2022-23 UEFA Champions League Group Stage: Ajax vs Liverpool

Ajax welcome Liverpool to Johan Cruyff Arena in Group A of 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.

Victory would see Ajax keep their knockout qualification dreams alive, whereas Liverpool will secure qualification for the knockout stage with a win.

 

Team News

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Kenneth Taylor is a doubt for Ajax due to a muscle injury.

Ahmetcan Kaplan (knee), Devyne Rensch (muscle) and Mohamed Ihattaren (fitness) are ruled out.

Liverpool could welcome Thiago Alcantara back into midfield after he missed their defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, due to an ear infection which occurred overnight pre-match.

Darwin Nunez could also feature after a muscle injury forced him to skip the Reds’ trip to Forest.

Joel Matip, Diogo Jota (both calf), Ibrahima Konate (muscle), Luis Diaz (knee), Arthur Melo (muscle) and Naby Keita (unspecified) remain absent.

 

Stat Attack

• Ajax have won just one of five previous meetings against Liverpool (W1, D1, L3), although their only win came in December 1966 at home when this competition was then named as European Cup.
• Liverpool have won just one of two previous visits to Ajax (W1, L1), with their win coming in October 2020 under the modern ‘Champions League’ era.
• Ajax have failed to keep clean sheets in their two previous home meetings against Liverpool.
• Coming into this matchweek, Ajax has produced the joint-highest number of tackles in the Group Stage – having made 70 tackles alongside Benfica.
• No forward has produced more assists in the Group Stage than Liverpool’s Diogo Jota (4), who is now ruled out with injury.

 

Prediction

Since defeating SC Heerenveen in Eredivisie in early September, Ajax have become a team of two halves because their attack is still strong with 21 goals yet their defence have conceded 19 goals, so they will need to be at their best here defensively if want the win.

Liverpool’s mini-resurgence meanwhile hit a brick wall at Forest on Saturday because they just lacked poor finishing touch and power in their end product – despite largely dominating the game, whilst their defence was undone by poor marking of Taiwo Awoyini’s goal.

It is therefore no surprise that poor defending seems to be a common link between Ajax and Liverpool coming into this clash, so I can see this game either being a tight cagey contest or a goalfest but a part of me does see a score draw here if it is a close game.

Prediction: Ajax 1-1 Liverpool

Result: Ajax 0-3 Liverpool