Marseille v Liverpool live: Score and latest updates from crunch Champions League tie – UK Times

Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has scored 13 goals in major European competition for Marseille, netting three in the Champions League this term and 10 in the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League. Only Jean-Pierre Papin (23) has scored more for the club across major European competitions (excluding qualifiers).

Only Kylian Mbappé (9) has been involved in more Champions League goals than Aubameyang this season (7). With three goals and four assists, it’s the Gabon striker’s second best return in a single campaign in the competition after 2016/17 (7 goals, 1 assist).

Liverpool begin the day in 11th in the Champions League league phase table, though the Reds could potentially go as high as fourth with a win this evening (depending on results elsewhere).

Marseille are currently in 16th ahead of kick-off, though they could move as high as ninth with a win this evening.

Marseille’s 2-1 win against Newcastle in November ended a 12-game winless run against English sides in all competitions (D3 L9).

The last time the French side beat two different Premier League clubs in the same European campaign was in 2003/04, when they beat Newcastle and Liverpool in the UEFA Cup.

Marseille are on a run of 30 UEFA Champions League games without a draw (W8 L22) while Liverpool haven’t drawn any of their last 27 (W19 L8). It’s the two longest runs without a draw in the competition’s history.

Twelve-game unbeaten runs do not tend to be greeted by boos. The soundtrack on the final whistle at Anfield on Saturday, however, showed it is possible to be undefeated but unimpressive. Make it 13 at the Stade Velodrome and there will be greater reasons to argue a corner has been turned.

As it is, Liverpool have headed to Marseille with the jury out: on a revival that has seem to have stalled on Arne Slot. Social media polls and knee-jerk reactions are no reliable guide, and nor should they be the basis for sound decision-making, yet while Liverpool have plenty to play for in three competitions, the next few months are also significant for a sense of feeling: is the team headed in the right direction, the manager finding a formula that incorporates many of the arrivals in a record spending spree, or are Slot’s Liverpool going nowhere?

Roberto de Zerbi has made two changes to the team that beat Angers 5-2 at the weekend. Benjamin Pavard replaces Emerson at left wingback, while Bilal Nadir drops out in favour of Geoffrey Kondogbia in midfield.

Mohamed Salah returns for Liverpool as Arne Slot makes three changes to the side that drew to Burnley. Salah replaces Cody Gakpo on the wing, with Alexis Mac Allister coming in for Curtis Jones and Joe Gomez replacing Ibrahima Konate in defence.

Marseille XI: Rulli; Murillo, Balerdi, Medina, Pavard, Kondogbia, Hojbjerg, Weah, Greenwood, Traore, Gouiri.

Subs: De Lange, Van Neck, Egan-Riley, Gomes, Vermeeren, Nadir, Bakola, Doubal, O’Riley, Paixao, Mmadi, Aubameyang.

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Gomez, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Ekitike, Wirtz.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Endo, Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo, Robertson, Nyoni, Ngumoha.

The starting line-ups will be released in the next five minutes, so here’s a reminder of the early team news…

Derek Cornelius and Ruben Blanco remain absent for Marseille, while this game will come too soon for Nayef Aguerd after his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final.

Mohamed Salah has been included in the Liverpool squad after returning from Afcon, but Ibrahima Konate has not travelled having returned to France for family reasons. Joe Gomez is likely to partner Virgil van Dijk.

Dominik Szoboszlai is determined to put the worst week of his Liverpool career behind him as the Champions League returns with a top-eight place at stake.

The Hungary captain hit the crossbar with a first-half penalty in the 1-1 draw against Burnley on Saturday, five days after he gifted Barnsley a goal with a backheel in his own six-yard box.

Szoboszlai still has a lot of credit in the bank – he began the FA Cup win over the Tykes with a brilliant 35-yard strike – as the team’s best player this season but he is determined to rediscover his high standards.