Football
Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen Preview, Prediction, Team News and Predicted Lineups
Cai is a news and features writer that specialises in football, but has experience covering a variety of other sports, including darts, basketball, American football, MMA, boxing and more. He holds a degree in Football Journalism (BA Hons) from the University of Derby, and worked with Nottingham Forest FC and Burton Albion FC throughout his studies. Cai also has experience working in social media with the Football Association of Wales, where he worked on a freelance basis, and has also been an accredited writer in the JD Cymru Premier for both Y Clwb Pêl-Droed and welshfootie since the 2019/20 season.
Get to know Cai Parry betterPublished13 hours ago on November 04, 2024
Premier League leaders Liverpool host Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday, and we’ve got the latest team news and predicted lineups, as well as a prediction included alongside our preview.
Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen Preview
Looking to maintain their perfect start in the Champions League, Liverpool welcome reigning Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield on Tuesday for their MD4 fixture.
The Reds are one of two remaining sides to boast a 100% record in the competition after three matches thus far, alongside fellow Premier League side Aston Villa, as they sit in second place in the table.
Arne Slot’s side have beaten AC Milan, Bologna and, most recently, RB Leipzig so far, while they come into this one sitting at the summit of the English top-flight table after sealing a 2-1 comeback victory over Brighton on Saturday.
MD-1 💫 pic.twitter.com/PPB5sxiKXv
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 4, 2024
Like Liverpool, Leverkusen are undefeated in continental play this term, with two wins and a draw however, and they are just two points behind their MD4 counterparts in seventh place.
Their last outing in Europe’s premier competition saw them held to a 1-1 draw by Brest, who are also undefeated, while they beat AC Milan and Feyenoord in their opening two fixtures.
Domestically, Xabi Alonso’s side haven’t quite reached the lofty heights of 2023/24 as of yet this term, currently sitting in fourth place after recording four wins, four draws and one defeat in their opening nine league matches, most recently playing out a goalless stalemate against Stuttgart on Friday.
Tuesday’s clash will be the first competitive meeting between Leverkusen and Liverpool since their last-16 clash during the 2004/05 Champions League campaign, where the Reds claimed a 6-2 aggregate victory, winning each leg 3-1.
Liverpool Team News
The hosts remain without a quartet of first-teamers, with all of Alisson (hamstring), Federico Chiesa (fitness), Harvey Elliott (foot) and Diogo Jota (upper body) ruled out.
There had also been question marks over the availability of Ibrahima Konate after he missed the Brighton win with a wrist injury, however he has since returned to training, and Slot has confirmed that he’s available for Leverkusen’s visit.
Bayer Leverkusen Team News
As for the visitors, they are without Amine Adli (fibula), Jeanuel Belocian (ankle) and Nordi Mukiele (thigh) due to their respective injury concerns.
Martin Terrier missed the Stuttgart draw on Friday with a minor injury too, but Alonso expects that the Frenchman will return in time for the trip to Anfield.
Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen Predicted Lineups
Liverpool Predicted Lineup:
Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo
Bayer Leverkusen Predicted Lineup:
Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Xhaka, Garcia, Grimaldo; Wirtz, Terrier; Boniface
Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen Prediction
Both Leverkusen and Liverpool come into this one unbeaten in 11 consecutive matches across all competitions, but we at SportsCasting, like the UK’s best football betting sites, are favouring the hosts to come out on top in Merseyside.
The Reds have lost just once at Anfield this term, and they boast an impressive record at home over the last few years, so that should surely give them an upper hand in this contest.
Since losing to Nottingham Forest back in mid-September, they have won five successive home matches, and we’re backing them to extend that record to six with a narrow victory against a strong Leverkusen outfit.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen