Liverpool return to Premier League action against Cardiff on Sunday; here are all the best stats and facts for the match ahead of kick-off.
Recent trials
They last met in South Wales in March 2014 when Liverpool won 6-3. Luis Suarez hit his sixth hat-trick for the club to equal Robbie Fowler’s Premier League club record of 28 goals in a campaign.
Cardiff led twice in the game but the Reds registered further goals through Martin Skrel (twice) and Daniel Sturridge.
From the two encounters in 2013-14 only Simon Mignolet, Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge remain at Anfield.
Since 1959 the sides have met five times with Liverpool winning all five, with three coming in the league and the others in the League Cup—including the 2012 final, where the Reds required penalties to prevail after a 2-2 draw.
The teams have faced each other three times in the Premier League era with the trio of fixtures producing 18 goals. Liverpool have won 3-1, 6-3 and 4-1.
Liverpool have won four of the last 12 league meetings home and away, including each of the last three. The Reds have never beaten Cardiff four times in a row.
Count the goals
Liverpool have never kept a clean sheet in the league against City in Wales in 14 visits.
There has never been a goalless draw in 33 games played between the sides in all competitions.
The last 12 league encounters have seen a total of 52 goals scored.
The Reds are two goals short of recording 50 in the league against Cardiff home and away.
Jurgen Klopp‘s men have scored the first goal in 24 league games this season, going on to win 21 and draw three.
Our hero
In the Anfield clash earlier in the campaign Virgil van Dijk captained Liverpool for the first time.
The Reds have conceded seven goals in the last 13 league and cup games—keeping seven clean sheets in the process.
Virgil van Dijk has scored five goals for the Reds this season. Only the front three, plus James Milner and Xherdan Shaqiri, have scored more.
Campaign to remember
The Reds now have 85 points from 34 matches. In only nine seasons (converted to three points for a win) have they amassed more.
A win in this fixture would see them register their joint-fourth highest ever points tally (based on three points for a win).
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 17 games since going out of the FA Cup at Wolves in January, winning 12 and drawing five.
The Reds, in seven of the last 10 games, have scored at least one goal in the final 10 minutes.
Attack attack attack
Roberto Firmino is two goals short of recording 50 in the league for the Reds.
Sadio Mane‘s 22 goals this season in all competitions is his best tally in a single campaign for an English side. He has scored nine goals in his last 10 games in league and cup.
Firmino, Mane and Mo Salah have all found the net in the same Liverpool game on 12 occasions this season.
Bluebirds’ battle
Should City avoid relegation this season then in 2019-20 they will play in the top-flight for a second successive campaign for the first time since 1961-62.
In the meeting at Anfield last October the Bluebirds had two touches in the Liverpool penalty box in the whole game—one from which they scored.
Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge saved a penalty in each of Cardiff’s opening two games and has now saved three, against Bournemouth, Newcastle and Leicester. He is the first player from the Philippines to play in the English Premier League.
Lee Peltier played four times for Liverpool, all during the 2006-07 season and all in cup competitions.
Neil Warnock has faced Liverpool seven times in the league as a manager. He has won once, with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in November 2014.
Cardiff have lost six of their last eight Premier League games.
The Welshmen have lost nine times at home this season in the top-flight, winning six.
Scorers this season
Liverpool: Salah 23, Mane 22, Firmino 16, Milner 6, Shaqiri 6, Sturridge 4, van Dijk 5, Origi 3, Keita 2, Wijnaldum 2, Alexander-Arnold 1, Fabinho 1, Henderson 1, Lovren 1, Matip 1, own goals 3.
Cardiff: Camarasa 5, Bamba 4, Paterson 4, Reid 4, Hoilett 3, J. Murphy 3, Mendez-Laing 2, Ecuele Manga 1, Gunnarsson 1, K. Harris 1, Morrison 1, Ward 1, Zohore 1.
All stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea.
Fan Comments