Liverpool are back in Budapest tonight as they prepare to defend their two-goal lead against RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
Jürgen Klopp’s men won the ‘away’ leg on the same ground back in February. Tonight’s fixture is technically Liverpool’s ‘home’ leg but, due to COVID-enforced travel restrictions between the UK and Germany, both games had to be played at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary.
The Reds won the first-leg 2-0 thanks to second-half goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané. They are now strong favourites to progress to the quarter-final stage of the Champions League. However, with Liverpool’s current run of diabolical form, the job is certainly not done just yet.
Liverpool are definitely without Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joël Matip, and Jordan Henderson. Caoimhin Kelleher, James Milner, and Roberto Firmino are also doubts for this game.
The good news is that Ozan Kabak is fit and available again.
Alisson Becker should continue in goal for The Reds. The Brazil international will have another makeshift central defensive partnership in front of him. Tonight, it will probably be Kabak and Fabinho at the heart of the back four. Trent Alexander-Arnold should return to the starting lineup after being on the bench for the Fulham defeat on Sunday. Andy Robertson will continue at left-back.
In midfield, Thiago Alcântara, and Curtis Jones were both missing from the Liverpool side at the weekend. They should return to form the midfield trio with Gini Wijnaldum against RB Leipzig.
In attack, with Firmino out, this means that Diogo Jota, Salah, and Mané will probably lead the line for The Reds.
Predicted Liverpool lineup (4-3-3) vs RB Leipzig: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Kabak, Fabinho, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Thiago, Jones; Jota, Salah, Mané
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