Liverpool’s B-team doesn’t want to show any weakness
For the second division kickers from Plymouth, the weekend will be a very special highlight. The bottom-placed team in the Championship will have the opportunity to take on what is probably currently the best club team in Europe in the fourth round of the oldest cup competition.
However, the “Pilgrims” supporters can in all likelihood not expect the LFC’s best formation. Considering that the starting XI secured a place in the EFL Cup final on Thursday evening and sent all their key players onto the pitch, it is highly likely that the Dutch coach will now start the rotation machine.
The many question marks with regard to personnel make it difficult to filter out suitable odds between Plymouth and Liverpool. Will it be a narrow and lackluster victory for the Reds, or will the underdog possibly even involve the league leader in a wild exchange of blows with plenty of goals on both sides?
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Plymouth – statistics & current form
Until the end of last year, Wayne Rooney, an extremely prominent former professional, was still sitting on the Plymouth Argyle bench. However, the former national striker was relieved of his duties after Christmas and following nine games without a win. No wonder, because with only four wins, six draws and 13 defeats, “The Pilgrims”, who only just managed to stay in the Championship last season after finishing 21st, were bottom of the league.
Plymouth are facing relegation from the Championship
The position in the table has not changed to this day, even under his Austrian successor Miron Muslic. In five matches under his leadership, only five points have been scored. At least there has been a slight improvement in form recently. The green-whites remained unbeaten in the promotion contenders Sunderland (2-2) and at home against West Bromwich Albion (2-1), thereby boosting their confidence.
With the bottom three currently four points away, the league is logically the top priority. Coach Muslic therefore has to keep an eye on the important Championship home game against Millwall on Wednesday, although the former Cercle Bruges manager does not want to take away the highlight match against LFC from any of his players. Ultimately, however, it doesn’t matter which 11 players the former SV Ried coach sends out on the pitch, because the underdog role could hardly be more pronounced.
The devastating goal difference of the men from Devon, a county in the southwest of England, also speaks for this. 63 goals conceded in 30 league games is by far the worst record in the Championship. In the five matches mentioned, two goals were conceded on average again under Muslic. Plymouth even lost 5-0 to Burnley at the end of January. As a result, my Plymouth vs. Liverpool prediction is leaning more towards over 3.5 goals and a higher away win for the Reds.
Plymouth’s predicted line-up:
Hazard – Talovierov, Katic, Pleguezuelo – Sorinola, Randell, Boateng, Puchacz – Baidoo, Hardie – Bundu
Liverpool – Statistics & current form
Champions League round of 16, championship course in the Premier League and a place in the final of the EFL Cup. Liverpool Football Club have had the perfect season so far and are also aiming to have a say in the title race in the oldest cup competition in the world, the FA Cup. In any case, the fourth-round task does not pose any real obstacle. After the commanding 4-0 victory in the previous round against Accrington Stanley, the only question remaining is the margin of victory when playing away at the second division bottom-of-the-league.
However, a fairly substantial handicap is needed to get acceptable odds for the visitors between Plymouth and Liverpool. A three-goal difference win for the Reds is available on the Bet-at-Home betting app at 1.95.
Is there a complete rotation at Liverpool?
Since the kickers from Beatles City have already played ten competitive games in the new year by this weekend, it is virtually certain that coach Arne Slot will give a large number of his top stars such as Salah, Van Dijk and Alisson Becker a break. However, the B-team also put in a pleasing performance recently, which is why I still expect the favorites to perform with focus.
At least a goal against cannot be ruled out, as many potential changes in the starting lineup could also lead to coordination difficulties and – from a mental/motivational point of view – to a lack of concentration. Despite the qualitative discrepancy and the usually outstandingly well-functioning defense, I am therefore not averse to taking a closer look at the odds for both teams to score before the FA Cup third-round game between Plymouth and Liverpool. Value seems to be on offer, especially if you combine the LFC triumph with goals for both teams.
Predicted Liverpool line-up:
Kelleher — Bradley, Quansah, Endo, Tsimikas — Mac Allister, Morton, Jones — Elliott, Nunez, Chiesa
Plymouth v Liverpool head to head / H2H record
There have only been two meetings between these clubs in the entire millennium. Both, incidentally, in the FA Cup and both in the 2016/17 season. Liverpool disgraced themselves at home in the 0-0 draw and thus had to travel to the deepest southwest of England for the replay. At least they then managed a narrow 1-0 victory. The fans at Home Park can definitely look forward to a more spectacular game on Sunday.
Plymouth – Liverpool Tip
In the third round, Plymouth Argyle already caused a huge sensation. At the Premier League club Brentford, which at the time was still causing a stir as a home force in the English top flight, the second division team surprisingly won 1-0 and thus earned the highlight game on Sunday afternoon against the currently best football team in Europe. However, the next coup by the rank underdog is virtually impossible this time, because at the domestic level, LFC have only lost two games this season.
While it is highly likely that Arne Slot will field a B-team at the Home Park, even this should easily be able to exploit the home side’s defensive vulnerability. 63 goals conceded in 30 Championship games and ten goals conceded in the review of the first five matches under new coach Muslic are worrying values that prompt me to place a bet between Plymouth and Liverpool that at least two goals will be scored in the first 45 minutes.
