Liverpool will take on Marseille at Orange Velodrome in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, looking to get back to winning ways.
Liverpool have failed to win four of their last five matches in all competitions, and they are under a lot of pressure to bounce back strongly in the game vs Marseille. It has been a disappointing season for Liverpool, and they need to raise their performance levels if they want to reach the next round of the competition. Liverpool are currently ninth in the table, and it remains to be seen whether they can grind out a victory away from home.
On the other hand, Marseille are 16th in the table, and they will look to pick up a win at home. They will look to exploit Liverpool’s vulnerabilities and grind out a positive result here. The French outfit has picked up two wins from the last three matches, and they will fancy their chances against Liverpool.
Team News & Tactics
Marseille
The home team will be without Derek Cornelius (muscle).
They are likely to shape up in a 4231 formation with Geronimo Rulli in goal.
Amir Murillo and Emerson will start in the full-back positions, looking to keep things tight defensively and hit Liverpool on the break. Leonardo Balerdi and Facundo Medina will start in central defence.
Bilal Nadir and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will start in the middle of the park, and they will look to add defensive cover and control to the side from the deep.
Mason Greenwood will start in the attacking midfield role and look to create opportunities for his teammates and find the back of the net.
Igor Paixao and Timothy Weah will be deployed on the flanks. They will look to add pace, flair, and unpredictability in the final third.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be leading the line for the French outfit.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Rulli; Murillo, Balerdi, Medina, Emerson; Nadir, Hojbjerg; Weah, Greenwood, Paixao; Aubameyang
Liverpool
The away team will be without Giovanni Leoni (knee), Wataru Endo (knee), Conor Bradley (knee), and Alexander Isak (fracture).
Liverpool are likely to start in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Alisson Becker in goal.
Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk will start in central defence.
Ryan Gravenberch will start alongside Dominik Szoboszlai in the midfield pivot, aiming to add control and composure to the team. Alexis Mac Allister will look to create opportunities for teammates in the final third.
Hugo Ekitike will lead the line for Liverpool vs Marseille with Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo on either side of him.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Wirtz, Mac Allister, Gakpo; Ekitike
Key Stats
Liverpool have won their last 3 matches against Marseille in all competitions.
14 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two teams.
Liverpool are unbeaten in the last six matches in all competitions.
Marseille have won three of their last five Champions League matches.
Liverpool have picked up four wins from the last six matches in the Champions League.
Player to Watch
Hugo Ekitike
Embed from Getty Images
The Liverpool striker has done quite well since joining the club, and he is our key player here. He will need to step up and deliver in the final third. Liverpool have struggled to find the back of the net in the last few Premier League matches, and Marseille will look to shut them out here. The French International attacker will need to create opportunities for his teammates and be sharp with his finishing in front of the goal. Liverpool will need him to produce a strong performance here if they want to pick up all three points.
Prediction
Marseille 2-2 Liverpool
Marseille managed to score five goals in the last match, and they could cause all sorts of problems for Liverpool here. However, they have conceded four goals in the last two matches. The Premier League side is struggling defensively, and they have not been at their best going forward either. Both teams will look to outscore each other, and this is likely to be an open contest with plenty of chances. Both teams are likely to get on the score sheet here, but they will end up sharing the spoils in a draw.