Liverpool can set a club record with a victory over Leipzig in the Champions League, with Arne Slot‘s squad aiming to clinch yet another win on the road this season.
Leipzig vs. Liverpool
Champions League League Phase (3) | Red Bull Arena
October 23, 2024 | 8pm (BST)
Arne Slot‘s side enjoyed another morale-boosting victory over the weekend to ensure the Reds can bounce into their latest Champions League contest.
Liverpool are not without their injury concerns but they still have a deep squad capable of securing their third successive win in the competition.
The Reds started the matchweek fifth in the Champions League table and meet a Leipzig side in 29th (out of 36 teams) – here is everything you need to know ahead of Wednesday’s kickoff.
1. No Jota and still no Chiesa
Diogo Jota did not train with the rest of the team on Tuesday nor travel to Leipzig after a heavy collision against Chelsea that forced him off after 30 minutes.
Slot has explained he has ‘bruising’ in his upper body but did not offer a timeline for his return.
Federico Chiesa was, again, not spotted with his teammates to extend his absence beyond three weeks, and the manager’s update suggests we won’t be seeing him anytime soon.
The total number of absences for Liverpool is now five, with the duo joined by Conor Bradley, Alisson and Harvey Elliott to remain on Merseyside.
2. 21-man travelling squad named
Liverpool have 21 players available to them for the trip to Germany and, thankfully, there were no late withdrawals. So, this is who Slot has to pick from on Wednesday evening:
Goalkeepers: Kelleher, Jaros, Davies
Defenders: Van Dijk, Quansah, Konate, Gomez, Alexander-Arnold, Tsimikas, Robertson
Midfielders: Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones, Endo, Gravenberch, Morton, Nyoni
Forwards: Salah, Gakpo, Diaz, Nunez
3. Contrasting form for Leipzig
On one hand, Liverpool’s opponents are unbeaten in the Bundesliga and have conceded just two goals after seven matches.
It places Marco Rose’s side as joint-league leaders alongside Bayern Munich on 17 points, and their run has included a notable victory over Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen.
In the Champions League, though, it is a different story. They were one of eight teams yet to get off the mark in the opening two rounds following narrow defeats to Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
They’ll be keeping Slot and Co. on their toes!
Possible Leipzig XI: Gulacsi; Orban, Klostermann, Lukeba; Geertruida, Haidara, Vermeeren, Nusa; Simons; Sesko, Openda
4. Expecting changes from Slot
Slot has not made more than two changes to his lineup in the previous two Champions League games, but with injuries and a busy schedule ahead, that is surely about to change.
It would not be surprising to see him make five changes to the team that won on the weekend, with Jarell Quansah, Kostas Tsimikas, Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez all in line to start.
It is still a very strong XI and one capable of getting the job done, but do not discount Joe Gomez getting a rare look considering Trent Alexander-Arnold was in doubt before the Chelsea game.
As Szoboszlai was chosen for pre-match media duties, we are predicting he is in the XI.
Predicted Reds XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Diaz, Nunez
5. Travelling Kop
Liverpool have been allocated 2,294 tickets at the Red Bull Arena, and standing tickets priced at just £13.47 led to quite a positive reaction – we should be seeing more of these prices!
For those heading to the game, the club have reminded supporters that they have been advised to congregate in the Richard Wagner Platz square, shuttle buses will pick up fans from the area.
Turnstiles will open two hours before kickoff, which is 9pm local time (8pm UK), and alcohol can be taken onto the terracing – sounds like quite the away day!
6. An early club record on the line
The Reds have started life on the road this season with few troubles, and they could set a club record with another win at Leipzig.
Should Slot’s men win against the German side, they will become the first team in the club’s history to win each of their opening six away fixtures in a season.
They have already recorded wins at Ipswich, Man United, Milan, Wolves and Palace. It’s incredible to think we had to wait until December for that same number of wins last season!
7. Szoboszlai: “I can play even better”
Szoboszlai joined Slot for pre-match media duties and spoke of Slot’s challenge for him to have a greater scoreboard impact:
“It (form) can be always better.
“I can play even better, as the gaffer said I can score more goals, I can give more assists, but I am doing the ‘dirty job’ as well for the team and that is the most important thing to me.
“While we are top of the league and I don’t score any goals, I’ll take it.
“It’s not only about training sessions and videos. Of course, it helps a lot, but in the situation in the game it’s totally different.
“So even if I score in the training sessions – you can ask the guys, I score a couple of good goals – but still in the game it’s not the same.
“I’m trying to work on it, to be in the positions to score more goals, but yeah, even if it takes time I will get there.
8. Are Leipzig missing any players?
Rose has a number of players sidelined and was given a scare or two over the weekend with some untimely knocks.
Lois Openda, Leipzig’s top goalscorer, offered a fright over the weekend but quickly insisted he would be available against the Reds. Amadou Haidara is also expected to be fit despite coming off early.
Openda has been a consistent member of the German outfit’s forward line alongside Xavi Simons and Benjamin Sesko, the trio have combined for 14 goals to date and will be a handful for the Reds’ defence.
The home side will, however, be without Xaver Schlager (ACL), David Raum (ligament), Nicolas Seiwald (groin) and Assan Ouedraogo.
9. The referee is…
For the first time, Sandro Scharer – from Switzerland – will oversee a Liverpool game.
He refereed Leipzig once, a 2-1 home win over Man City in December 2021. Dominik Szoboszlai scored that evening and Kyle Walker was shown a red card.
We wouldn’t mind Dom getting on the scoresheet again!
Stephane De Almeida and Jonas Erni are the assistants on the night, while VAR will be operated by Fedayi San.
10. How to follow along with TIA!
Liverpool’s trip to Leipzig will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK, with coverage starting at 7pm (BST).
If you fancy some more entertaining commentary on the night’s proceedings, then be sure to follow our live blog – run by Henry Jackson from 7.15pm.
Up the Reds!
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