Liverpool have made the trip to Germany for tonight’s clash with RB Leipzig in what promises to be a superb night of Champions League action.
The Reds have won both of their European matches so far earning a 3-1 win away at AC Milan before besting Bologna 2-0 at Anfield just before the international break.
A 2-1 Premier League victory over Chelsea last Sunday further proved Arne Slot’s credentials as a worthy replacement for Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool boss will hope to move a step closer to the Champions League knockout rounds tonight.
Leipzig will be tough opponents though. They are still unbeaten in the Bundesliga and go into the match second in the table to Bayern Munich on goal difference. Yet, in Europe they have lost both their matches, to Atletico Madrid and Juventus, so they will be keen to get themselves up and running in the league phase.
Follow all the Champions League action with our live blog below:
Reds well drilled
Liverpool have been put through their paces ahead of this match. They overcame Chelsea at the weekend and another victory tonight would be a big bonus for Arne Slot’s side.
Mike Jones23 October 2024 19:00
Liverpool versus German opposition
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 12 meetings with German opposition in all European competition (winning nine and drawing three).
Mike Jones23 October 2024 18:55
Liverpool team changes
Arne Slot makes three changes to the Liverpool team that defeated Chelsea at the weekend. Kostas Tsimikas comes into the defence in place of Andy Robertson.
In midfield Alexis Mac Allister comes in for Curtis Jones while Darwin Nunez starts and Diogo Jota drops out due to injury.
Mike Jones23 October 2024 18:53
RB Leipzig vs Liverpool line-ups
RB Leipzig XI: Gulacsi, Geertruida, Orban, Nusa, Haidara, Simons, Openda, Vermeeren, Lukeba, Sesko, Henrichs
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo
Mike Jones23 October 2024 18:48
Szoboszlai returns to Leipzig
Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai makes his return to a former club tonight when the Reds face RB Leipzig.
In 91 appearances for Leipzig between 2021 and 2023, Szoboszlai scored 20 goals and provided 22 assists. He won the German Cup in both 2021/22 and 2022/23, scoring the second goal in the latter victory – his last game for the German club.
Mike Jones23 October 2024 18:40
Curtis Jones embodies Steven Gerrard as Liverpool pass toughest test under Arne Slot
When Arne Slot had suggested Chelsea were potential champions, it posed the question of whether they could keep up with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool. It soon transpired they could not keep up with the Joneses.
Or not Curtis Jones, anyway. Winners are not always scored by the best player on the pitch but, in a match that could shape two clubs’ seasons, this one was.
Jones’ display of extraordinary dynamism restored Liverpool to the top of the table. It meant that Chelsea, already beaten by Manchester City, have failed their two biggest tests of the season so far. Liverpool, now seven points clear of them, have passed their toughest.
Mike Jones23 October 2024 18:35
Rose not stressing over Leipzig’s European form
RB Leipzig have ot won in the Champions League yet this season but their manager Marco Rose isn’t too worried about the situation and hopes his players will be able to take points away from Liverpool this evening.
“To lose is never good, we are not relaxed, but we know we could have won more points with maybe a better performance an with more luck,” Rose said when asked about their Champions League campaign so far.
“Now we face Liverpool, another great team. It is our third match with five more coming up, also against strong opponents. Considering our start to this competition, of course there is a little bit of pressure built up.
“(Wednesday) will not be decisive but it will be important to get some points, to relieve some of the pressure, and it would be cool to start that against Liverpool.”
Mike Jones23 October 2024 18:30
“We’ll work together again”: Leipzig boss Marco Rose on Jurgen Klopp
Leipzig coach Marco Rose knows Klopp better than most, having spent six seasons playing for him at Mainz, and he learned a huge amount from his old boss, both as a player and now a coach.
“(When I was a player) he always brought a lot of energy into our team,” Rose said. “Maybe we would be feeling weak but he came in and gave us the confidence, the power to play the next match and to believe in yourself, to believe that every situation can be turned around.
“As a coach, you can learn a lot from him. We might not always have been of the same opinion, but how he leads a group is unique, his honesty. Then it is especially about defending that I learned from him a lot.
“He is a great personality and a great person. I loved working together with him and I’m happy that we’ll work together again.”
Mike Jones23 October 2024 18:25
Chiesa still not ready to feature
Federico Chiesa was one of Liverpool’s summer signings and would have expected to play a big part in their campaigns in the Premier League and Champions League this season.
But, he’s been plagued with a lack of match fitness due to injuries and other factors meaning he is still not available to Arne Slot.
“He missed a complete pre-season, I said this many times, and going to a league where the intensity might even be higher than the Italian league. We just faced the two Italian teams so I can say this now,” said Slot.
“So that makes it difficult for him to make the step towards the intensity levels the rest of the team is at at the moment. That has not so much to do with the Italian league or the Premier League, that has more to do with him missing a complete pre-season and that is so difficult for every player – when the games are constantly there – to build them up towards the levels we are at.
“So, difficult to say [a timeframe] but it’s a big disappointment for him that he is going in and out of the training sessions all the time.”
Mike Jones23 October 2024 18:20
Arne Slot provides Diogo Jota update
Diogo Jota was subbed off in the first half of Liverpool’s match against Chelsea at the weekend and now looks set for a spell on the sidelines.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot addressed Jota’s injury saying: “We have a few issues at the moment.
“He got a knock [on Sunday], like we all saw, when he was trying to go to goal, brought down. That was not the biggest problem but I think the other player fell onto him and that hurt him that much that he couldn’t continue to play and he couldn’t come with us for now.
“It’s difficult to judge at this moment of time to see how long that’s going to take. It’s bruised, so we have to see how long it is going to take.”
Mike Jones23 October 2024 18:15