Liverpool vs RB Salzburg preview, predictions & possible XIs
European champions Liverpool welcome Red Bull Salzburg to Anfield for the first time on Wednesday evening.
Jurgen Klopp’s men are looking to register their first win in the Champions League this season having fallen to a 2-0 defeat against Napoli on the opening week.
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Red Bull Salzburg, meanwhile, put on a show against Genk – their 6-2 victory being the standout result on matchday one.
Read on for Liverpool vs Red Bull Salzburg predictions, preview, team news and TV coverage information.
When is Liverpool vs Red Bull Salzburg and where can I watch live?
Competition: Champions League
Venue: Anfield
Date: Wednesday, 02 October 2019
Kick-off: 8:00 PM BST
TV coverage (UK): BT Sport 3, BT Sport 3 HD & BT App
Form guide
Liverpool (WWWLW)
28/09/19: Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
25/09/19: Milton Keynes Dons 0-2 Liverpool (League Cup)
22/09/19: Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
17/09/19: Napoli 2-0 Liverpool (Champions League)
14/09/19: Liverpool 3-1 Newcastle United (Premier League)
Red Bull Salzburg (WWDWW)
28/09/19: Salzburg 4-1 Austria Wien (Bundesliga)
25/09/19: Rapid Wien 1-2 Salzburg (Austrian Cup)
22/09/19: LASK 2-2 Salzburg (Bundesliga)
17/09/19: Salzburg 6-2 Genk (Champions League)
14/09/19: Salzburg 7-2 Hartberg (Bundesliga)
Ones to watch
Liverpool: Fabinho
Much of any discussion involving Liverpool these days either centres on their incredible forward line or the imperious Virgil van Dijk at the back. One player, though, has come into his own recently and is worthy of praise as well as keeping an eye on this week.
Fabinho will be the first to admit his first season at Anfield wasn’t anything spectacular, but he’s grown into the role Klopp has laden him with, so much so that he could be arguably considered among the finest defensive midfielders across Europe.
Key stat: Fabinho has made the most tackles (17) by any Liverpool player in the Premier League this season.
Red Bull Salzburg: Erling Braut Haaland
Haaland made headlines in the summer after bagging nine goals in Norway’s 12-0 win over Honduras at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, and he turned more heads when he registered a hat-trick on his Champions League debut against Genk.
The son of former Leeds United and Man City defender Alf-Inge Haaland, he’s already managed to score 17 goals across 10 matches in all competitions this season and will be Salzburg’s greatest threat if he features.
Key stat: Haaland is the first teenager to score more than once on his Champions League debut since Wayne Rooney.
Team news
Liverpool
Klopp will hope to retain a starting XI as close as possible to the team that beat Sheffield United, though there will be one enforced change. Joel Matip suffered an injury at Bramall Lane, so Joe Gomez should come in to the line-up. Alisson Becker and Xherdan Shaqiri have also been ruled out.
Predicted XI: Adrian; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
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Red Bull Salzburg
As touched upon, Haaland is a doubt through illness and will be in a race against time to feature. Jesse Marsch, the first American to coach in the Champions League, does however miss Antoine Bernede for the trip to Merseyside. If Haaland does miss out then Sekou Koita is expected to partner Hee-chan Hwang up front.
Predicted XI: Stankovic; Kristensen, Ramalho, Wober, Ulmer; Szoboszlai, Junuzovic, Mwepu, Minamino; Hwang, Koita.
Squawka prediction
Liverpool are near unbeatable at home. They are currently on a 24-match unbeaten streak at Anfield, spanning just over a year, since Chelsea left with a 2-1 win in last season’s League Cup third round.
Red Bull Salzburg will no doubt arrive on Merseyside with a nothing to lose mentality, however their front-footed approach could play into Klopp’s hand.
Scoreline prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Red Bull Salzburg
