Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 21/50
Bookmaker: ZetBet
Liverpool, still boasting an unblemished Champions League record, are set to clash with Aston Villa, whose flawless European run came to a surprising end in an unusual turn of events.
While Arne Slot’s team cruised to a 4-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen midweek, Aston Villa were left reeling from a 1-0 defeat to Club Brugge, which came courtesy of a very strange penalty awarded to the Belgian side.
Liverpool
Slot, who has impressed the Anfield faithful so far, handed former Liverpool star and Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso a harsh footballing lesson on Tuesday, with Colombian sensation Luis Diaz breaking through the Bundesliga champions’ defence three times. Cody Gakpo also notched his first Champions League goal, helping Liverpool seize a two-point lead atop the standings on bonfire night.
Dominant both in Europe and domestically, Liverpool capitalized on recent slip-ups by Arsenal and Manchester City, rallying from a goal down to beat Brighton 2-1, establishing their Premier League lead by two points over City.
Slot’s leadership has unexpectedly thrust Liverpool back into the title race, and the win over Leverkusen marked their sixth consecutive home victory with at least two goals scored each time. Against Brighton, Liverpool also achieved the milestone of 100 comeback wins in the Premier League, surpassing records set by both Mourinho and Ancelotti.
Team News
Liverpool’s injury list remains unchanged, with Harvey Elliott (foot), Federico Chiesa (fitness), Alisson Becker (thigh), and Diogo Jota (abdominal) all sidelined until after the international break.
Arne Slot made bold tactical moves against Leverkusen, notably positioning Luis Diaz centrally, where he scored a hat-trick. Diaz may now return to the left wing as Darwin Nunez, who is well-rested, reclaims a spot up front. On the left flank, Andrew Robertson could replace Kostas Tsimikas, who has been mounting a strong challenge for the starting role. Additionally, Dominik Szoboszlai’s fresh legs may earn him a start over Curtis Jones in midfield.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa entered Champions League matchweek four in top form, having impressively beaten BSC Young Boys, Bayern Munich, and Bologna. However, their clash with Club Brugge took a bizarre turn when Tyrone Mings mistakenly handled the ball after a goal kick, leading to a Brugge penalty, which Hans Vanaken converted.
This loss marked Villa’s first European defeat this season and extended their poor recent run, following EFL Cup and league losses to Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively.
Domestically, Villa sit sixth in the Premier League on 18 points, trailing Arsenal and Chelsea on goal difference. However, their record away to top-two sides remains dismal, with nine consecutive defeats in such encounters. Villa also haven’t beaten Liverpool in their last eight matchups, though they held the Reds to a thrilling 3-3 draw in May at Villa Park.
Team News
Villa are set to remain without Matty Cash (calf) and Ross Barkley (unspecified) for their upcoming clash with Liverpool at Anfield. Tyrone Mings, still working on regaining fitness after an ACL injury, is likely to be rested after the Champions League blunder midweek, with Pau Torres expected to start central defence.
Manager Unai Emery may also make changes in midfield, bringing in Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey for Boubacar Kamara and Leon Bailey to freshen up the lineup.
Conclusion
Despite their recent slip against Brugge, Villa consistently challenge opposing defences and could find some success in Liverpool’s half, given that the Reds faced some nervy moments to preserve their midweek clean sheet.
However, Slot’s Liverpool have been relentless in attack at Anfield, dismantling most defences with ease, and they’ll also have benefitted from an extra day of rest.
Liverpool’s recent momentum and home advantage should keep them on top heading into the international break.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 21/50
Bookmaker: ZetBet
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