English Premier
2008-04-26 - Birmingham City vs Liverpool F.C
A Sports Betting Pick by Cruiser
Analysis:Liverpool showed that they can play with two different teams in the Premiership as well as Champions League when their team not consisting of their first choice players managed to beat Fulham in their last Premiership clash. Now they will aim to do the same against Birmingham here before the crunch game against Chelsea next week.
Benitez proved that his less than full strength side can still produce the results to quash suggestions that they would struggle without their best players available and being rested.
The Reds have got all to do in the return leg of the Champions League after substitute John Arne Riise headed into his own net in injury-time to leave them with a high mountain to climb.
Benitez is again set to make the changes at St Andrews as Liverpool prepare for next week's return European meeting with Chelsea right in their minds. Even a point would be good enough to ensure fourth place in the league for them.
Birmingham have more to think about as they are in the bottom three and face the prospect of relegation here. They come into this match on the back of a 5-1 humiliation at the hands of Aston Villa and morale will be at an all time low.
However McLeish knows that his side are just one point away from safety and have lost just one home game in four Premier League meetings with Liverpool.They are set to welcome back midfielder Sebastian Larsson after injury for this match.
Olivier Kapo is another player who is keen to start this match after impressing as a substitute against Aston Villa. He is returning back to fitness after two months out with a hamstring injury. They will miss the services of Captain Damien Johnson as he completes a three-match suspension for his sending-off at Wigan.
As for Liverpool, Benitez is once again likely to rest the likes of striker Fernando Torres, captain Steven Gerrard and defender Jamie Carragher with the Chelsea game in mind. They will miss the services of full-back Fabio Aurelio has been ruled out for the season with a damaged abductor muscle. That means we could also see youngsters such as Damien Plessis and Emiliano Insua getting a chance to feature here as well as Riise could get a chance to reprieve himself here.
On level ball, take Liverpool not to lose here.
Cheers and good luck,
Cruiser
The Statistics :
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Pick :
Liverpool to win 2-1
BEST BETTING TIP :
Take Liverpool to win here.
Gooner’s Statistical Value Bet
Take Liverpool on level ball.
