In their quest to recover from a controversial Premier League defeat, Liverpool will be hosting Union SG at Anfield for a thrilling Europa League group-stage matchup on Thursday night.
Match Preview
After a convincing 3-1 win against LASK Linz in their first gameweek, Liverpool currently leads Group E. Meanwhile, Union SG managed a 1-1 draw with Toulouse in their opening group fixture.
Liverpool’s unbeaten run of 17 games in the Premier League came to an end in a dramatic and controversial manner during their 2-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.
The match was marked by VAR controversy, with a disallowed goal and contentious red cards.
Jurgen Klopp expressed his frustration with the officials and the club released a strong statement addressing the issue.
Looking beyond the Premier League turmoil, Liverpool aims to bounce back as they take on Union SG in their first-ever encounter in European competition.
Anfield has been a fortress for the Reds, winning 15 out of their last 21 Europa League home matches.
In UEFA competition, they have triumphed in each of their last seven group-stage games and have suffered only one defeat in their previous 15 encounters against Belgian teams.
Union SG, participating in the Europa League group stage for the second consecutive season, secured a draw in their opening Group E match against Toulouse.
With three consecutive wins in the Belgian Pro League, including a 3-1 victory over Charleroi, Union SG currently sits at the top of the league table.
While finishing above Liverpool in Group E may be a challenging task for Union SG, they aim to secure the second spot ahead of Toulouse and LASK Linz, just as they did last season when they reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Historically, Union SG has never managed to avoid defeat against an English club.
However, with an impressive away record in last season’s Europa League and their recent form, they enter Thursday’s contest with optimism.
Team News:
Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo is set to be sidelined for several weeks due to a knee injury. Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic remain in the treatment room.
Jurgen Klopp is expected to make changes to his starting lineup, with Caoimhin Kelleher likely to replace Alisson Becker in goal.
Joe Gomez and Kostas Tsimikas could start at full-back, while Trent Alexander-Arnold might feature as a substitute following his recovery from a hamstring issue.
Union SG’s only injury concern is star striker Dennis Eckert Ayensa, who will undergo assessment before the match. Gustaf Nilsson is expected to lead the line in Ayensa’s absence.
Probable Lineups:
Liverpool:
Kelleher;
Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas;
Elliott, Endo, Gravenberch;
Salah, Nunez, Jota
Union SG:
Morris;
Mac Allister, Burgess, Leysen;
Castro-Montes, Sadiki, Vanhoutte, Lapoussin;
Amani, Nilsson, Puertas
Prediction:
We predict a 3-1 victory for Liverpool against Union SG. While Union SG’s strong away form suggests they can find the net, Liverpool’s quality and home advantage should secure the win.