 |
| Getty Images |
Steven Gerrard will bid an emotional farewell to Anfield as Liverpool face Crystal Palace on Saturday Night Football.
It will be the 34-year-old’s final home match for the Reds after making more than 700 appearances over a 17-year spell. He will then finish his Liverpool career at Stoke on May 24 before jetting off to join MLS side LA Galaxy.
The Reds will be hoping to give Gerrard a winning send-off at Anfield after losing three of their last four matches to slip out of contention for a top-four finish.
Liverpool have only lost one of their previous 14 home league games against Crystal Palace but were beaten 3-1 at Selhurst Park earlier in the season.
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard expects his final game at Anfield on Saturday to be emotional
Palace are still in with a slim chance of finishing in the top half of the table if they win their final two games, but are also looking to avoid a fifth successive defeat.
Gerrard will be given a guard of honour and is likely to start alongside Jordan Henderson in midfield as manager Brendan Rodgers expects to have the same squad which drew at Chelsea last weekend.
After being sidelined by a hamstring injury for five weeks, defender Mamadou Sakho trained this week, as did striker Mario Balotelli.
Crystal Palace have a clean bill of health and academy winger Sullay Kaikai could be among several youngsters to make the trip to Merseyside.
Crystal Palace have found the back of the net in each of their last six Premier League matches against the Reds, including exactly three goals in their last two.
Palace have scored more goals in their past six league games against Liverpool (11) than the previous 19 (10).
Of Gerrard’s 92 Premier League assists, 51 have arrived at home. Only three players (Ryan Giggs 84, Dennis Bergkamp 66 and Frank Lampard 52) have provided more assists at home for a single club than the Liverpool captain has in the Premier League.
However, Gerrard has recorded just one assist this campaign, his lowest total since his debut season in the Premier League in 1998/99 (0 in 12 games).
Simon Mignolet and Jordan Henderson could make their 53rd appearance of the campaign in all competitions, more than any other Premier League player has managed.
Jason Puncheon (12) has had a hand in more Premier League goals than any other Crystal Palace player this season (five goals, seven assists).
No comments:
Post a Comment