Liverpool V Hull City – Saturday 26th September

 

Liverpool V Hull City

 

Kick-off: Saturday 26^th September – 15:00 GMT

Venue: Anfield

 

 

 

Liverpool are firm favourites to notch up their fourth win in succession but they’ve been far from convincing of late, although, they probably won’t need to be at their absolute best to beat an hapless Hull City, a team that held Liverpool to a 2-2 draw at Anfield last season. A similar result would be dreadful for those on Merseyside, unless you’re an Everton supporter of course. However, that does look extremely unlikely as we fully expect this game to not only go the way of the form book but also the way of the side with far more quality within their ranks.

 

 

Liverpool

 

League Position:

Recent Form: WLWWW

 

  

Liverpool may come into this home fixture, their fourth of the season, with three wins under their belts, but their performance in at least two of those wins were well below par. However, like all good sides do, Liverpool did just enough to grind out the wins required to keep them firmly in the hunt for their first title in over 18 years, despite the ‘Reds’ not being at their glorious best.

 

  

Wins over Bolton (2-3), Burnley (4-0) and now West Ham (2-3), will hardly set the world alight but they are wins nevertheless and nine points that will significantly bolster their lacklustre point tally, or what was a lacklustre point tally. Rafael Benitez’s side still find themselves well off the pace of the leaders but they’re slowly and surely getting into the gear needed to remain intact with the early pacesetters.

 

  

Fernando Torres stole the show in Liverpool’s 3-2 win away at Upton Park against West ham. For the first time this season, Fernando Torres looked his pacey, workmanlike self, which made a change from the lazy Spaniard we’ve been watching in recent weeks for Liverpool. His two goals were both sublime finishes, especially his first solo effort, and that should give him bags of confidence as he heads into a game where he could score a hat full of goals.

 

 

However, although Liverpool did look a lot more clinical in the final third last week, their defensive frailties were there for all to see. Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel looked lost at times, with the pair showing no signs of communication nor did they even appear to be on the same wavelength. The pair gave the ball away on countless occasions from defence and they were duly punished in conceding two goals. Zonal marking is just the root of a big problem for Liverpool in defence this season, with the normally watertight Liverpool having already shipped nine goals in six games. That’s unheard of for any Liverpool team in recent seasons and it’s an issue that needs to be rectified sooner, rather than later.

 

 

Hull City

 

League Position: 18th

Recent Form: LWDLL

 

  

The alarm bells are already ringing down at The KC stadium, despite the season being just six games old. One win in six comes as little surprise when you consider that Hull went as many as eleven games without a win in the latter part of last season. However, Phil Brown did guide Hull to survival last term but that was mainly due to their stunning start. They’ve haven’t made a fruitful start this time around and the dreadful form which nearly sent them back down to the Championship at the latter part of last season has crept back into their play, with Hull registering just four points from a possible eighteen.

 

  

Form is crucial in any league as with positive results comes positive morale, something the Hull players are clearly lacking at this moment in time. They’ve now lost two on the bounce and this daunting trip to Anfield looks almost certain to produce another fruitless 90 minutes for the Tigers. However, Phil Brown’s players will take great confidence from the fact that they did manage to frustrate Liverpool at Anfield last season, earning a memorable point in a 2-2 draw on Merseyside. However, you can get on 2-2 at as big as 45/1 with SkyBet, which just reiterates how unlikely Hull recording a similar result this time around is.

 

  

Hull’s problems is mainly down to no confidence, as they do posses a few players who do actually look dangerous and half-decent. That’s the thing with Hull, because of Phil Brown’s attacking intent and mindset, all the limelight shines on their forwards, so when Hull do flop, which is more often then not, the forwards get the brunt of the blame. However, the acquisition of Jozy Altidore appears to be a shrewd capture as his strength and vision on the ball could bare fruit for Hull this season. While Kamel Ghilas, their other newest capture, has also looked a handful in recent outings for Hull, whereas the rest of the side have looked ordinary at best.

 

 

Hull appear to be in a catch twenty-two here. Playing on the front foot will be dicing with death while, on the other hand, Hull aren’t capable of putting men behind the ball, harassing the opposition and defending for the full 90 minutes. That’s just not in Hull’s nor Phil Brown’s repertoire. That will now leave Hull having to, or attempting ,to play attacking football, leaving them exposed and vulnerable at the back. For a Hull side that shipped four goals in their last away outing away at Sunderland, that looks a potentially catastrophic tactic.

 

 

 

Head-to-Head:

 

 

Liverpool W: 1 Hull City W: Draws: 1

 

 

Hull were a nuisance side for Liverpool last season when the pair clashed for the very first time in a Premiership fixture. Liverpool did record a 3-1 victory at The KC stadium but Hull did manage to hold Liverpool to a 2-2 draw at Anfield, with Hull actually blowing the lead twice in that game. However, Hull were riding on the wave of their immense start to the season when they pulled off that surprise draw and we will stick our neck on the line and say Hull have no chance of holding Liverpool to a 2-2 draw this time around.

 

 

 

Match Verdict: Liverpool to WIN – 1/6 SkyBet

 

It will come as no surprise that we’re backing Liverpool to make it four from four at the expense of a Hull side struggling for form. Liverpool come into this game off the back of three victories while Hull have the horrors of another home defeat against Birmingham fresh on their minds. The momentum is with Liverpool, they certainly have more than quality to handle whatever Hull will throw at them and they should cruise to a comfortable victory at home against a hapless Hull City.

 

 

 

Match Odds:

 

 

Liverpool – 1/6 SkyBet

 

Hull City – 18/1 Bet365

 

DRAW – 6/1 PaddyPower

 

 

 

SoccerBetting Tip: Liverpool to Score 3 or more goals – 10/11 SkyBet