Match Preview: Liverpool v Arsenal

Sunday, December 21, 2014
Anfield
Kick-off: 9.30 pm Sri Lanka

Three FA Cup finals, a League Cup final, a Champions League quarter-final and that dramatic title decider in 1989 - there's almost always been something 'up for grabs now' when the mighty footballing institutions Liverpool and Arsenal meet.

But now, the weighty importance, the shimmer of promised silverware, the sense of greatness that has been part and parcel of this fixture on so many occasions since they first met 121 years ago is sadly lacking.

Like two much-diminished old actors trying to reprise a role that once had audiences enraptured and made them household names, they'll enter the stage wishing the world still hung on their every line.

Brendan Rodgers finally found respite – and an effective formation – at Bournemouth but back in the Premier League it is a case of two managers needing to convince at Anfield. Arsène Wenger will shudder at the memory of his last visit, February’s 5-1 humiliation that holed his then Premier League leaders’ title credentials and reinforced Liverpool’s own in the process. Arsenal must also improve on their last away league display at Stoke City to avoid any nasty confrontations at Lime Street Station afterwards. 

Liverpool are awaiting a late assessment on defender Dejan Lovren's groin injury ahead of Sunday's visit of Arsenal.

The centre-back was forced off during Wednesday's Capital One Cup quarter-final win over Bournemouth and should he not be fit manager Brendan Rodgers can recall Mamadou Sakho or revert to a flat-back four.

Midfielder Joe Allen missed the trip the south coast but could return to the squad but striker Mario Balotelli is suspended.

Arsenal's Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (both groin) and Nacho Monreal (ankle) face fitness tests to determine if they can play in Sunday's Premier League clash at Anfield.

Manager Arsene Wenger fears midfielder Aaron Ramsey will miss the hectic festive fixture schedule with his hamstring problem, but has Calum Chambers back from suspension.

Laurent Koscielny (calf), Mikel Arteta (calf), Mesut Ozil (knee), David Ospina (thigh), Abou Diaby (calf), Jack Wilshere (ankle), Tomas Rosicky (thigh) and Serge Gnabry (knee) are all still out.

MATCH FACTS

• Liverpool won this fixture 5-1 last season thanks to two goals each from Martin Skrtel and Raheem Sterling and one from Luis Suarez. Four of those goals came in the first 20 minutes.

• That was only Liverpool's second win over Arsenal in their last 14 Premier League meetings.

• Arsenal won the other two matches they played against Liverpool last season - 2-0 in the league and 2-1 in the FA Cup fifth round, both at the Emirates.

• Liverpool v Arsenal has seen more hat-tricks (five) than any other fixture in Premier League history.

• There have been four 90th minute or later goals in the last six league meetings between the sides at Anfield.

• Liverpool's midweek win over Bournemouth was only their third in their last 11 games in all competitions.

• The Reds have failed to score in five league games this season, two more than in the whole of last season.

• Based on three points for a win, Liverpool's tally of 21 points is their lowest after 16 games since 1964-65.

• Mario Balotelli has had more shots (42 - including blocked) than any other player yet to score in the top flight this season.

• After drawing five of their first eight league games, Arsenal have drawn none of their subsequent eight (W5 L3).

• They have only lost one of their last six matches in all competitions.

• The Gunners have only failed to score in one league game this season.

• Alexis Sanchez has scored (seven) or assisted (four) 11 of Arsenal's last 17 league goals (65%).

Match Preview: Manchester United v Liverpool

Manchester United v Liverpool
Old Trafford
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Kick-off: 7 pm

David Moyes’s branding of Liverpool as favourites against Manchester United at Old Trafford for last season’s edition of this fixture hardly enamored the Scot to fans. In Louis van Gaal they now have a manager to believe in and he “welcomes” Brendan Rodgers’ side seeking a six consecutive win. The Liverpool manager is feeling serious heat due to average domestic form and being knocked out of the Champions League and a victory over the old enemy would be a fair fillip. 

United were poor in victory at St Mary's on Monday night and lost in both Premier League encounters against Liverpool last season, but at present it is United who have the upper hand on their bitter rivals.
Brendan Rodgers' men are seven points behind United in ninth place after losing six games this season, but will know anything can happen in what is still one of the fiercest rivalries in the Premier League.

Midfielder Angel di Maria will miss Manchester United's game against Liverpool on Sunday because of a hamstring injury.

Defenders Phil Jones (shin) and Rafael (groin) return after two months on the sidelines.

Left-back Luke Shaw (ankle), midfielder Daley Blind (knee) and defender Chris Smalling (groin) are out though.

Striker Mario Balotelli is back in training and could return to the squad for Sunday's trip to Manchester United.

The Italy forward has been sidelined since November 8 because of a groin problem sustained on international duty.

Midfielder Adam Lallana will be in the squad despite breaking two ribs just over a week ago while centre-back Kolo Toure is expected to have recovered from a groin injury which kept him out of the midweek Champions League draw against Basel.

Only Everton v Liverpool (20) has seen more red cards than Liverpool v Manchester United of all fixtures in Premier League history (15).

Steven Gerrard has scored more goals as an away player at Old Trafford than any other player in Premier League history (5).

Mario Balotelli’s only previous appearance in the league at Old Trafford saw him score twice in Man City’s 6-1 demolition of the Red Devils in October 2011.

Liverpool’s haul of 21 points is their fourth lowest in Premier League history at this stage of the season. They had 19 points in 1992-93, 2010-11 and 2012-13.

Match Preview: Belgium vs Wales

• Venue: King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels
 

• Date: Sunday, 16 November
 

• Kick-off: 17:00 GMT
• 
  
  
  
• Wales are looking to continue their solid start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign when they travel to face Belgium on Sunday. Wales are currently top of their Euro 2016 qualifying group, with two wins and a draw from their three matches.
The trip to Brussels, however, will be their sternest test yet as they take on a Belgian team which reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup. 
However, Belgium do have a game in hand after their match against Israel was postponed. Chris Coleman's team have won two and drawn one of their three qualifying matches so far, giving them a one point advantage over Israel. 
Real Madrid star Gareth Bale will be available for selection for Coleman for their Group B encounter after recovering from an injury that had kept him sidelined at the start of the month.
Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey and Liverpool's Joe Allen are also ready to feature again for Wales after missing their last two qualifying matches against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Cyprus.
Charlton Athletic striker Simon Church is expected to continue to lead the line for Coleman's side at the Koning Boudewijn Stadion, while Andy King is out of the clash due to suspension.

Belgium will be without skipper Vincent Kompany for the Group B clash as he has been ruled out with a calf injury.
Southampton defender Toby Alderweireld is expected to replace Kompany at the back, having played in the role against Iceland in his side's friendly clash in midweek.
Marc Wilmots could face a selection dilemma with his striker as Romelu Lukaku and Christian Benteke are both pushing for the start. If both players feature in the starting lineup, it would force Wilmots to change his formation from midweek.
The two sides met in World Cup qualifying for the 2014 tournament. Belgium won the game in Wales 2-0, with goals from Vincent Kompany and Jan Vertonghen. The match in Belgium ended 1-1, with Aaron Ramsey’s late goal cancelling out Kevin De Bruyne’s opener.
PAST THREE MEETINGS…
Belgium 1 (De Bruyne) Wales 1 (Ramsey), World Cup qualifying, October 2013
Wales 0 Belgium 2 (Kompany, Vertonghen), World Cup qualifying, September 2012
Belgium 3 (Staelens, Claessens, Wilmots) Wales 2 (Pembridge, Giggs), World Cup qualifying, October 1997






STATS…
Belgium have not lost at home to Wales, winning three and drawing two
Wales have not beaten Belgium since 1993, a 2-0 win in Cardiff
When Belgium beat Wales 2-0 in 1992, both current bosses were on the bench. Chris Coleman was an unused substitute while Marc Wilmots came on as a late substitute
Wilmots did not lose a match against Wales as a player, winning three and drawing one
Belgium’s FIFA World Ranking: 4
Wales’ FIFA World Ranking: 34

Euro 2016 qualifier: England vs Slovenia match preview

England play host to Slovenia on Saturday evening looking to maintain their 100% record in qualifying for Euro 2016. The Three Lions have already seen off Switzerland, San Marino and Estonia, as this summer's poor World Cup showing slowly begins to fade out of memory.

Wayne Rooney is expected to become only the ninth man to represent England 100 times as the Three Lions host Slovenia at Wembley.

The 29-year-old captain also has the chance to push towards becoming the nation’s leading goalscorer; his current tally of 43 has him fourth on this list, but he needs only one goal to move joint third with Jimmy Greaves. 

Standing in their way are second-placed Slovenia, who could erase the three-point lead England are currently enjoying over the rest of the group with a win. The visitors started their qualifying campaign with a loss to Estonia, but won both fixtures in October, including a late win over Switzerland. 

The victory over Estonia last time out is a game best remembered for Raheem Sterling's omission from the starting lineup due to complaints of fatigue, although the Liverpool winger is in line to start for the Three Lions at Wembley this weekend.Roy Hodgson will retain the 4-3-1-2 formation that he has used in recent matches, with Raheem Sterling in behind two strikers.

Roy Hodgson could hand a first cap to West Bromwich Albion's Saido Berahino, with the striker taking the Premier League by storm this season en route to becoming the top-scoring Englishman in the division, although he may have to wait until next weekend's friendly clash against Scotland at Celtic Park.Likewise, Nathaniel Clyne and the returning Stewart Downing may not feature against Slovenia, with the latter back in the senior set-up for the first time since 2012. The Dragons come into this game  boosted by the return of Sinia Andjelkovic, who has spent the last 18 months on the sidelines, while Miral Samardzic also returns to the travelling party.

England will be without midfielders Michael Carrick and Andros Townsend, meanwhile, both of whom have withdrawn from the squad through injury. These two sides have met on one occasion previously, back in the 2010 World Cup finals when Fabio Capello's England ran out 1-0 winners in the group stage of the showpiece event.

Past Two Meetings…

Slovenia 0 England 1 (Defoe), World Cup Finals, June 2010

England 2 (Lampard, Defoe) Slovenia 1 (Ljubijankic), Friendly, September 2009

Stats…

England’s current FIFA World Ranking (20) is their lowest since June 1996 (24)

England are one of only three teams (also Croatia and Iceland) yet to concede in Euro 2016 quals

35-year-old Milivoje Novakovič is Slovenia’s player to watch, having scored all three of their goals

Dalibor Stevanović has been booked in all three group games so far

A win would be England’s fifth in a row, their longest streak since 2008 (September – November)

A clean sheet would be England’s sixth in a row, best streak since 2006 (June – October)

Source: The Independent, SportsMole, WhoScored

Match Preview: Germany vs Gibraltar

After defeat in Poland and a draw at home to Republic of Ireland, Joachim Low's men will be hoping to get back to their best against the newest Uefa entrant. Germany's underwhelming start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign should receive a boost when the world champions face Gibraltar on Friday. Germany have been nursing a World Cup hangover since their triumph in Brazil in July and are third in Group D with four points from three games after a less than stellar start.

Poland and Ireland helped themselves to seven apiece, and Germany will be eyeing a similar tally, though the usual calls to avoid complacency have been made by the home side.

The stark disparity in quality between the two squads is evident, with four among the German ranks - Toni Kroos, Mario Gotze, Muller and Manuel Neuer - shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or last month.

But while those players may see this as just another game on the world stage, for Jonas Hector it could be a landmark occasion.

The Cologne full-back will be hoping to win his first cap, but the 24-year-old admits he struggled to believe it when he was given word of the call-up by boss Peter Stoger.

"I wanted to be sure that the coach wasn't messing with me," he told DFB.de. "I came back from the training ground and when I got to reception, I saw that I had a voicemail. I then tried to ring the coach back, but I didn't have any luck.

"But eventually we got through and we spoke for a short time. It all came as a surprise to me. I would never have thought that I would have had the chance to be in the squad so quickly."

The Germans are missing a string of key players, including captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, winger Marco Reus and attacking midfielder Julian Draxler. But even without them the four-time World Cup winners should have no problems against Gibraltar, who are competing in their maiden qualifying tournament.

For Gibraltar Ryan Casciaro has not been called up to the squad, so Aaron Payas may start here.Jordan Perez could come in between the sticks after missing the 3-0 defeat to Georgia. Other than that, Allen Bula may not feel the need to make wholesale changes.

Germany also face European champions Spain in a friendly on Nov. 18 in Vigo.

Gibraltar, a British overseas territory which borders the southern tip of Spain, was accepted as a UEFA member after a 14-year battle during which it faced fierce opposition from Spain. The team played their first international in September.

With a tiny pool of amateur players to choose from, Gibraltar would be happy with a low-scoring defeat.

Allen Bula`s players have had a harsh introduction to the qualifiers having conceded 17 goals in three games and scored none.

Source : Goal.com , Sky Sports, Zee news

Preview: Manchester City vs Manchester United

Etihad Stadium
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Kick-off : 7 pm Sri Lankan Time.

Manchester City desperately require victory following the three-match wobble that has included defeat in the past two games plus a draw. The nightmare scenario for the champions is to go down to Manchester United before their home crowd. Do so and Manuel Pellegrini will have a crisis on his hands ahead of the Champions League match against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday. The blue half of Manchester have a fantastic recent record over their illustrious rivals, with the ‘noisy neighbours’ emerging victorious from five of the last six encounters.

United will be buoyed by a much improved performance against table-topping Chelsea last time out, with Robin van Persie getting on the scoresheet to give his own confidence a major boost after some lacklustre displays.

Despite the draw last week, the 20-time top flight champions have made their worst start to a Premier League season, gaining just 13 points from their opening nine games. Last season under David Moyes, they had 14 points.

Defensive frailties have been the catalyst for such a slow start, with injuries blamed for a lack of continuity within the United rearguard. De Gea may have to repeat his heroics from United’s last win over Everton at the beginning of October if his side are to get anything from their short trip to the Etihad, with Louis van Gaal desperate to kick-start United’s season, and fans in need of a welcome boost.

Manchester City midfielder David Silva will miss Sunday's derby against Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League after being ruled out for around three weeks with a knee injury.

Fellow midfielder Yaya Touré is expected to feature despite being withdrawn during Wednesday's Capital One Cup loss to Newcastle amid concerns about a groin problem.

Former England midfielder Frank Lampard is still expected to be absent with a thigh injury but playmaker Samir Nasri appeared to make a successful return in midweek from groin surgery.

United boss Van Gaal will have to decide whether Wayne Rooney is worthy of a starting place after serving his suspension for his dismissal against West Ham.

The Red Devils' skipper could replace Juan Mata, who has not made the most of his chance in Rooney's absence. Radamel Falcao and Phil Jones will both be absent on Sunday, but Jonny Evans could make a return after recovering from a ankle injury.

• Yaya Toure has scored in three of his last four Premier League appearances against Man Utd.

• Man City have won the last three Manchester derbies in the Premier League. They have not won four in a row in the league since December 1970.

• Wayne Rooney is the top scorer in Manchester derbies, both overall and in the Premier League – 11 in all comps and eight in the Premier League.

• Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero have both scored four goals in five Premier League appearances against United.

Source: The Guardian, Telegraph, Sky Sports

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool: match preview

Saturday, August 30, 2014
White Hart Lane
Kick-off: 6pm Sri Lankan time
Referee: Phil Dowd. Matches: None.

After a 1-3 loss away to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Monday—a fixture that many Liverpool fans will have considered to be one of their toughest of the Premier League season—the Reds will look to respond with an improved performance at Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday. Brendan Rodgers’ men were actually on the front foot on Monday night, before a combination of defensive errors—most notably new left-back Alberto Moreno’s hesitance to clear the ball—led to Stevan Jovetic’s opening goal, pinning Liverpool back for most of the second half. Both Glen Johnson and Moreno suffered injuries in the closing stages of the game, while Martin Skrtel also looked in trouble.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino understands the hullabaloo surrounding Mario Balotelli's return to the Premier League, but is giving the Italian little thought ahead of his potential Liverpool debut at White Hart Lane. Just 18 months after leaving Manchester City to join boyhood club AC Milan, the 24-year-old this week completed his shock move to Anfield. The Italy international's career has been punctuated by controversy on and off the field, although the prospect of making his brilliance more than an occasional delight is an exciting prospect for Liverpool. Balotelli could make his debut at White Hart Lane on Sunday against in-form Tottenham, whose manager is happy to see the striker back in England, but not jumping on the rather excitable bandwagon.

New signing Federico Fazio could make his Tottenham debut this weekend, although Roberto Soldado is a doubt to face Liverpool.

Spurs head coach Mauricio Pochettino has yet to decide whether centre-back Fazio, who arrived from Sevilla on Wednesday, will feature at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Soldado may be absent again with a neck and back issue, while Kyle Walker is still missing.

Summer signings Mario Balotelli and the fit-again Adam Lallana could make their Liverpool debuts in Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Three players who sustained problems during Monday's 3-1 loss at Manchester City, Alberto Moreno, Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson, are to be assessed ahead of the Spurs match.

Jose Enrique will also have a late fitness test, but Jon Flanagan is not yet ready to return as he works his way back to fitness from his knee injury, and Daniel Agger and Oussama Assaidi remain sidelined. 

With the potential for two high-profile debuts at White Hart Lane, the excitement level has risen.

Spurs could use Federico Fazio in defence following his arrival from Sevilla while Mario Balotelli, back in the Premier League, should feature for Liverpool after the 3-1 reverse at Manchester City.

If the Italian is Liverpool’s new Luis Suárez, he will hope to match the Uruguayan’s brace of goals in last season’s 5-0 win in north London.

Manchester City v Liverpool match preview

Monday, Aug 25, 2014
Etihad Stadium
Kick-off: 12.30pm SL time
Referee: Michael Oliver. Matches: 1, R0 Y3.

Cast your minds back to last season, with one of the closest title races in history poised to go down to the wire, Liverpool welcomed Manchester City to Anfield, both had the title in their sights. A Philippe Coutinho strike in a 3-2 victory for the Reds in that game looked to have tilted the title in their favour, however a Steven Gerrard mistake and a merciless City run of form in the remaining games meant the title slipped from Liverpool’s grasp and ended up in the hands of Manuel Pellegrini’s team. 

This is only the second match of the season yet there is the potential double reward of a title rival being defeated plus crucial momentum achieved. As the deal for Mario Balotelli was not done in time for the forward to be available for Liverpool, Manchester City must surely fancy their chances of finishing Monday evening with all three points, especially as only Alvaro Negredo and Eliaquim Mangala are unavailable to Manuel Pellegrini. 

Filling the void left by Suarez will be difficult and Rodgers will be desperate not to fall into the trap Tottenham did last season when they tried to replace Gareth Bale with quantity in terms of players, instead of quality. Having said that, Liverpool have splashed the cash this summer, ransacking Southampton for Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren, as well as signing Alberto Moreno, Emre Can and Lazar Markovic from the continent.
Summer signings Lazar Markovic and Alberto Moreno are in contention to make debuts in Liverpool's Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Monday. Fit-again winger Markovic and defender Moreno, recruited last week from Sevilla, are both set to be included in the squad for the match but fellow summer arrival Adam Lallana's wait to make his bow definitely goes on, with the midfielder not quite ready yet as his rehabilitation from a knee injury nears its conclusion. Jose Enrique's condition will be assessed, while Daniel Agger, Jon Flanagan and Oussama Assaidi remain sidelined.

As both teams prepare to square up for the season’s first big clash, a defeat would not be terminal for either side this early into the season. However, Liverpool will be desperate to extract revenge for last season, while Manchester City will be hoping to build some early season momentum to carry into their autumn fixtures.

PAST MEETINGS…

Liverpool 3 (Sterling, Skrtel, Coutinho) Man City 2 (Silva, Johnson OG), Premier League, April 2014

Man City 2 (Kompany, Negredo) Liverpool 1 (Coutinho), Premier League, December 2013

Man City 2 (Dzeko, Aguero) Liverpool 2 (Sturridge, Gerrard), Premier League, February 2013

STATS…

Man City full backs Aleksandar Kolarov (7) and Pablo Zabaleta (6) assisted more goals than any other defenders in the 2013-14 Premier League.

Frank Lampard is the top scoring midfielder in Premier League history with 171 goals, more than Aguero, Dzeko, Yaya Toure and David Silva combined.

City’s total of 102 goals last season in the Premier League is the second highest in the competition’s history (behind Chelsea with 103 in 2009-10).

Liverpool fired in 258 shots on target last season, more than any other team in the Premier League.

Daniel Sturridge’s goals won Liverpool 20 points in the Premier League last season; more than any other player for their side.

Match Preview: Everton vs Arsenal

Saturday Aug 23 2014
Goodison Park
Kick-off: 10pm SL Time
Referee: Kevin Friend.

Arsène Wenger has his World Cup winners back for the visit to Goodison Park and the availability of Mesut Özil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski is timely following a taxing Champions League trip to Istanbul in midweek and the loss of Mikel Arteta to an ankle injury. Arsenal will still have nightmares about their last visit to Goodison Park, where they were turned over 3-0. Everton’s attacking display, with Romelu Lukaku moved wide and Steven Naismith operating as a false nine, left Arsene Wenger and his back four shell-shocked. That encounter was back in April and really stoked the flames of the race for the top four. This year’s fixture comes considerably earlier in the calendar, and with the Gunners fancying themselves not just as top-four material but genuine title contenders. 

They certainly proved in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace that they possess that most important of title-winning credentials: the ability to grind out three points while not being at your best. Aaron Ramsey’s late winner will give him the confidence to continue the form he showed last season with the red card he received in midweek not affecting his eligibility for this encounter.

Everton had a shaky start to the season, their defensive lapses against Leicester costing them two points. Boss Roberto Martínez had a stuttering – if not disastrous – start to last season with three draws, and he’ll be eager to pick up points earlier this time around as the Toffees look to launch a concerted bid for the top four.

Everton midfielder Darron Gibson could be back in contention for Saturday's Barclays Premier League visit of Arsenal after 10 months on the sidelines. The Irishman, who suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage last October, has steadily built his fitness and is thought to be nearing a return. Right-back Seamus Coleman (hamstring) is also fit after appearing as a late substitute at Leicester last week but striker Arouna Kone (knee) and midfielder Bryan Oviedo (leg) are not yet ready and midfielder Ross Barkley (knee) faces a lengthy lay-off.

Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta will miss the trip to his former club because of an ankle problem. World Cup winners Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski and Mesut Ozil could return to the squad after being given extra time off, as could forward Yaya Sanogo (hamstring) who did not travel in the midweek Champions League play-off away to Besiktas. Full-back Kieran Gibbs (hamstring) remains sidelined, while midfielders Theo Walcott and Serge Gnabry continue their recovery from knee problems and will not feature in the Barclays Premier League contest.

PAST THREE MEETINGS…

Everton 3 (Naismith, Lukaku, Arteta og) Arsenal 0, Premier League, April 2014

Arsenal 4 (Ozil, Arteta, Giroud 2) Everton 1 (Lukaku), FA Cup, March 2014

Arsenal 1 (Ozil) Everton 1 (Deulofeu), Premier League, December 2013

Everton’s 3-0 win in April ended a run of 14 games against Arsenal without a win.

Everton haven’t lost to Arsenal in four Premier League games. Prior to that they lost four in a row.

Arsenal thrashed Everton 6-1 at Goodison Park very early in the 2009-10 season.

Aaron Ramsey has scored in four of Arsenal’s last five competitive fixtures.

Liverpool v Southampton: team news and match preview

Liverpool v Southampton

Sunday, August 17, 2014, Anfield

Kick-off: 6 pm Sri Lankan Time.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg. Matches: 27, R3 Y96.

Because of an unfortunate Steven Gerrard slip, Liverpool will not start this season as kings, but as an ambitious prince. Southampton were one of only two visiting teams to win at Anfield last season but will be unrecognisable for Ronald Koeman’s first Premier League game in charge. The goalscorer in that 1-0 win, Dejan Lovren, joined the summer exodus from St Mary’s to Liverpool and is the only former Saint likely to start against his old club with Adam Lallana suffering from a knee injury and Rickie Lambert, who has scored against all his ex-teams, set for the substitutes’ bench.

 New signings Ryan Bertrand from Chelsea, former Celtic’s keeper Fraser Forster and ex-Inter Milan Saphir Taider are likely to play. Only new defensive acquisition Florin Gardos is a certain absentee, with midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin in contention despite ongoing rumours of a move to Tottenham. Shane Long, signed on Thursday from Hull, is available and will offer competition to fellow new recruit Graziano Pelle up front while academy graduate Lloyd Isgrove will be hopeful his pre-season showings could be enough to see him handed a first Premier League appearance.

For the first time in Premier League history, an English team meets its feeder club on the opening day of the season.

The Liverpool and Southampton masters teams of years to come will be picking from the same squad. It’s a new era for the Saints under Ronald Keoman, but in his favour his first scout report involved watching last season’s videos of his new club.

Liverpool are now Suárez-less, but Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling are emerging as world class.

PAST THREE MEETINGS…

Southampton 0 Liverpool 3 (Suarez, Sterling, Gerrard), Premier League, March 2014.

Liverpool 0 Southampton 1 (Lovren), Premier League, September 2013.

Southampton 3 (Schneiderlin, Lambert, Rodriguez) Liverpool 1 (Coutinho) March 2013.

STATS…

Liverpool has an average of 1.54 goals against Southampton.

Last year, Southampton’s goal was scored by Dejan Lovren, with an assist from Adam Lallana, now two Liverpool players.

Southampton, which finished 8 had a best defence last year (46) than almost champions Liverpool (50).

Manchester United v Swansea City: team news and match preview

Saturday, August 16, 2014 Old Trafford
Kick-off: 5.15 pm Sri Lankan Time.
Referee: Mike Dean. Matches (last season): 27, R5 Y101.

The Dutchman opens his domestic campaign at Old Trafford but his options in defence are stretched due to the absence of Luke Shaw, while Jonny Evans and Rafael are also doubts. 

After earning widespread praise since taking charge at Old Trafford, Louis van Gaal knows he will be judged on results from the moment Manchester United begin their Premier League campaign against Swansea City on Saturday. In contrast to predecessor David Moyes, who appeared like a contest winner plucked from obscurity during his short and ill-fated spell in charge of one of the biggest clubs in the world, Van Gaal immediately oozed a sense of assurance and authority since arriving. His forthrightness has left no one second guessing and the results in preseason, all victories (if you count a shootout win over Inter Milan), have bred optimism. 

Louis Van Gaal takes over the reigns at Manchester United and the club has made some moves in the off-season, but no big ones. Their offense will still be led by Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, which are the two key players that Swansea must mark in this match.

One of the bigger signings for Swansea this off-season was keeper Lukasz Fabianski, who comes over after seven years at Arsenal. He never became the true No. 1 keeper for the Gunners and he looks to anchor the Swansea defense.

Wilfried Bony scored 25 goals for Swansea last season and the squad upgraded their attack in the off-season by brining in Bafetimbi Gomis and Jefferson Montero. Their attack should be better than last season, but they need to play solid in the midfield against Man U to have any chance to score a big upset.

Manchester United's attack - Rooney, van Persie and Juan Mata - is solid and their midfield is superior to Swansea.

Twelve months after David Moyes started his Manchester United reign with a 4-1 win over Swansea, his replacement, Louis van Gaal, begins his spell in charge at Old Trafford against the same opposition.

There are defensive injury concerns and a shortage of new faces but there is also new system, 3-4-1-2, and Wayne Rooney, so disaffected in Wales a year ago, has been given the captaincy.

Swansea manager Garry Monk has strengthened well and is now confident of keeping striker Wilfried Bony. 

Van Gaal will certainly have wanted to have at least a couple more signings over the line by this stage. The defense is a particular worry and Swansea’s best player last season, Wilfried Bony could take advantage. But Darren Fletcher has looked good in preseason alongside Herrera in midfield and, with Wayne Rooney also in good form, United should have enough to get an opening win.