Eintracht Frankfurt will look to build on their early-season promise as they host Premier League champions Liverpool at Deutsche Bank Park in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday (kick-off: 9pm CEST).
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Dino Toppmöller's Eagles have certainly entertained in their opening two Champions League fixtures, hitting the ground running with a 5-1 win over Galatasaray before losing by the same scoreline against Atletico Madrid.
That's been the story of Frankfurt's season so far: scoring and conceding by the bucketload.
Their devastating attack has seen them fire in the second most goals (19) in the Bundesliga behind leaders Bayern Munich (27). Gifted teenager Can Uzun is their leading scorer on five, while summer signing Jonathan Burkardt is their top marksman in Europe with three to his name so far.
Watch: Discover A Club - Eintracht Frankfurt
They sit in seventh place in the Bundesliga at the moment and come into this game on the back of a 2-2 draw at Freiburg, in which Burkardt continued his fine scoring form by netting a brace.
While defensive issues have held the Eagles back somewhat, they are boosted by the return of tough-tackling full-back Rasmus Kristensen, who started against Freiburg. Nnamdi Collins will also be an option, having remained on the bench in Sunday's Bundesliga encounter after recovering from a cold. However, Oscar Højlund is set for a spell out with a thigh injury.
Left-sided defender Nathaniel Brown will be eager to impress after recently earning his maiden senior call-up to the Germany squad.
Watch: The best of Nathaniel Brown
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With the visitors under a little pressure after suffering four defeats in a row in all competitions, the stage is set for a big European night.
Liverpool have also made a stuttering start to their European campaign. They edged Atlético 2-1 in a fiery encounter at Anfield before falling to a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in Istanbul, which had followed consecutive losses in the league to Crystal Palace and Chelsea.
Sunday's defeat at home to Manchester United leaves them fourth in the Premier League after eight games, four points off Arsenal at the top of the table.
Over the summer they signed Hugo Ekitiké from Frankfurt, and he has enjoyed a promising start to life on Merseyside with five goals in 11 games in all competitions, although he has yet to hit the back of the net in the Champions League for them.
Ekitiké did not start against Ruben Amorim's side on Sunday, with former Bayer Leverkusen talismans Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong joining him on the bench.
Watch: The best of Ekitiké at Frankfurt
Match stats
Frankfurt have won five of their last six European matches on home soil (L1).
Burkardt is one of only three Frankfurt players to score in both his first two appearances in the European Cup/Champions League, along with Erich Bäumler in 1959 and Erich Meier in 1960.
The only previous meetings between these sides came in the first round of the 1972/73 UEFA Cup. The Eagles were beaten 2-0 at Anfield before playing out a goalless draw at home.
Ekitiké has scored five times for Liverpool since joining the club from Frankfurt in the summer – more than any of his team-mates so far this season.
Probable teams
Frankfurt: Zetterer - Buta, Koch (c), Theate, Brown - Skhiri, Larsson - Dōan, Uzun, Bahoya - Burkardt
Out: Baum (thigh), Højlund (thigh), Ngankam (ineligible)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Dino Toppmöller
Liverpool: Mamardashvili - Bradley, Van Dijk (c), Konaté, Kerkez - Gravenberch, Mac Allister - Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo - Ekitiké
Out: Alisson (hamstring), Leoni (knee ligament), Bajcetic (hamstring)
Doubtful: Endo (unknown)
Coach: Arne Slot
LIVE blog!
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#### Hard to callLiverpool have played just one more league game than their opponents, and have lost three of their opening eight fixtures. Frankfurt have lost three of seven Bundesliga games so far, but have also scored five more goals (19) than Liverpool (14) in that time. However, the Eagles have also conceded 18 at the other end, which dwarf's Liverpool's total of 11.
© Daniela Porcelli#### The perfect opportunity?
These two sides have not met since the 1972/73 UEFA Cup campaign, when Liverpool went unbeaten against the Eagles over their two meetings. They won the first leg of the first round 2-0, before seeing out a goalless draw in Frankfurt. With those encounters well behind them, could Frankfurt get a first ever win over Liverpool tonight?
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#### No Liverpool pre-match press conferenceLiverpool announced on Tuesday that their coach Arne Slot will not attend a pre-match press conference in Frankfurt as planned after his side's flight to Germany experienced delays.
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#### Nathaniel Brown on facing Liverpool“Playing against the best in the world motivates you. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s no different for me preparing for an opponent like Mo Salah than it is in the Bundesliga. Besides, I know I won’t be alone on the pitch and the boys will help me.”
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#### Dino Toppmöller on facing Liverpool"The 2-1 defeat against Manchester United felt more like a 4-2 win for Liverpool to me. For whatever reason, they’ve been missing a bit of luck lately. They’ve been the better team in every match and had more chances. We’re going to come up against a world-class team, well aware that it does have an effect when you lose four times in a row. Liverpool are and remain the favourites.”
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#### Zetterer back in goalFrankfurt coach Dino Toppmöller has confirmed that he will once again change his goalkeeper, with summer signing Michael Zetterer (r.) returning between the posts after a string of uncertain displays by Kauã Santos (l.). "We get the impression that it's important for Kauã to take a step back again. We'll also have to disappoint other players who obviously want to start games like this. It would be mad for a player to be happy about such news," Toppmöller explained of the decision-making process and its impact.
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#### Liverpool strugglingFrankfurt will have every reason to believe that their visitors are there for the taking. The Premier League holders suffered a 2-1 home defeat to bitter rivals Manchester United at the weekend to take their run of consecutive defeats to four in all competitions.
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#### Burkardt in fine formEintracht can feel confident considering the run of form striker Jonathan Burkardt is currently enjoying. Frankfurt's No.9 grabbed a brace in Die Adler's weekend 2-2 draw away to Freiburg to take his recent tally of goals to seven in his last six appearances.
© IMAGO/Heiko Blatterspiel
12:31
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#### Discover a club - Eintracht FrankfurtFind out more about Eintracht Frankfurt and their home in Germany's financial capital.
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#### European specialists?Frankfurt's 2021/22 UEFA Europa League win has a proud part in modern German football history. The Eagles have made it out of the group stages in each of their three European campaigns since.
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#### Edging aheadThe two sides both sit on three points after the opening two league phase matchdays. Eintracht are two positions clear of Liverpool in 15th though as they boast more goals scored, after a 5-1 home win against Galatasaray and 5-1 defeat at Atlético Madrid, whereas Liverpool curiously beat Atlético (3-2 at home) and lost to the Turkish side 1-0 in Istanbul.
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#### Hugo homecomingHugo Ekitiké has a chance to return to the club at which he made his big breakthrough before his summer switch to Anfield. He certainly lit up the Bundesliga during his two seasons in Frankfurt...#### Welcome along!
Hello, and thank you for joining us for live build-up and coverage of Eintracht Frankfurt's UEFA Champions League Matchday 3 encounter at home to Liverpool this Wednesday.