Liverpool are exactly where they want to be three games into the season. The Reds are sitting atop the Premier League table after three straight wins to start the campaign, and they have yet to concede a goal. That’s a far cry from what we saw from them last year, as the defense was something of an issue during stretches of the season. Liverpool have yet to play one of the other top teams in England, but they will have their toughest test yet when they travel to face Leicester City this Saturday.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from King Power Stadium in Leicester at 7:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, September 1, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on NBCSN.
EPL Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Liverpool -227
Leicester City +596
Draw +369
Over/Under 2.5 and 3
Odds Analysis
The scary thing with regards to Liverpool is that this team has just missed out on a number of scoring chances over the first three games of the year. The Reds have tallied seven goals through three games, not a bad number by any means, but it feels like they could have had 10 or more with some of their offensive displays.
Liverpool left little to the imagination in a 4-0 romp over West Ham in the first week of the season, but the Reds only scored three goals combined against Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion. In those two matches, they took an incredible 38 combined shots, but they just weren’t able to capitalize like they did last season. The good news is that the defense looks much better, and Alisson has been fantastic in net.
Leicester City have looked sharp in their own right. The Foxes have arguably been the better side in all three of their matches thus far, and they are currently 2-0-1 on the year. In their first match, Leicester controlled possession and arguably had the better chances, but they came up short in a 2-1 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The next two matches saw Leicester City emerge victorious, with a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton two Saturdays ago, and a 2-1 win over Southampton on the road last week. They were a little fortunate to pick up all three points against the Saints, as they didn’t have many chances for most of the match. However, Southampton’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg picked up his second yellow for simulation in the 77th minute, giving the Foxes a man advantage the rest of the match. It took a while for them to convert, but Harry Maguire eventually scored two minutes into injury time to break the deadlock and give Leicester City the win.
Key Injuries
Liverpool have a long-term injury of note in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and an important short-term injury with regards to Dejan Lovren. Lovren sat out against Brighton last week, and he is highly unlikely to play against Leicester City in this match.
The Foxes won’t have Jamie Vardy available for this match as he continues to sit out due to a red card he picked up against Crystal Palace, and Matthew James has been ruled out due to injury too. Caglar Soyuncu is considered questionable to play.
Player to Watch
This is the last game before the first international break of the season, so let’s reflect on everything going on with Mo Salah. Salah’s ongoing problems with the Egyptian FA continue to worsen, and he may eventually stop playing for his national team. He has had to go to court to protect his likeness, and now there are rumors that officials in the administration are threatening his family members. Considering the ongoing political situation in Egypt, Salah may decide to sit out next week’s Africa Cup of Nations qualification game against Niger, and this decision may weigh heavily on him this week.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
For the first time all season, I expect Liverpool to drop points in this match. Although Leicester City played earlier in the week, they had no trouble in a 4-0 Carabao Cup laugher over Fleetwood, and the players weren’t significantly stressed.
English Premier League Odds: Leicester City 1, Liverpool 1
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
