Liverpool v Villarreal: Champions League preview, predicted line-ups & team news
Liverpool go into their third league-phase game with two wins from two, but Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong are out. Villarreal arrive at Anfield after beating Napoli.
18+. Please gamble responsibly. Some links here are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you open an account, at no cost to you and with no effect on our tips. How we are funded · BeGambleAware.org
Liverpool v Villarreal: round hook
Both missed out after the weekend game with Brentford.
Liverpool sit fifth in the league-phase table on six points, with a goal difference of plus four. Villarreal have won one and lost one, so a defeat here would leave them with real work to do.
Liverpool
VillarrealHow they got here
Liverpool beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 at Anfield on 9 September. They then won 6-3 away at LASK Linz on 14 October. That is 8 goals scored and 4 conceded in two games, and they have yet to keep a clean sheet.
Villarreal lost 3-2 at Borussia Dortmund on 8 September. They bounced back with a 3-1 home win over Napoli on 13 October. They have scored in both games but conceded three of their four goals between the 76th and 90th minutes.
The sides last met in the 2022 Champions League semi-final. Liverpool won 2-0 at Anfield and then 3-2 at Villarreal after trailing 2-0 at half-time. Liverpool have won three of the four meetings.
Rotation context
Liverpool play Brighton at the weekend, but with six points banked and a number of injuries, there is little room to rest anyone. Expect a strong side.
Villarreal have no such luxury either. Defeat at Anfield would leave them hard pressed to reach the top eight, and the visitors will pick close to their strongest XI.
LiverpoolVillarreal
Manager quote
He explained that the midfielder simply returned to the situation he was in a week earlier, and could be in contention for the Brighton game, according to Yahoo Sports.
Predicted line-ups for Liverpool v Villarreal
Liverpool: Alisson; Gomez, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Barcola, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak
**Villarreal: Costa, Veiga, Cardona; Comesaña, Gueye; Moleiro, Akhomach; Mikautadze
Where to watch Liverpool v Villarreal: TV and online streams
Liverpool v Villarreal kicks off at 20:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October at Anfield. It is shown on TNT Sports where selected.
This is a league-phase game, so there is no second leg. A draw is a valid result, and there is no extra time or penalty shootout.
Stats for Liverpool v Villarreal
- Liverpool have won three of their four meetings with Villarreal, including both 2022 Champions League semi-final legs (2-0 at Anfield, then 3-2 away).
- Liverpool are averaging 4.0 goals per game in this season's Champions League, with 20 shots a game and an xG of 2.44 per game.
- Villarreal have conceded three of their four goals in the 76th to 90th minute, and neither side has kept a clean sheet.
- Both sides have gone over 2.5 goals in both of their league-phase games. H2H meetings have averaged 2.75 goals.