in a must-win situation heading into their clash with Aston Villa on Saturday, live on talkSPORT.
The Reds’ misery continued in midweek as they were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Crystal Palace at Anfield.
Jamie O’Hara calls out Arne Slot for his lineup against Crystal Palace as Liverpool get KNOCKED out!
Arne Slot‘s side have now lost six of their last seven games in all competitions, including four in a row in the Premier League.
And it leaves them in dire straits, with Slot sure to be feeling the pressure as the team’s unexpected collapse keeps getting worse.
A three points against Aston Villa are a must for morale and for their ever-dwindling hopes of retaining their title this season.
Villa are in completely opposite form though, coming into this game having won their last four games and flying up the table.
More unwanted history beckons
Liverpool are already the first side in English top-flight history to win their first five matches but then lose each of their next four.
But now another piece of unwanted history is nearing, with another loss seeing them drop to a new 72-year low.
The Reds are looking to avoid losing five consecutive league matches for the first time since September 1953.
On top of that, losing a fifth straight game would see them join Leicester as the only reigning Premier League champions to do so.
In top flight history, there have been seven occasions a reigning champion has lost five consecutive games.
And three have been Liverpool in 1906-07, 1923-24 and 1947-48.
- Liverpool have won six of their last seven Premier League home games against Aston Villa (D1), having been winless against them in four at Anfield before this (D2 L2).
- Aston Villa have won just one of their 30 Premier League away games against reigning champions (D5 L24), beating Man United 1-0 at Old Trafford in December 2009. The Villans have lost their last 11 such games, conceding 35 goals in the process.
Liverpool vs Aston Villa: Kick-off time and talkSPORT coverage
This Premier League clash will take place on Saturday, November 1.
Kick-off at Anfield is set for 8pm.
talkSPORT will have exclusive live coverage of the game presented by Natalie Sawyer, with commentary coming from Adam Bridge and former Liverpool and Scotland midfielder Charlie Adam.
To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. Listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
The game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports from 7pm too.
- Having beaten Manchester City 1-0 last time out, Aston Villa could become the first team since Leicester’s title-winners in February 2016 to beat Man City and Liverpool in consecutive matches (2-0 vs Liverpool, 3-1 vs Man City). The last side to beat Man City and then Liverpool in that order were Sheffield Wednesday in November/December 1993.
- Mohamed Salah has 275 goals and assists combined in the Premier League for Liverpool (187 goals, 88 assists), one behind the record for a single club, set by Wayne Rooney at Man United (183 goals, 93 assists).
Liverpool vs Aston Villa: Team news
Liverpool could be boosted by the return of Ryan Gravenberch, who has been sidelined since their defeat to Manchester United on October 19.
Slot believes there is a ‘good chance’ he will feature, while Alexander Isak and Curtis Jones will also hope to make a comeback.
Alisson, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni remain out.
For Aston Villa, Youri Tielemans is still sidelined with a calf injury, with Emi Buendia expected to miss out and Andres Garcia injured.
Harvey Elliott cannot play against his parent club at Anfield.
- Only Bournemouth (six) have scored more Premier League goals from outside the box this season than Aston Villa (five), with Matty Cash responsible for two of those, making the Villa full-back one of four players with multiple goals from distance this season (also Antoine Semenyo, Danny Welbeck and Moises Caicedo on two).
- While no side is on a longer losing run in the Premier League than Liverpool (four), no side is on a longer current winning run than Aston Villa (four). The Villans could become the second side in top-flight history to win none of their first five games in a season then win five in a row, after Preston North End in 1936/37.
Liverpool vs Aston Villa: Prediction
With Aston Villa in such good form and Liverpool continuing to falter, Unai Emery‘s side will fancy their chances.
Villa’s win over Manchester City last weekend proved they are able to sit back and deal with pressure to defend their lead.
And should they score first, dampening the already sombre Anfield mood in the process, it’ll be hard to see them beaten.
Slot’s men are sure to fight to the end, though and they could grab one, with talkSPORT’s prediction being 1-1.
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