Liverpool have been handed a tricky opening fixture list as they prepare for the defence of their Premiership title. The Reds will have played only three friendlies (Stuttgart, Salzburg and Blackpool) plus a Charity Shield game against Arsenal when they lineup against newly promoted Leeds at Anfield next week.
Here is a look at Liverpool’s first few fixtures, and our view of them.
It was Lens against Nice last weekend, and it ended up being Brest-Marseille in Game Week 2. A fixture that the lesser fancied team edged on xG, but weren’t quite able to convert into points.
xG Brest Marseille 1.95-1.26 (Actual Score Brest 2 Marseille 3)
xG of individual goals
0-1 Marseille Florian Thauvin xG (0.05)
0-2 Marseille Caleta-Car xG (0.49)
1-2 Brest Faivre xG (0.06)
1-3 Marseille Caleta-Car xG (0.06)
2-3 Brest Charbonnier xG (0.52)
xG of some major chances that didn’t result in goals
Charbonnier 66′ xG (0.32)- for SB29
Tavares 88′ xG (0.29)- for SB29
Balerdi 84′ xG (0.46)-for OM
Brest had been taken to the cleaners last weekend by Nimes, but put on a much improved performance in what was a very open game against Andre-Villas Boas’ side.
Liverpool beat Chelsea 5-3 on July 22, 2020 in one of the classics of the current 2019/20 league season, but the expected goals metric has an interesting story to say.
Actual goals: Liverpool 5-3 Chelsea
Expected goals: Liverpool 1.45-2.38 Chelsea
xG of individual Liverpool goals v Chelsea July 22, 2020
Naby Keita goal xG: 0.02 (1-0, 23nd minute)
Alexander Arnold goal xG: 0.04 (2-0, 38th minute)
Wijnaldum goal xG: 0.07 (3-0, 43nd minute)
Firmino goal xG: 0.41 (4-1, 55th minute)
Ox goal xG: 0.15 (5-3, 84th minute)
Virgil van Dijk had a late chance (91st minute) that had a xG of 0.50, bigger than any of the Liverpool goals on the evening.
xG of individual Chelsea goals v Liverpool July 22, 2020
Olivier Giroud goal xG: 0.66 (3-1, 45+3′ minute)
Tammy Abraham goal xG: 0.70 (4-2, 61th minute)
Christian Pulisic goal xG: 0.06 (4-3, 73rd minute)
