Jordan Henderson inspires Liverpool to their fifth successive victory, while Gylfi Sigurdsson and co. are unable to break down a stubborn visitors’ rearguard that serves up a seventh clean sheet in nine league outings.
Henderson’s strike of good fortune
Jordan Henderson somewhat fortuitously scored for the third league match in succession as Liverpool extended their unbeaten run to 13 with a 1-0 win over Swansea City. Henderson stormed through the Swans’ rearguard in an attempt to latch onto an exquisite Daniel Sturridge flick, before Jordi Amat’s attempted diving clearance cannoned off the Liverpool midfielder and looped over goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
Now with five goals and eight assists to his name this term, labelling Henderson as a differential does a disservice to his impressive output. The former Sunderland star ranks eighth among the full complement of Fantasy Premier League midfielders with 128 points, just four shy of team-mate Raheem Sterling and two better off than the heavily backed Cesc Fabregas. Priced at 6.4, Henderson is sure to attract a host of new suitors in the aftermath of Gameweek 29, although holding off until the resolution of Liverpool’s next two fixtures (MUN, ars) will be at the forefront of many managers’ minds.
Having operated as a wing-back in Liverpool’s previous two matches in all competitions, Raheem Sterling started in a central position behind Sturridge but was switched to the flank later on, as he swapped places with Adam Lallana. Despite only firing off one attempt on goal throughout the course of the match, Sterling was arguably the Merseysiders’ prime creative outlet, fashioning the most crosses (seven) and teeing up four chances for his team-mates. Nonetheless, his paucity of shots in recent Gameweeks provides food for thought for managers eyeing up alternative routes into Liverpool’s midfield.
Rodgers made one change from the XI that turned out against Burnley last Gameweek, with Mamadou Sakho replacing the benched Dejan Lovren. Steven Gerrard was fit enough to be named among the substitutes having recovered from his hamstring injury, while Mario Balotelli didn’t travel down to Wales with the squad due to illness.
A sixth consecutive clean sheet on the road for Liverpool underlines the unparalleled form of their rearguard. Only two sides (Man City and Tottenham Hotspur) have breached their defence in the last nine Gameweeks, yet the likes of Alberto Moreno (6.5%), Martin Skrtel (6.0%) still possess relatively low ownerships – a reflection, perhaps, of a lack of faith in their fixtures and attacking potential.
Sigurdsson unlucky in Swans defeat
Swansea City came close to breaking the deadlock on several occasions in the first half, with Gylfi Sigurdsson causing all sorts of problems for the hosts. Amongst midfielders, only Chelsea’s Oscar attempted more shots in Gameweek 29 than Sigurdsson (six to five), who provided ample encouragement for his 24% ownership.
Certainly, the Swans’ schedule through to Gameweek 35 (avl, HUL, EVE, lei, new, STO) looks like it could be a productive period for the 6.5-priced Icelandic midfielder, particularly if manager Garry Monk elects to stick with Sigurdsson as the focal point of Swansea’s attack.
Fit-again Bafetimbi Gomis was employed as the lone forward in Monk’s 4-3-2-1 formation, enabling Sigurdsson and Wayne Routledge to operate centrally behind the Frenchman. Gomis managed three attempts on goal and forced a good save out of Liverpool shot-stopper Simon Mignolet in the first 45, but Swansea evidently need their premier striker to offer more in Wilfried Bony’s absence – it’s just one goal in his last 16 league appearances now for the summer signing.
Monk was forced into one change at the Liberty Stadium, with Jordi Amat filling in for Federico Fernandez, who returned home due to undisclosed family issues. Ki Sung-yeung had a quiet match on the attacking front – after scoring three goals in his previous five starts, he failed to attempt a single shot this Gameweek.
