Liverpool travel to the King Power Stadium on Boxing Day for a clash that could well determine the pattern of the second half of the season.
A win for Brendan Rodgers’ high-flying Leicester City side would give the Foxes and Manchester City a slither of hope of catching the imperious front-runners, and they may just fancy their chances given the physical demands of Liverpool’s recent trip to Qatar for the Club World Cup.
The Foxes’ rise into the Premier League elite this season will naturally raise questions regarding the futures of a handful of their star players, including James Maddison and Ben Chilwell.
Ricardo Pereira, meanwhile, continues to thrive on the right side of Leicester’s defence without commanding much reported interest from domestic rivals, though Spurs have been linked of late.
But, according to the Daily Star, Liverpool were interested in signing him before he left Porto for Leicester. The report claims the Reds sent scouts to watch him in action for Nice several times and the club were willing to battle Inter Milan for his signature.
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Leicester eventually won the race and secured his services for what has already proven to be a bargain £22m. Given the standard of his performance this season, Brendan Rodgers may just be the envy of Europe’s top clubs.
So far this season, per Whoscored, the Portuguese full-back has averaged 4.2 tackles, 1.9 interceptions and 2.7 clearances per game. Defensively he is an immovable rock blessed with the pace and tenacity to protect the right flank, but equally he’s an asset going forward.
With 2.2 dribbles and 0.9 key passes per game Leicester have a marauding presence who can influence the headline fixtures. Strikes against Tottenham Hotspur this season and Manchester City on Boxing Day in 2018 attested to Pereira’s ability to be in the right place at the right time in the final third, and that’s something Jurgen Klopp will need to warn his players of in the pre-match buildup.
The 7-cap international’s defensive prowess suggests Sadio Mane will be facing one of his biggest individual battles of the season on Thursday, and if he can nullify the threat posed by the Senegalese attacker the hosts will have a chance of pulling off a positive result.
Leicester are blessed with an immensely talented set of individuals but it is the former Liverpool target who could well represent Klopp’s nemesis when the club’s go head-to-head tonight.
