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RB Leipzig vs Liverpool Preview, Prediction, Team News and Predicted Lineups Ahead Of Champions League Clash
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Get to know Cai Parry betterPublished4 hours ago on October 22, 2024
Premier League leaders Liverpool head to Germany to take on RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday, and we’ve got the latest team news and predicted lineups included in our preview, along with a score prediction.
Arne Slot and his Liverpool side face a trip to Germany on MD3 of the Champions League league phase to take on RB Leipzig on Wednesday evening, where they’ll be looking to maintain their perfect start to the competition.
The Reds kickstarted their continental campaign with a comfortable 3-1 win against AC Milan at the San Siro before making it two wins from two by defeating Bologna 2-0 at Anfield at the start of the month.
Since losing to Nottingham Forest in mid-September, Liverpool have won seven successive matches across all competitions. They come into this one off the back of a 2-1 triumph over Chelsea, a win that cemented their place at the top of the Premier League table at the end of Gameweek 8.
#UCL preparations 💫 pic.twitter.com/EprrEk82f8
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 22, 2024
Leipzig, meanwhile, are on the hunt for their first positive result in the Champions League this term, having lost their opening two fixtures 2-1 to Atletico Madrid and 3-2 to Juventus.
Despite a disappointing start in Europe, Die Roten Bullen have enjoyed a strong start to life in the Bundesliga this season, currently sitting level on points with leaders Bayern Munich in second place without yet suffering a league defeat.
Marco Rose’s side have won back-to-back matches since losing to Juventus at the start of the month, beating Heidenheim 1-0 on the road, as well as Mainz 2-0 last time out, also away from home.
Wednesday’s clash will be the first meeting between RB Leipzig and Liverpool since the 2020/21 season, when the pair met in the last-16 of the Champions League. The Reds came out on top in both legs, by a 2-0 scoreline both times, with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane netting two goals apiece across both matches.
RB Leipzig Team News
Belgian attacker Lois Openda was forced off through injury in the latter stages of the Mainz win with a knock, however the 24-year-old isn’t expected to miss out on Wednesday’s clash and should be in from the off alongside Benjamin Sesko.
Xaver Schlager (knee), David Raum (ligament), Nicolas Seiwald (groin) and Assan Ouedraogo (knee), meanwhile, are all ruled out through injury, while Amadaou Haidara is also a minor doubt.
Starting in behind the deadly attacking duo of Openda and Sesko will likely be Xavi Simons, who scored the opener on Saturday but is yet to open his account in the Champions League this season.
Liverpool Team News
The Reds remain without injured duo Alisson (hamstring) and Harvey Elliott (foot), with Caoimhin Kelleher almost certain to deputise between the sticks, while Federico Chiesa and Conor Bradley are doubts after missing the Chelsea win.
Diogo Jota is another doubt for Slot’s side, and a major one at that. The Portuguese forward was forced off after only 30 minutes at the weekend after being on the receiving end of Tosin Adarabioyo’s strong challenge.
In Jota’s absence, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo are options to lead the line, while Colombian winger Luis Diaz could be in line for a recall to the starting lineup after being named on the bench in Liverpool’s last two league matches.
RB Leipzig vs Liverpool Predicted Lineups
RB Leipzig Predicted Lineup:
Gulacsi; Klostermann, Orban, Lukeba; Geertruida, Vermeeren, Haidara, Nusa; Simons; Openda, Sesko
Liverpool Predicted Lineup:
Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jones, Diaz; Gakpo
RB Leipzig vs Liverpool Prediction
Despite Leipzig’s unbeaten start to the domestic campaign, we at SportsCasting cannot see past anything other than a Liverpool win on Wednesday evening and are backing Slot’s men to maintain their 100% record in the league phase.
The Reds are unbeaten in each of their last 12 meetings against German opposition across European competitions, which includes, as previously mentioned, two wins over Leipzig during the 2020/21 season.
As well, Liverpool have won an impressive 14 of their last 19 away matches in the Champions League, and they are heavily favoured among the UK’s best football betting sites to claim all three points at the Red Bull Arena.
Prediction: RB Leipzig 1-3 Liverpool