Prediction: Toulouse vs Liverpool

Verdict: Both teams to score

Best odds: 59/100

Bookmaker: ZetBet

Liverpool have the opportunity to secure a top-two finish in Europa League Group E with a couple of matches to spare by defeating Toulouse at Stadium Municipal on Thursday evening.

In their previous encounter, the Reds convincingly defeated the Coupe de France winners 5-1 at Anfield, leaving the French side in third place with four points after the first half of the group stage.

Toulouse

Toulouse, a few months after their impressive 5-1 victory over Nantes in the Coupe de France final, which earned them a spot in this competition, suffered a devastating 5-1 defeat on their visit to Merseyside a fortnight ago. While Thijs Dallinga managed to cancel out Diogo Jota’s quickfire opener for Liverpool, Toulouse faced further setbacks with goals from Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah, and Ryan Gravenberch, leading to their first continental loss of the season.

While Toulouse’s opening draw against Union SG and a 1-0 victory over LASK Linz were respectable results, a loss to Liverpool this week could see them drop down to the Europa Conference League, provided Union SG prevails over LASK Linz.

Following the defeat at Anfield, Toulouse endured a disappointing three-game losing streak. They suffered a 3-0 loss to Montpellier HSC in Ligue 1 just three days after the Liverpool match. Their troubles continued as newly-promoted Le Havre secured a 2-0 victory at Stadium Municipal on Sunday.

Toulouse are currently winless in five consecutive matches since their narrow win over LASK on matchday two. Furthermore, their seven-game unbeaten home streak came to an end with the loss to Le Havre, diminishing their optimism ahead of the upcoming match against one of the favorites in the tournament, Liverpool.

Team News

Winger Zakaria Aboukhlal is unlikely to return from his knee injury until after the next international break. Oliver Zanden is sidelined with a hip injury. Denis Genreau is unavailable due to a back issue.

The majority of players who featured in the loss at Anfield also started in the match against Le Havre, with a couple of exceptions. In the Le Havre match, Frank Magri replaced Moussa Diarra, reflecting a more attacking approach by manager Carles Martinez.

Martinez’s tactical adjustments did not yield positive results, and with the return of midfielder Stijn Spierings, it’s expected that Toulouse will continue with a 4-3-3 system in the upcoming match.

Liverpool

Liverpool are one of just three teams with a perfect record in the Europa League after three matches, along with Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma. They’re now on the verge of securing a place in the knockout round playoffs with just one more victory, having convincingly defeated LASK and Union SG in their previous matches.

Liverpool currently hold a five-point advantage over both Toulouse and Union SG in the group, meaning a victory would ensure their place in the last 16, provided LASK defeats Union SG in their upcoming match.

However, Liverpool’s recent form has shown some inconsistency. Their match against Luton Town was overshadowed by reports of tragedy chanting, and they struggled to break down the Luton defence, eventually drawing the game 1-1 with a late Luis Diaz goal.

Despite their domestic struggles, Liverpool delivered a dominant performance against Toulouse, securing a 5-1 win. They have a perfect record against the Coupe de France winners, and their only previous encounter in 2007-08 Champions League qualifying resulted in a 1-0 Liverpool victory thanks to an Andriy Voronin strike.

Team News

According to manager Jurgen Klopp, Thiago Alcantara is unlikely to return to action before the start of the New Year due to a hip injury, while Stefan Bajcetic’s recovery from a calf concern does not have a specific timeframe. Andy Robertson is on a lengthy road to recovery following a shoulder operation. Virgil van Dijk will miss this match through illness, as will Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones through minor injuries.

Curtis Jones was unavailable for the Luton match due to a “minor fitness issue,” but there is hope he can play a part against Toulouse.

Klopp is expected to make changes to the lineup, with players like Wataru Endo, Caoimhin Kelleher, Harvey Elliott, and Luis Diaz likely to be recalled, provided Diaz is in the right frame of mind to play.

Conclusion

The passionate atmosphere at Stadium Municipal could pose a challenge for a rotated Liverpool team, but Toulouse’s ongoing defensive issues are likely to work against them.

Liverpool, despite a lacklustre performance at Kenilworth Road, will have had time to reflect and adjust their attacking options, which should allow them to maintain their 100% record in continental competition. Their obviously the favourites to win, though not quite as convincingly as they beat Toulouse at Anfield. But neither goalkeeper is likely to keep a clean sheet.

Verdict: Both teams to score

Best odds: 59/100

Bookmaker: ZetBet