Liverpool will look to continue the 100% record in the UEFA Europa League Group E when they welcome Toulouse at Anfield on Thursday.
The UEFA Europa League is back this week with Matchday 3 of the group stage. Liverpool will be in action on Thursday night as they welcome Toulouse to Anfield, looking to remain perched atop Group E while continuing the perfect start to the European campaign.
Liverpool entered the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League after finishing fifth in the Premier League last season. But the Reds have bounced back well thus far this term, emerging as one of the contenders for the top-flight title. In addition, they have made a 100% start to their Europa League campaign, beating LASK and Union Saint-Gilloise in their first two outings.
As for Toulouse, they qualified for the UEFA Europa League by winning the Coupe de France last term. The Violets have struggled in Ligue 1 this season, managing only two wins in nine games thus far. But they have started their European adventure well, winning one and drawing one match to sit in second in the Group E standings.
Liverpool and Toulouse have previously clashed twice, with the Reds winning both games in the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Liverpool
We’re live with Jürgen Klopp and Curtis Jones as they preview tomorrow night’s #UEL clash with Toulouse 🎙️ https://t.co/hR0Kmqp9lW
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 25, 2023
Jurgen Klopp has several pressing fitness concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Toulouse on Thursday, the Liverpool manager will be without five first-team players.
Andrew Robertson is the most notable absentee, with the Scottish defender recovering from a shoulder injury. Robertson accompanies Thiago Alcantara (hip), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), and Ben Doak (muscle injury) on the sidelines. In addition, Cody Gakpo faces a race against time to be fit and available on Thursday.
With Gakpo’s availability in doubt, the Liverpool attack picks itself, with Diogo Jota missing out. Darwin Nunez will spearhead the offensive unit, with Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah being the two wide attackers for the home side.
As for the midfield department, rotations should pave the way for Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones, and Harvey Elliott to feature from the get-go. The trio will have a point to prove and will aim to make their mark. Finally, a heavily-changed backline should feature Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Jarell Quansah, and Kostas Tsimikas, while Caoimhin Kelleher will man the goal.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Kelleher; Gomez, Matip, Quansah, Tsimikas; Elliott, Endo, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Toulouse
Unlike his counterpart in the Liverpool dugout, Carles Martinez Novell does not have many pressing issues to deal with ahead of the trip to Anfield. The Toulouse manager will be without three first-team players on Thursday.
Oliver Zanden (hip), Ibrahim Cissoko (foot), and Zakaria Aboukhlal (knee) are on the sidelines. Otherwise, Toulouse will take the trip to England with a strong travelling squad. Meanwhile, Guillaume Restes will take his place between the sticks, with the visitors lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him.
#LIVTFC, le 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙣 qui s'envole pour Liverpool pour ce nouveau match d'@EuropaLeague 💪😈
Présenté par notre partenaire GLS. pic.twitter.com/voE161Ws7E
— Toulouse FC (@ToulouseFC) October 25, 2023
A defensive-minded backline should feature Kevin Keben, Logan Costa, Rasmus Nicolaisen, and Gabriel Suazo. The quartet will look to remain compact to cut off the passing lanes for Liverpool, although Suazo will have the freedom to express himself in the final third.
As for the midfield unit, Niklas Schmidt, Vincent Sierro, and Cristian Casseres Jr. will form the trifecta. The trio will look to remain compact in the middle of the park while initiating quick transitions. Finally, Thijs Dallinga, Aron Donnum, and Cesar Gelabert will complete the numbers in the attack for the away side.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Restes; Keben, Costa, Nicolaisen, Suazo; Schmidt, Sierro, Casseres Jr; Donnum, Dallinga, Gelabert
Key Stats
- Liverpool and Toulouse have met just twice previously in UEFA competition, with the Reds winning 5-0 on aggregate over two legs in Champions League qualifying in August 2007. Those are Toulouse’s only previous European matches against an English side.
- Following a 1-0 win over LASK on matchday two, Toulouse are looking to win consecutive games in the same season in major European competition for the first time since 1987/88, when they beat Panionios home and away in the UEFA Cup first round.
- Liverpool have only lost two of 15 previous European home games against French clubs (W12 D1).
- The Reds have won their last three outings in a row against French opposition since a 1-2 defeat to Lyon in the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League group stage.
- Diogo Jota has scored seven goals in his last six UEFA Europa League appearances despite only starting three of those games. He is averaging a goal every 66 minutes in the competition, the best ratio of any player with more than five goals since the tournament began in 2009.
Player to Watch
Darwin Nunez
The centre-forward spot is up for grabs in the Liverpool attack, with Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, and Darwin Nunez vying for one position. While Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz have nailed down the wide attacking berth, the other three forwards are competing for the only other position. So, the onus is on Nunez to rise to the occasion on Thursday.
The Uruguayan international has often delivered the goods off the bench this season but has yet to make his mark when featuring from the get-go. So, Thursday’s match will give him the chance to give Jurgen Klopp some food for thought with a match-winning display.
Prediction
Liverpool 3-0 Toulouse
Jurgen Klopp will name a strong attack due to some of the fitness issues plaguing his squad. That does not bode well for Toulouse, who will have a long day at work when they take on Liverpool on Thursday.
Mohamed Salah has rediscovered his best form, while Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz are also making their mark. So, the hosts will fancy their chances of making short work of Toulouse before turning their attention towards their Premier League assignment this weekend. The Hard Tackle predicts a run-of-the-mill 3-0 victory for Jurgen Klopp and his charges.
