Back fearless Swansea to end Reds’ run of shut-outs

Brendan Rodgers’ in-form Liverpool side head to the Liberty Stadium on Monday night knowing that a fourth consecutive win will send them straight back to the top of the Premier League.

Victory in Wales – the visitors can be backed at 23/20 – would see them become the only top flight side with a 100% record, and would no doubt fuel murmurs of a potential title challenge on Merseyside. The Reds are 11/1 to become league winners for the first time since 1990.

Such talk of course is premature, but few can argue that Liverpool haven’t impressed in their first three games. Their success so far has been based on a measly defence that is yet to concede a goal, and the goalscoring instincts of Daniel Sturridge (4/1 fav to score first), who has scored the winner in each of their 1-0 wins so far.

What’s more, new faces were brought in on deadline day, with Mamadou Sakho and Victor Moses (10/1 to score first) in line for starts, though arguably Rodgers’ best bit of business was ensuring that Luis Suarez stays on Merseyside for at least another season. Add him into the mix once he returns from suspension and the proposition becomes an even more potent one.

Attacking threat is not something Monday’s opponents are lacking, either. The impressive set up that Rodgers himself was so influential in establishing has arguably been taken up a notch by his successor, Brian Laudrup, with the possession game of his predecessor adapted in favour of a more overtly direct and attacking approach.

As well a top ten finish last season, Laudrup’s philosophy brought a first-ever League Cup to Swansea, following their humbling of League Two Bradford in the final at Wembley.

But Laudrup hasn’t rested on his laurels. Wilfried Bony (6/1 to score first) has been brought in to add brawn up top alongside the guile of last season’s 18-goal revelation Michu (also 6/1), while Jonjo Shelvey has arrived from Liverpool to add more goals from midfield, replacing the more conservative Leon Britton, a former Rodgers favourite and a further indication of Laudrup’s more attacking outlook. Shelvey is 9/2 to score at any time against his former club.

And with wingers Wayne Routledge and Pablo Hernandez among the goals already this season, Simon Mignolet could well find himself retrieving the ball from his net for the first time in a Liverpool shirt. Swansea have 13 goals in all competitions (including European games) so far this term and are 12/5 for the win, but both teams to score at 3/4 looks the bet of the night.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.