Hull City vs. Liverpool
Venue: KCOM Stadium
Kick off: 4pm
Liverpool will travel to the KCOM Stadium on Saturday looking to put a woeful January behind them, but a resurgent Hull City stand in their way.
Fifteen places and 29 points separate the two sides in the table, but the Tigers have vastly improved under Marco Silva and will be hopeful of picking up another surprise victory when Jurgen Klopp’s side come to town.
On the face of it, the decision to sack Mike Phelan at the start of the year seemed like a harsh one.
The Tigers were in poor form and looked increasingly destined for the drop, but Phelan had done an admirable job considering he took over just three weeks before the new season and had a threadbare squad of players to choose from.
Wins over Swansea, Bournemouth and Manchester United mean that Hull have a 100 per cent record at the KCOM Stadium under Silva, and even before his arrival they were in relatively good form, with just one defeat in their last nine home outings across all competitions now.
The visit of Liverpool provides another big test for Hull, though, and they have lost all four of their previous home league games against sides in the top six so far this season.
The Tigers are also the only club in the division yet to keep a clean sheet in front of their own fans – not ideal when they are welcoming the league’s highest scorers.
Today’s tie could provide a good opportunity for Liverpool to repair some of the damage done in January, though, with at least one of Chelsea or Arsenal guaranteed to drop points in Saturday’s early kickoff and Spurs, City and United all in action after the Reds.
Anything less than a victory for the Gunners at Stamford Bridge would mean a win lifts Liverpool back into second.
Only Chelsea and Manchester City have amassed more points on the road so far this season, but Liverpool have drawn their last two away league games and are winless in their last four home and away – their worst run under Klopp.
A draw or defeat this weekend would make it their longest winless streak in the Premier League since September 2012.
Hull possible XI: Jakupovic, Meyler, Dawson, Maguire, Robertson, Grosicki, Evandro, Huddlestone, Clucas, Tymon, Hernandez.
Liverpool possible XI: Mignolet, Clyne, Matip, Lovren, Milner, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Lallana, Mane, Firmino, Coutinho.