Liverpool vs Stoke City Football League Cup Semi-final, Game 2 Preview

Liverpool welcome Stoke City to Anfield Tonight, with both sides looking to book a place in the League Cup final.

Heading into the clash with a one-goal lead, Jurgen Klopp‘s Reds will be confident of securing passage to their first final since 2011/12, when goals from Martin Skrtel and Dirk Kuyt helped them on the way to their last League Cup triumph, beating Cardiff City in a penalty shootout at Wembley Stadium.

Stoke will be looking to put a 3-0 defeat to Leicester City behind them with a positive result on Merseyside, and with Mark Hughes’ side showing strong signs of development over recent seasons, a place in the League Cup final would be the perfect way to cap their progress.

Putting last season’s 6-1 loss behind them, Liverpool have defeated Stoke on two occasions already this season, but with a potential final clash against either Manchester City or Everton on the line, previous results will prove insignificant.

Can Klopp lead his side to the first final of his Reds career—less than four months after his arrival—or will Hughes’ stylish Potters burst the German’s bubble on Tuesday night?

Player to watch

Marko Arnautović: The Austrian forward has scored seven goals in twenty one appearances for Stoke this season but is yet to open up his League Cup account. So often the catalyst for Stoke wins, his goal against Manchester United helped them to one big win this season. With the Potters relying on a big performance from somebody, don’t put it past the ton-knotted Arnautović to inspire a Stoke win on Tuesday evening.

Past three-meetings

Stoke City 0 Liverpool 1 (Ibe), League Cup, January 2016

Stoke City 0 Liverpool 1 (Coutinho), Premier League, August 2015

Stoke City 6 (Biram Diouf x2, Walters, Adam, N’Zonzi, Crouch) Liverpool 1 (Gerrard), Premier League, May 2015

Form guide

Liverpool: WWLDDW

Stoke City: LDWWLL

Vital information…

KICK-OFF TIME: Tuesday 25th January 19:45

BETTING WILLIAM HILL