Preview of the Liverpool-Lille match
Liverpool’s excellent season continues with a return to European action, where Arne Slot’s side so far boast a perfect record of six wins in six Champions League games.
In the new league format, the Reds are guaranteed at least a place in the play-offs and lead the standings with two rounds remaining.
Lille have also impressed, winning four of their six games to finish eighth, but only two French teams have won at Anfield in a major competition.
Slot says he is not focusing on finishing at the top of the table, as no one knows if that will guarantee an easier tie at this point.
He said: “The most important thing is that when we go out we want to win a game.
We’re back! 🙌#UCL pic.twitter.com/a3kizqozJt
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 20, 2025
“With this new setup, you think that finishing number one is the best position to finish, but it’s a very strange leaderboard, because every week, even if you face a team that is lower in the table, it is the hardest team to face and if you finish number one you could face them.
“I’m not thinking about the league standings in a way that if you finish in first place you get the easiest team because being at the top doesn’t tell you that you’re the best team. It’s impossible to say because of the strange format we have.”
Liverpool-Lille team news
Liverpool will again be without Portuguese striker Diogo Jota, who missed the Reds’ trip to Brentford.
working for #UCL MD7 👊 pic.twitter.com/IWqkVX89Nz
—Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 20, 2025
Jota came on and scored after 22 seconds in the recent draw against Nottingham Forest, but he has an overload on his shoulder and will be out for several weeks.
Versatile defender Joe Gomez suffered a hamstring injury in December and also remains out.
Expected Liverpool-Lille lineups
Liverpool: Alison; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Núñez, Gakpo
Lille: Gentleman; Meunier, Diakite, Ribeiro, Ismaily; Others, Gomes; Bakker, Haraldsson, Cabella; David
How to watch Liverpool v Lille: TV, live stream
