Stoke City v Liverpool Betting: Visitors could be set for another frustrating encounter

Stoke City play host to Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Jurgen Klopp's men have been beaten in just one of their last seven games, but suffered a setback in their battle for a top four finish as they were held to a 2-2 draw against AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday; the men from Merseyside are chalked up as Paddy Power's 4/5 (1.80) favourites to return to winning ways by picking up three precious points against the Potters.

Stoke have suffered defeat in each of their last three matches, failing to find the net in both of their last two outings, but the Potters will hope to make home advantage count when they play host to the Reds.

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Chelsea's 2-1 win against Stoke last month was the first time in nine Premier League matches that Hughes' side had been beaten on home soil; furthermore Liverpool have won just one of their last seven matches away from home in all competitions and that came against Plymouth Argyle at Home Park in an FA Cup third round replay back in January.

Paddy Power's 17/5 (4.40) quote, therefore, for the hosts to inflict yet more away-day misery on Klopp's charges may well prove popular with punters, while the odds compilers offer 11/4 (3.75) that the match remains deadlocked at the end of 90 minutes.

Stoke suffered a 4-1 thumping when they visited Anfield in December and Paddy Power go 11/4 (3.75) that Liverpool score more than two goals when the rivalry is renewed, while the same firm go 23/10 (3.30) that Klopp's side win this match by more than a single goal margin.

Liverpool have often been razor-sharp in the final third this season; in fact, the Reds are the top scoring team in the top flight this term with an impressive tally of 66 league goals.

Klopp's men, however, have often failed to find their fluency on their travels; they have failed to score more than once in any of their last six away games and news that leading scorer Sadio Mane is set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines is a hammer blow.

The goals rarely seem to flow when the Potters are involved; there have been fewer than three goals scored in eight of Stoke's last 10 matches, with goals at both ends in just one of the last eight fixtures that Hughes' men have fulfilled.

Stoke have failed to score in three of their last four games and another tight tussle looks possible when the Reds visit the Potteries; Paddy Power's even money (2.0) quote, therefore, for fewer than three goals to be scored could offer decent value for punters ahead of Saturday's showdown.