Rickie Lambert looks set to be handed a rare opportunity tomorrow, with the England international expected to start Saturday’s Premier League clash against Queens Park Rangers in the absence of Mario Balotelli.
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The 33-year-old hasn’t started a game in any competition since the Champions League draw with Basel in early December. However, he has featured 32 times in all competitions, scoring three times.
According to the Liverpool Echo, Balotelli will miss the game after limping out of our last match, against Hull City, with a foot injury. He’ll be replaced by Lambert, who will return alongside Lucas Leiva and Steven Gerrard.
Mamadou Sakho and Daniel Sturridge remain sidelined but Alberto Moreno is expected to make the squad.
The returning quartet will be tasked with ending our uninspiring run of just one goal in our last three games – two of which ended in defeat. This means that the pressure will be on Lambert to produce in front of goal, despite netting just twice in the league this season.
He will at least be up against the Premier League’s worst defence. QPR have conceded 59 goals in 34 games this season, two more than their nearest rivals, Newcastle.