Liverpool V Norwich at Anfield : Match Preview

20 September 2015 11:40
Liverpool V Norwich - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


Brendan Rodgers wants Liverpool to take more risks but loses Jordan Henderson

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers wants to see his side taking more risks in attack as they bid to remedy their goalscoring problem.

The Reds have netted only three times in their opening five Barclays Premier League games this season but will be hoping for a considerable boost to the tally on Sunday when they host Norwich, against whom they have notched 21 goals in their past five meetings.

And even with a fresh injury blow for club captain Jordan Henderson, who faces a further eight weeks out of action, Rodgers is hopeful his side can respond in the desired fashion.

Ahead of the contest at Anfield, Rodgers said: "It is about risk-taking.

"I think, for some reason, that wee bit of risk has gone out of our game.

"We need to ensure we take those risks in order to create in the game and bring that intensity to it.

"The players have been working really hard at that over the last week or so and it only takes that one performance to spin the season around again."

Liverpool - with seven points so far, the same as newly-promoted Norwich - go into Sunday's match having lost their previous two league games, 3-0 to West Ham and then 3-1 at Manchester United.

In terms of risk-taking, Rodgers may well be thinking of the kind of individual moments of daring that saw Christian Benteke score acrobatically at Old Trafford - or Adam Lallana nutmeg an opponent before slotting in during Thursday's 1-1 Europa League draw at Bordeaux.

Rodgers has expressed his confidence about things improving for the Reds as various personnel become available again, with Daniel Sturridge and Joe Allen in contention to make their comebacks from injury on Sunday.

Henderson, though, has broken a bone in his right foot in training on Friday - just as he was due to return from a heel problem.

Liverpool also have key playmaker Philippe Coutinho available again after he missed the United defeat due to a one-match suspension.

Defender Kolo Toure is being assessed having sustained a dead leg in the Bordeaux contest.

Rodgers deserves time to fix the problems at Anfield, according to Norwich manager Alex Neil.

"Brendan Rodgers has proved himself a manager, there's no question about that," Neil said.

"He nearly won the league with Liverpool. Who am I to comment on Brendan Rodgers? He's done fantastically well as a manager in his career.

"People always say it's a good time to play them, we'll just look at what we do and see where it takes us.

"I don't buy this, 'Liverpool are in crisis'. Liverpool have got good players, they're well managed and they'll be a danger to any team in the league.

"It's something all teams go through when they're really good and then when they don't perform as well as they should do.

"Players aren't robots, maybe the combinations in the team aren't functioning as well as they can or there may just be a loss of form in the group."

Norwich are currently level with Liverpool on seven points following an encouraging start to their battle for Barclays Premier League survival.

Wins against Sunderland and Bournemouth, as well a draw against Stoke, mean the Canaries sit ninth in the table ahead of their trip to Anfield.

"Our away record has been really good because we've gone with a method to win the game," Neil said.

"Every game has been different. Sometimes we've been very aggressive from the start, sometimes we play on the counter-attack.

"We've got a plan which we have worked on in training and hopefully that gives us the best chance of coming away on Sunday with some points."

Norwich defender Andre Wisdom, on loan from Liverpool, is ineligible and Gary Hooper is out with an ankle injury but Lewis Grabban has returned to training and is available.


Source: PAR