At the Britannia stadium tomorrow night, a resilient Stoke City will host an unpredictable Liverpool side. Both Liverpool and the potters have faced defeat in their previous fixture which adds a relevant amount of spice to the game as both teams will be desperate to avoid another loss. In what was a goal fest at the Britannia recently when Steven Gerrard was playing his last match in Liverpool colours, a lot has changed at the Merseyside club. Keeping the player’s fatigue level in mind Jurgen Klopp will want to see his players bounce back after their last defeat when they face Stoke in the first leg of the Capital One Cup on Tuesday evening. Injuries have not helped the German manager and they will be looking for their first win against the Potters to take a lead into the second leg.
Liverpool
Team News
Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi are both sidelined with injuries for this encounter. The club captain Jordan Henderson along with James Milner and centre-back Martin Skrtel are rated as doubtful for the trip to Stoke.
Meanwhile, Stoke will miss Marc Muniesa, Stephen Ireland and Shay Given, all are sidelined with injuries.
Team form
Stoke City
- Last five: L W W L D
- Last result: West Bromwich Albion 2-1 Stoke City
Liverpool
- Last five: L W W L D
Last result: West Ham United 2-0 Liverpool
While Jurgen Klopp may make very few changes and make the game-play more connective, it is pretty unclear what Mark Hughes might do however the potters at the Britannia can whip up any team.
Predicted Lineups:-
*STOKE – Possible XI: Butland; Johnson, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters; Cameron, Whelan, Shaqiri, Walters, Arnautovic; Bojan.
Liverpool
Possible XI: Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Brad Smith ; Lucas, Can; Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho; Benteke.
Predictions:
Stoke 2 Liverpool 2
Liverpool
Who is Mangal Dalal? Millionaire accused of stalking Marie Hobinger forcing her to hire a bodyguard
Mangal Dalal, a 42-year-old London resident from Hyde Park Gardens in Westminster, pleaded guilty to stalking Liverpool midfielder Marie Hobinger at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
The Crown Prosecution Service authorized stalking charges after Dalal sent the 24-year-old Austria international repeated inappropriate and se*ually explicit messages via Instagram between January 27 and February 16, 2025.
Disturbing Pattern of Messages
Dalal bombarded Hobinger with messages that often contained se*ually explicit content, including his mobile number and postcode. He repeatedly asked the midfielder to visit him and hinted he would attend Liverpool matches specifically to see her.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Sarah McInerney described Dalal’s conduct as “intense, continual and totally inappropriate,” stating he “targeted her and treated her as an object that he could use to air his fantasies.”
Pitch-Side Confrontation Forces Action
After blocking Dalal and reporting the messages to Liverpool, Hobinger became increasingly concerned for her safety. The club assigned a safety officer to travel with her to matches as a protective measure.
On February 16, Dalal travelled from London to Manchester City’s Joie Stadium, where Liverpool suffered a 4-0 defeat with Hobinger playing the full 90 minutes. He waited pitch-side at the final whistle before a steward spotted him and alerted Liverpool’s safety officer, who identified Dalal as the stalker before police were called.
Mental Health Defense and Sentencing
When questioned by police, Dalal admitted to stalking Hobinger but claimed he was “mentally unwell” at the time of the offenses. He will be sentenced on January 20, 2026 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where he faces potential imprisonment for his criminal behavior.
Liverpool manager Gareth Taylor expressed concern that Hobinger was publicly named as the victim, though the CPS justified the decision by explaining her prominent role in professional football was precisely why she was targeted.
Prosecutors hope publicizing the case will deter similar behavior and encourage other victims to come forward. Hobinger currently remains sidelined after suffering an ACL injury in October, just days before teammate Sophie Roman Haug sustained the same devastating injury.
Also read: Less Than 12 Months Since Joining The Club, Arsenal Full-Back’s Exit Looks Inevitable
Arsenal Women look to bounce back from consecutive frustrating results when they host bottom-of-the-table Liverpool at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners have drawn their last two WSL matches and sit fourth, eight points behind leaders Manchester City, while the Reds remain winless with just two points from eight games.
Kick-off: 12:00 GMT, Saturday, December 6, 2025
Venue: Emirates Stadium
TV: Sky Sports Football
Form Guide
Arsenal held Tottenham to a goalless north London derby at Brisbane Road on November 16, dominating possession but failing to convert 13 attempts into goals.
Three days later, they came from behind to beat Real Madrid 2-1 in the Champions League at Meadow Park, with Alessia Russo scoring twice after Caroline Weir’s opener.
Liverpool drew 1-1 with Chelsea at Anfield before the international break, their second consecutive draw following a 1-1 stalemate with Brighton. The Reds sit bottom with two points and have lost all three away fixtures, scoring just once on the road this season.
Team News
Arsenal’s Chloe Kelly is a major doubt after lasting just 20 minutes of England’s 2-0 win over Ghana on Tuesday, clutching her knee following a blocked cross. Sarina Wiegman confirmed Kelly “felt something with her knee that didn’t feel right” but could walk off. Her availability for Saturday remains uncertain.
Captain Kim Little could return after missing international duty, though Lia Walti remains unavailable. Leah Williamson continues recovering from her Euro 2025 knee injury. Katie Reid (ACL), Lina Hurtig, Laura Wienroither and Manuela Zinsberger (ACL) are all long-term absentees.
Liverpool captain Grace Fisk is ruled out for 10 days after suffering a calf problem during England training. Risa Shimizu also remains sidelined. Sophie Roman Haug and Marie Hobinger are long-term casualties with ACL injuries suffered days apart in October.
Predicted Lineups
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Van Domselaar; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe; Walti, Little; Foord, Maanum, Mead; Russo
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Laws; Parry, Clark, Matthews, Hinz; Holland, Nagano; Lundgaard, Daniels, Enderby; Olsson
Liverpool
Injury to Key Defender on International Duty Frustrates Liverpool Boss Gareth Taylor: “Has Come at a Really Bad Time”
Liverpool captain Grace Fisk will miss at least 10 days after suffering a calf injury during England duty, ruling her out of Saturday’s crucial WSL clash against Arsenal.
Head coach Gareth Taylor expressed frustration at the timing, particularly given the club’s limited defensive options with Risa Shimizu already sidelined.
Grace Fisk’s Calf Injury Leaves Liverpool Boss Gareth Taylor “Frustrated” Ahead of Arsenal Clash
Fisk withdrew from England’s squad on Monday after picking up the injury in training ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against Ghana at St Mary’s Stadium.
The 27-year-old was an unused substitute during England’s 8-0 demolition of China at Wembley on Saturday, having earned her first senior call-up following Katie Reid’s ACL injury in October.
Taylor Faces Selection Headache
Speaking to Liverpool’s official website, Taylor confirmed Fisk’s absence compounds existing defensive problems. With Shimizu unavailable and Lucy Parry restricted to limited minutes, the manager faces difficult decisions ahead of fixtures against Arsenal, Aston Villa and West Ham before the winter break.
Injury-Hit Squad Struggles
Liverpool remain winless in eight WSL matches this season, collecting just two points while sitting bottom of the table.
Recent draws against Brighton and reigning champions Chelsea showed improvement, but the club has been decimated by injuries across the squad. Sophie Roman Haug and Marie Hobinger both suffered ACL injuries days apart, while Alejandra Bernabe has managed only seven minutes all season following her own injury return.
Steph Houghton has urged Liverpool to reinvest the £1 million received from Olivia Smith’s summer sale to Arsenal during January’s transfer window to boost their survival chances.
Also read: Grace Fisk Update: What Has Caused The Liverpool Defender to Withdraw From England Squad?
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