On Saturday, Celtic head back to Widnes this time to face City of Liverpool. Liverpool are three points and four places behind Celtic, with three games in hand. With a better goal difference, they are in a position to leap-frog us. Kick-off 3pm.

Liverpool have had two good spells this season, seeing them go unbeaten for several games. The first back in October and November ended when Celtic beat them 4-2 at Bower Fold. December saw them go unbeaten, lifting them to their current spot in the table. In the last three months of 2023, they lost two, drew two and won eight. Since the turn of the year, they have lost thee won two and drawn one. Most recently they beat Northwich 2-0 in Northwich, but their last home game was a 4-1 defeat to Prescot. At home they’ve lost four, won four and drawn three. Liverpool are joint holders of the best home win this season, standing at 5-0 over Vauxhall.

Josh Quarless leads their league goal scorers’ chart, with ten of their thirty-six goals this season, though Callum Scorah is only two behind on eight. On average, they scored their twenty-five home goals at a rate of 2.1 goals per game (1.8 overall), scoring in every home game and failing to score in three away matches. They conceded twenty of their thirty-six goals at home at a rate of 1.7 goals per game (1.4 overall) and kept two of their six clean sheets at home. With only nine of the forty-goals coming in the first forty minutes of a match, Liverpool definitely grow into the games they’ve played and have scored seventeen goals in the last quarter of an hour. Liverpool hold the current league record this season for the most consecutive game scored in, standing at eighteen, halted at the start of January when Leek beat them 5-0. We’ve only played City of Liverpool once, earlier in the season when we won 4-2 with goals frpom Darius Osei, Connor O’Grady and Aaron Dwyer, after dominating the second half.

In Liverpool’s last league match, the 2-0 away win over Northwich, Liverpool lined up as:
1. Calvin Hare
2. Michael Simpson
3. Jack Hont
4. Kenny Strickland
5. Michael Grogan
6. Simon Wills
7. Elliot Morris
8. Max Allen
9. Danny Mitchley
10. Josh Quarless
11. Jawad Jebrin

In Celtic’s last league match, the 1-0 home defeat by Runcorn, Celtic lined up as:
1. Luke Hewitson
2. Scott Wara
3. Cole Lonsdale
4. Dale Whitham
5. Connor O’Grady
6. Max Leonard
7. Aaron Dwyer
8. Michael Brewster
9. Darius Osei
10. Jordan Burton
11. Obua Mugalula

Craig Hobson will still be missing, serving the last of his three match ban after his sending off against Witton, but Aaron Dwyer had a full ninety against Runcorn.

A win could see Celtic return to the top five spots, with Clitheroe (away at Mossley) level on points but with a six better goal difference, while Bootle (away at Avro) are two points ahead. As well as City of Liverpool being within three points of Celtic, Chasetown and Widnes are capable of overtaking us, should we lose, as they play each other, only one could do so, meaning we could drop to tenth if we lose.