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Sitting two points ahead of Liverpool, but having played two more games than the Reds, Stoke City are going to be looking to strengthen their hold on 8th place with a win today. The form and fitness of Bojan Krkic, Xherdan Shaqiri, Marko Arnautovic, and Ibrahim Afellay has given Mark Hughes solid attacking foundation from which to mount a creditable Premier League campaign.
With Emre Can unavailable through suspension, Jordan Henderson out for the year, and Lucas Leiva only just returning from injury, Jürgen Klopp may look enviously at Gianelli Imbula as an option that would surely strengthen the defensive midfield for the Reds. Coming in as a £18.3m January transfer, there aren't many Premier League teams who wouldn't be strengthened by the Frenchman.
Be that as it may, Liverpool have more than enough talent to take the full points in this one, in particular at home. Goals early and often, and maybe Klopp will even be able to take some key performers off with an eye on the Dortmund return leg on Thursday.
Full Preview: Liverpool vs. Stoke City
Kickoff: 3:00PM GMT/11:00AM EST from Anfield.
Television: No Coverage (UK); NBC Sports Live Extra (USA); Fox Sports 3 (Australia); TSN2 (Canada); Star Sports 2 Asia (India); SuperSport 7 Africa (Kenya); Astro SuperSport 3 (Malaysia); 103 (hd) mio (Singapore); other listings at LiveSoccerTV
Online Streaming: NBC Sports Live Extra (USA)
Online Radio: LFCTV GO, Talksport Radio (International)
Mignolet
Clyne, Skrtel, Toure, Moreno
Milner, Stewart, Allen
Sturridge, Firmino, Ojo
Bench: Ward, Lovren, Smith, Coutinho, Lallana, Lucas, Origi
Haugaard
Bardsley, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters
Cameron, Imbula,
Shaqiri, Afellay, Bojan
Crouch
Bench: Given, Muniesa, Teixeira, Ireland, Adam, Joselu, Diouf
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