Liverpool kick off their UEFA Champions League campaign at home to Atletico Madrid in their league phase opener.
Liverpool qualified for this stage of the competition as Premier League champions, whilst Atletico finished third in La Liga.
Team News
Alexander Isak could make his debut for Liverpool after he wasn’t fit enough to feature in their 3-0 Premier League win at Burnley last Sunday.
Curtis Jones remains sidelined with an unspecified injury.
Atletico Madrid will be without forward, Julian Alvarez after he suffered a knee injury in their 2-0 La Liga win over Villarreal.
Robin Le Normand (back) and David Hancko (ankle) are doubts but Jose Maria Gimenez, Alex Baena and Thiago Almada are all ruled out with muscle injuries.
When is Kick-Off?
Liverpool host Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday 17 September at 8pm BST, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Liverpool are unbeaten in four of six previous Champions League meetings against Atletico Madrid (W2, D2, L2).
- Atletico Madrid have won one of their three previous Champions League trips to Liverpool at Anfield (W1, D1, L1).
- Liverpool have scored twice in each of their last three home games against Atletico Madrid (W2, L1).
- Arne Slot’s Reds kept three clean sheets in four home games within this stage of the competition last season (W4).
- Atletico Madrid kept a single clean sheet in four away games within this stage of the competition last season (W3, L1).
Prediction
Having produced a sloppy display in their lucky win at Burnley where they turned up looking like a team who expected an easy win, Liverpool now need to knuckle down because this is a game where they must properly graft for victory rather than expect it on a plate.
Atletico meanwhile made a sluggish start to their domestic season with no wins in their first three games but a clinical victory at home to Villarreal will give them some confidence, but their attack will need to be more ruthless if want to match Liverpool’s quality and intensity.
I however do think that Liverpool will be too strong for Atletico especially if Isak makes an appearance off the bench, but it should still be a close game.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid
Result: Liverpool 3-2 Atletico Madrid
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