Match preview

Brendan Rodgers believes his Liverpool side can bounce back from their “incredible” 6-1 defeat at Stoke City, on the final day of last season, when they start the new campaign visit the Britannia Stadium this Sunday.

Liverpool were beaten by Stoke City in May as a campaign that promised much for the 2013-14 runners-up ended in a heavy defeat.

Much has changed at Anfield since then, with Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling leaving and the likes of Christian Benteke, Roberto Firmino and James Milner arriving.

Rodgers has also overhauled his backroom staff over the close-season, and the Northern Irishman believes his new-look team are ready for their second successive Barclays Premier League match at the Britannia Stadium.

"We'll certainly be better than we were last year that's for sure," Rodgers said on Friday.

"It was a one-off game in terms of the whole experience, it was incredible in every aspect. It's something that was very surprising and very disappointing.

"We'll look to return to the level we've had over a couple of season in organisation and fight. It will certainly be tougher [for Stoke] than it was last year.

"When the fixtures came out I felt we couldn't have had a better fixture, for me it was the perfect away fixture."

Stoke manager Mark Hughes, meanwhile, believes his side can give Liverpool just as much of a test as they did in May.

"Liverpool have made a number of signings and strengthened up. They will come here feeling they are better equipped to deal with us," he said.

"We feel we can be even stronger than we were last time. All being well we will give Liverpool the same problems they had in May."

Stoke too have added attacking options to their ranks with the signings of Joselu and Ibrahim Affelay, while Glen Johnson could line up against his former club.

Hughes will be without skipper Ryan Shawcross, though, with the centre-back set to undergo surgery on his back.

Marc Wilson may have been in line to partner Philipp Wollscheid in Shawcross' absence but he has been struck down with an ankle injury, so Marc Muniesa looks set to celebrate his new four-year contract - signed on Friday - with a start.

Stoke City (from): Butland, Haugaard, Given, Bardsley, Cameron, Johnson, Muniesa, Pieters, Teixeira, Wilkinson, Wilson, Wollscheid, Adam, Afellay, Ireland, Moha, Shenton, Sidwell, Van Ginkel, Whelan, Arnautovic, Bojan, Crouch, Diouf, Joselu, Odemwingie, Walters

Liverpool (from): Bogdan, Mignolet, Clyne, Jose Enrique, Gomez, Lovren, Moreno, Sakho, Skrtel, Toure, Can, Henderson, Lallana, Lucas, Markovic, Milner, Balotelli, Benteke, Borini, Coutinho, Firmino, Ibe, Ings, Origi.

Match Appointments
Referee: Anthony Taylor Assistants: G Beswick, D Cann Fourth Official: J Moss

Match Facts
Liverpool have only failed to score three times on the opening weekend of a Barclays Premier League campaign (1992/93, 2005/06, 2012/13).
Stoke have won once on the opening weekend of a BPL season, 2009/10 v Burnley.
Liverpool have won one of seven BPL matches at the Britannia Stadium (D2 L4), winning 5-3 in 2013/14.
Stoke have scored in their last 11 home league matches; only Chelsea (19) can boast a longer current run.



http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/matches/2015-2016/epl.html/stoke-vs-liverpool

This bros sha..

Stoke City?

Seun:
Stoke City?

Are you a fan?

It definitely gonna be a tough match

You be liverpool fan?

Seun:
Stoke City?

Hope this Season will be better than the last.

If you play stoke city in Britannia stadium , two things will materialise. it is either you win them but get at least two of your key players injured or they make life difficult for you due to their physical style of play.

If you play stoke city in Britannia stadium , two things will materialise. it is either you win them but get at least two of your key players injured or they make life difficult for you due to their physical style of play. Those potters are terrible

luvola:
If you play stoke city in Britannia stadium , two things will materialise. it is either you win them but get at least two of your key players injured or they make life difficult for you due to their physical style of play. Those potters are terrible

Haha.. currently, their pattern of play has changed since the appointment of Mark Hughes as the manager

UrchmanBiz:


Haha.. currently, their pattern of play has changed since the appointment of Mark Hughes as the manager

They still play their rubby style of football
Stoke city are terrible at home.

luvola:
If you play stoke city in Britannia stadium , two things will materialise. it is either you win them but get at least two of your key players injured or they make life difficult for you due to their physical style of play.

.. Bros.. Rmba suarez era o... We didnt have any injury and we won dem 5-3 convincingly.... Its not hard as it seems.. If we win.. We move on.. And if they won.. Life goes on... We should also rmba yellow and red cards stl exist if they wana play rough..

Seun:
Stoke City?

.. So oga seun na antagonist... ..

Definitely gonna be a tough game, but do hope we scratch out a win score prediction

Stoke City 1 Liverpool 2

cc

Ladyboss1 come ooo,oga SEUN is here also

koppa:
Definitely gonna be a tough game, but do hope we scratch out a win score prediction

Stoke City 1 Liverpool 2

cc

Ladyboss1 come ooo,oga SEUN is here also

Yes oh
Can wait for d match to start bern dreaming sekf
We gotta injure des guys today .. So dey can stop living in d past

Go Liverpool and take revenge of last season 6-1 defeat.

luvola:
Go Liverpool and take revenge of last season 6-1 defeat.

Yes oh
D mocking is too much self ... Team like stoke chai Smh ... Hmmm i just oray we win cuz uf we dont .. It can be d start to a bad season .. Our enemies dey pray self ..

LadyBoss1:

Yes oh
D mocking is too much self ... Team like stoke chai Smh ... Hmmm i just oray we win cuz uf we dont .. It can be d start to a bad season .. Our enemies dey pray self ..

Yes o.I have confidence in our new attackers we acquired. The likes of firminho,Milner and benteke. up Liverpool

luvola:
Yes o.I have confidence in our new attackers we acquired. The likes of firminho,Milner and benteke. up Liverpool

Yh its today we will see how well they gel together
Cuz the heat is on today ... I dey find my jersey self lol for goodluck

LadyBoss1:

Yh its today we will see how well they gel together
Cuz the heat is on today ... I dey find my jersey self lol for goodluck

lol. I never knew you are a kopt. wow

luvola:
lol. I never knew you are a kopt. wow

Yh ... Staying strong ..

LadyBoss1:
Yh ... Staying strong ..

LadyBoss1:
Yh ... Staying strong ..

PM me

luvola:
PM me

When we win prem

luvola:
PM me

If we win

LadyBoss1:
If we win

Hahahhahaha. ok I will remind you.

Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren,
Gomez, Henderson, Milner, Lallana,
Ibe, Coutinho, Benteke


Bogdan, Toure, Firmino, Moreno,
Can, Origi, Ings

Following!



Place your orders for long-lasting solar power banks. See my signature.

Off to Britannia stadium. I don.land

YWNA....yagga
arsenal,how market?


In other news,order your football jerseys
https://www.nairaland.com/2447345/2015-2016-new-jerseys-available/2

Yawn......

Liverpool?

Lovren is a calamity. Why is M.CAN on th e bench Lovren is a calamity. Why is M.CAN on th e bench