Premier League preview: Stoke City v Liverpool
Had things been a little different, Jermaine Pennant could have written his name into Liverpool folklore instead of being just a mere footnote.
Handed a start by Reds boss Rafael Benitez in the 2007 Champions League final in Athens, the winger was Liverpool’s best performer against AC Milan – twisting and turning left back Marek Jankulovski to within an inch of his life, and seeing a first half effort well saved by Brazilian goalkeeper Dida. In the event, Filippo Inzaghi’s brace won Milan the giant trophy, but the failure – and subsequent release from the club – hasn’t dulled Pennant’s respect for the Reds.
“Liverpool's always going to be a massive club,” said Pennant, these days patrolling the right wing for Stoke City, and about to face a second former club in five days following Tuesday night’s 3-2 win over Birmingham City at the Britannia Stadium.
“I would just about take another nerve-wrecking 3-2 win,” he admitted, none too surprisingly, “and I'm sure the supporters would too although I don't know how many could put up with all of that tension again.”
Quite right. Tuesday night saw Stoke go 2-0 up, before conceding twice in two minutes to surrender their lead, and then snatching a late winner through Dean Whitehead’s first goal for the club.
It was a win that ensured Stoke left the relegation zone behind, and lightened boss Tony Pulis’ mood following weeks of seething over several questionable decisions that went against his side. That forgotten about – until the next blow of a referee’s whistle at any case – it’s on to focusing on the Reds.
“It will be a totally different game to Birmingham because I expect Liverpool to be technically better,” continued Pennant, “but hopefully coming here they won’t like it. They have had a few good results recently which will have given them a huge lift, but we are confident, especially here on our own patch. What we cannot afford to do though is sit back and invite them on to us, because as you often see with the big teams, a goal will come sooner or later.”
Whether sooner or later, should that goal arrive then it is likely to involve Fernando Torres.
After scoring three times in his last two games, Torres has now either scored or helped assist 10 of the Reds’ 13 Premier League goals this season – and he wasn’t on the pitch for two of the three others.
The Spaniard’s importance to his club doesn’t really need emphasising, but boss Roy Hodgson was again at pains to point it out following the draw at Wigan in midweek, a result somewhat selflessly blamed on himself by Steven Gerrard – who misplaced a pass in the build-up to Wigan’s equaliser, and hit the underside of the crossbar in the dying moments. You suspect that the Liverpool captain has won more points for his club than he’s lost.
Yet he’ll know that Stoke – or more precisely the slingshot-armed Rory Delap – present their own unique challenges, particularly one that has got the Liverpool defence making special plans.
“We must try to be in the right place at the right time,” said Reds defender Martin Škrtel, who has faced Stoke three times since arriving in English football from Zenit St. Petersburg in January 2008. “It's not easy defending a long throw, so we have to be careful and work together with (goalkeeper) Pepe Reina.
“We'll be very close to our goal, so we have to stay close to their players and try to clear space for Pepe to get it. Then he has to try to catch the ball.”
The extra need for a physical presence is likely to see Sotirios Kyrgiakos – a scorer as the Reds drew here last season – return to the side following his tonsillitis, probably replacing Martin Kelly with Jamie Carragher moving to right back. Glen Johnson and Joe Cole are still out, while Raul Meireles is doubtful after being replaced at half time at Wigan after feeling ill.
Stoke will have Ryan Shawcross back after a ban, with Pulis facing a choice over whether or not to start with Ricardo Fuller, who was shattered after his goalscoring performance against Birmingham.
An infamously difficult Premier League ground to visit, Stoke’s Britannia Stadium probably isn’t top of the list of where Liverpool would like to go right now, but the Reds should at least prolong a run that sees them unbeaten in their last six matches in all competitions.
Torres will be vital, as will Pennant for his side, but both may have to settle for a point.
Prediction: Stoke 1 Liverpool 1
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