Liverpool FC, the reigning European champions, host RB Salzburg tomorrow night in a Champions League group stage contest featuring the Group E table toppers. However, it’s definitely not the team you would expect that currently sits in first place.
RB slashed Genk 6-2 in their Euro opener while Liverpool, six time winners of this competition, lost 2-0 to Napoli. The Reds badly need a result here, and they need to run up the score if possible as well. Let’s take a look at all the match FYIs for this one.
For Liverpool, defender Nathaniel Clyne, midfielder Naby Keita and goalkeeper Alisson are all ruled out due to injury. Expect manager Jurgen Klopp to keep the same starting XI from the weekend win over Sheffield United.
A visit from Salzburg means a chance to see Erling Braut Haland, a Norwegian prodigy who made headlines in the summer when he scored nine goals in Norway’s 12-0 win over Honduras at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. That put him on the radar of the world’s biggest clubs, and then he became an even hotter commodity when he accomplished a hat-trick in his Champions League debut versus Genk.
Unfortunately, you might not get to see Haland in this one, as he’s a doubt due to an illness. Jesse Marsch, the first American to ever manage in the Champions League, will be without the services of Antoine Bernede for this one.
Liverpool FC Starting XI Prediction vs RB Salzburg
Sadio Mane Roberto Firmino Mohamed Salah
Georginio Wijnaldum Fabinho Jordan Henderson
Andrew Robertson Virgil van Dijk Joel Matip Trent Alexander-Arnold
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Liverpool FC vs RB Salzburg UCL Group Stage FYIs
Kickoff: Oct. 2, 8pm Anfield
TV: BT Sport 3, BT Sport 3 HD & BT App
Jurgen Klopp and Sadio Mane press conference video:
Google’s result probability: 72% Liverpool win, 17% draw, 11% RB Salzburg victory
Prediction: Liverpool FC 3, RB Salzburg 0
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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