Liverpool vs Leeds United 13/09/20

13 `September 2020

Liverpool will begin their defending Premier League campaign against newly-promoted Leeds United at Anfield this weekend.

The reigning English champions dropped points on just six occasions last season (W32, D3, L3) to finish a whopping 18 points clear of second-placed Manchester City. Anfield was somewhat a fortress in 2019/20, as Liverpool won all but one of their 19 top-flight home fixtures (D1). Notably, 12 of their 18 Premier League home wins last season yielded at least a two-goal margin at full-time, with 14 seeing the ‘Reds’ lead at half-time! That’s mainly thanks to the fact Jurgen Klopp’s side conceded a league joint-low seven first-half goals at home in 2019/20. Simultaneously, they netted the division’s high 29 first-half goals in the same timeframe. Despite winning both of their previous top-flight H2Hs held at this venue via the identical 3-1 scoreline each, it’s worth noting that this will be their first such clash since 2003.

As for the visitors, they finished top of the Championship table last season to secure promotion to the Premier League for the first time after 17 years! They did that in style, winning 60.87% of their league fixtures (28/46), including the last six. Notably, 15 (53.57%) of those 28 triumphs came via at least a two-goal margin. Additionally, a clear majority (75%) of Leeds’ wins throughout their victorious Championship campaign yielded a clean sheet (21/28). The ‘Whites’ often tend to step up their game after the half-time break, as 27 (72.97%) of their 37 Championship goals scored away from home last season arrived in the second half of play.