Liverpool winger Philippe Coutinho. (Photo : Getty Images)
Middling teams Liverpool FC (12-9-9, 45 points) and Stoke City FC (13-11-8, 47 points) are scheduled to face one another at the Anfield this April 10th, Sunday as the 2015-2016 Premier League season gradually comes down to a close.
Liverpool is currently at the no. 9 spot of the league table and had been winless in their last two matches following a four-game unbeaten stretch capped by three straight victories. The team is nine points adrift the fourth and final Champions League berth presently held by Manchester City and a comfortable 18 points away the bottom three relegation zone.
The Reds are coming off an impressive 1-1 draw with second-running squad Tottenham Hotspur FC at their home field last Saturday, as per SkySports.
Brazilian winger Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring at the 51st minute while Spurs striker Harry Kane, the English top flight's number one goalscorer this season, leveled the match at the 63rd to complete the tie.
Although they did not get the victory, Jürgen Klopp's boys prevented an anticipated loss which gave them a share of the point in the overall standings.
Meanwhile, Stoke City has been mercurial in their past six outings, winning three, drawing two, and losing one game in the said stretch. They are now at the no. 8 spot of the league table, just two points above Liverpool and seven points away from the last Champions League berth for next season.
Their most recent game ended up in a tie as well, 2-2, versus Swansea City at their home field of Britannia Stadium also last Saturday, via BBC Sport.
The Potters scored the first two goals of the match, at the 13th and 53rd minutes courtesy of Dutch winger Ibrahim Afellay and Serbian striker Bojan Krkic respectively, as they looked headed to grab the additional three points in the standings.
However, the Swans fought back late in the game with goals from Icelandic midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson and Italian forward Alberto Paloschi to salvage the draw.
The predicted result is a close 2-1 victory for Liverpool.
Liverpool starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno; Henderson, Can; Milner, Lallana, Coutinho; Sturridge
Stoke City starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Haugaard; Bardsley, Cameron, Wollscheid, Pieters; Whelan, Imbula; Afellay, Bojan, Arnautovic; Joselu
