Liverpool will look to build on their impressive start in the UEFA Europa League with a win over Union St.Gilloise when the two teams meet on Thursday night.
Liverpool picked up a 3-1 win over LASK in the Europa League group opener and they will be confident heading into this contest as well. The Reds will look to pick up all three points at home and it remains to be seen whether the players can step up and grind out a win.
The Reds are coming into this game on the back of a defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and they will be desperate to turn things around. Quite a few decisions went against them in the league game against Tottenham and the players will be desperate to make amends.
Meanwhile, the visitors will be major underdogs heading into Anfield. They managed to pick up a draw in their group opener and it remains to be seen that they can get something out of this contest as well.
Up next, @UnionStGilloise at Anfield 👊 pic.twitter.com/qeZZGz5rdk
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 3, 2023
Team News & Tactics
Liverpool
Liverpool continue to be without Thiago Alcantara who is still working on his match fitness after recovering from a long-term drawing injury. Meanwhile, the Netherlands international Cody Gakpo has been ruled out until after the international break.
The home side are likely to shape up in a 4-3-3 formation with Caoimhin Kelleher in goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold is likely to be handed a start here after his cameo against Tottenham at the weekend.
Kostas Tsimikas is likely to be handed a starting spot as well. The two full-backs will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Ibrahima Konate will start in central defence alongside Joe Gomez.
Ryan Gravenberch is likely to be handed a start here alongside Curtis Jones and Stefan Bajcetic. Finally, Darwin Nunez will lead the line for the hosts with Ben Doak and Diogo Jota on either side of him.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Gomez, Tsimikas; Jones, Gravenberch, Bajcetic; Doak, Nunez, Jota
Union St.Gilloise
Dennis Eckert has been ruled out for the visitors. Other than that, they have a fully fit, squad to choose from. Anthony Moris is set to start in goal behind a back three of Kevin Mac Allister, Christian Burgess and Fedde Leysen.
Alessio Castro-Montes and Loic Lapoussin Will be deployed as the wing backs here and the two players will look to protect the central defence as well as help create counter-attacking opportunities. Noah Sadiki and Charles Vanhoutte will start in the middle of the park.
Lazare Amani and Cameron Puertas Will start as the wide forwards here. Gustaf Nilsson will lead the line for the hosts.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Moris; Mac Allister, Burgess, Leysen; Castro-Montes, Vanhoutte, Sadiki, Lapoussin; Amani, Nilsson, Puertas
Key Stats
- Union St.Gilloise are unbeaten in five of the last six matches across all competitions.
- Union St.Gilloise are coming into this game on the back of three consecutive victories across all competitions.
- Union St.Gilloise have scored eight goals in the last three matches across all competitions. Liverpool have picked up five wins from the last six matches across all competitions.
- Liverpool have conceded in the last five matches across all competitions.
Key Player
Darwin Nunez
Darwin Núñez has four goals and two assists in his last five games.
He’s finding his form 🇺🇾 pic.twitter.com/7ZjQJhj2oe
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 24, 2023
The 24-year-old Liverpool striker has been in impressive form this season and he managed to get on the score sheet in his last Europa League outing as well. Nunez will look to build on his current run of form and get on the score sheet once again. He is likely to cause a lot of problems for the visitors with his pace, movement, link-up play, and runs in behind. The Uruguay international is our key player to watch out for and he is likely to get on the score sheet tomorrow.
Prediction
Liverpool 3-1 Union St.Gilloise
Liverpool will be massive favourites heading into this contest and they should be able to pick up all three points. The defeat against Tottenham Hotspur will have given them the necessary motivation heading into this game and they will be fired up to grind out a victory at home.
Meanwhile, the visitors will look to pile further misery on Liverpool at Anfield and it remains to be seen whether they can pull off an upset.
The gulf in class between the two teams is immense and this should be a routine victory for Liverpool at home. A comfortable 3-1 for Liverpool is on the cards. The Reds have been quite quite vulnerable defensively since the start of the season and they are likely to concede here despite the win.
