It's Galatasaray vs Liverpool in the last 16 of the Champions League
It's Galatasaray vs Liverpool in the last 16 of the Champions League
Liverpool are losing their Champions League round of 16 first leg at Galatasaray 1-0.
Reds head coach with Florian Wirtz, Ibrahima Konate, Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike recalled to the starting line-up and Giorgi Mamardashvili replacing the injured Alisson Becker in goal.
But despite making a bright start, Liverpool find themselves a goal behind after a deep corner was eaded back across goal from Victor Osimhen to the unmarked Mario Lemina, who headed home from close range.
Key Events
Poor defending
It's really poor defending from Liverpool, who allow Mario Lemina the freedom of the six-yard box to head home a knock-down from a corner. Galatasaray lead...with their first shot of any kind. It's not the first time it's happened in the last seven days. Awful.
Mistake after mistake
Liverpool are forcing mistake after mistake at the back from Galatasaray but the final pass or the shot is letting them down so far. Aggressive start from Slot's side.
Another Liverpool opening
Liverpool pressure Galatasaray into another mistake at the back and this time Wirtz choose to pass rather than shoot and the chance is lost
Florian Wirtz should probably score there, as the goalkeeper makes a hash of a pass out, Wirtz hits it first time but it's wide. This is a positive start from Liverpool though, on the front foot.
Liverpool chance
Big chance for Liverpool inside two minutes as Galatasaray pressured into a mistake playing out the back by Szoboszlai and Wirtz shoots wide with the goalkeeper out of position
Liverpool flag
There was a big banner in the away end just now that read "Peace at home, peace in the world".
A message we can get behind, is is a foundational principle of Turkish foreign and domestic policy.
Teams are out
The two teams are out and kick-off is merely seconds away.
Galatasaray tifo
They have unfurled a big banner celebrating Osimhen.
There's also some noise and a lot of flags and something about being welcomed to hell.
There have been a few chants from the away end, positioned high up in the corner of the opposite stand here to where the teams come out.
The travelling Kop isn't full but that's not too surprising given Liverpool only knew who they were playing less than a fortnight ago, it's a long trek, it isn't cheap and there's the small matter of a neighbouring country being at war.
Well done to those who have made the trip.
Liverpool kids are all right
Just watching Ngumoha and Nyoni playing crossfield passes to each other with Ngumoha trapping them by wrapping his left leg behind his right.
Tasty.
Arne Slot on how close Rio Ngumoha was to starting for Liverpool
Speaking to TNT Sports, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said: Close. "As some others who are not playing tonight were close to playing as well because we've got more than 11 good players.
"We've got more than 11 players who are able to start and Rio did really well against Wolves. I've already said one month ago that his playing time would increase and I think that has been shown in the last month."
Wirtz going on with Liverpool number seven?
Great to see Wirtz back starting for Liverpool today. They've missed him.
But less great to see it still looks like he's cut his hair himself.
All for none of that spending a fortune on silly hairdos, and I'm hardly one to talk, but really, come on.
Arne Slot has been speaking to TNT Sport pitch-side. The Liverpool boss said:
As you can already here now you can feel what it means to these fans tonight, we have experienced it already. So it is not new but the for the most experienced players the first experience was something new, so I hope it is going to help us. And of course we have the second leg at Anfield, so our fans will show at Anfield as well what this support means.
"One of the things is we conceded after three minutes [in September] a big chance and then the goal, a soft penalty, but that changed the game in the sense that they were able to use the time in their advantage and it gave the fans and players energy and momentum to keep the lead.
"We have not conceded many big chances but the penalty at 1-0 down made it a very difficult game for us, that is one of the things: don't concede an early goal. Because that will give a lot of momentum to Galatasaray and their fans."
Warming up in Galatasaray
Just got asked to say some nice things about Osmihen actually by the Turkish media.
They didn't like my game-specific answers and asked me again for a general overview of him.
Just said he was good.
Galatasaray threat
It was interesting to hear Alexis Mac Allister name Lucas Torreira as the player he would nominate as Galatasaray's outstanding performer last night. There is the South American connection, of course, given the Gala man is Uruguayan but the major threat, for most, will be Victor Osimhen.
The Nigeria striker tormented Liverpool many moons ago when he was a Napoli player but that game was nearly four years ago now. It was his penalty that settled things in the group stage and the Reds will have to limit the supply to him this evening.
First of all, it makes me really proud that I become the Liverpool manager and that it is going to be my 100th game. I don't think I have a bad track record in those 100 games... although sometimes, you get a different feeling about that if I have to listen to everything! But it makes me proud and it's nice that the 100th game is such a nice game to play – Champions League last 16, away game against Galatasaray.
As always, it's never about the manager, it's always about the players. I'll try to prepare them just as good as all the other 99 games I've done before. But it's always the players who have to then perform and I've been very lucky that I've been given a very good team in both seasons, last season and this season. I have all the trust that these players will perform at the levels that we are used to from a Liverpool team.
Galatasaray team to face Liverpool
Galatasaray: Cakir, Singo, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Lemina; Lang, Sara, Yilmaz, Osimhen Subs: Sen, Guvenc, Sallai, Icardi, Sane, Akgun, Elmali, Gundogan, Kutucu, Asprilla, Ayhan, Boey
More jeers from Galatasaray
The sight of the Liverpool starting line-up on the screens inside the stadium is enough to kick them off.
Mohamed Salah becomes Liverpool's all-time leading appearance maker in this competition tonight, eclipsing Jamie Carragher in the process.
The No.11 can also become the Champions League's all-time leading scorer from the continent of Africa, should he register tonight. It will be the Egypt star's 50th goal in this competition.
Some player that Mo Salah...
Mohamed Salah arrives for tonight's match
So a return for Florian Wirtz tonight and Joe Gomez also starts at right-back. That's the right call for me, it would have made zero sense putting Dominik Szoboszlai in there when Gomez and Jeremie Frimpong are both available and I think Gomez offers more defensive security tonight.
Frimpong can come on and stretch the game with his pace and direct running.
It's Wirtz's first start since the FA Cup win over Brighton on February 14, so it's a big night for him.
Florian Wirtz of Liverpool arrives at Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi ahead of the Champions League clash with Galatasaray (Image: Burak Kara - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images))
Galatasaray atmosphere chat
No, Paul. You are right to say that about the atmosphere here.
This is my first experience here but it doesn't come across particularly well on telly.
What I can say, though, is when Liverpool played at the old Besiktas ground in 2007 it was the loudest I've ever known at a football stadium. I think pumping stuff through the speakers helped, though.
Liverpool team vs Galatasaray confirmed
The Liverpool team is locked in.
Mamardashvili; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike.
Subs: Woodman, Misciur, Jones, Gakpo, Robertson, Frimpong, Nyoni, Nallo, Morrison, Ngumoha.
Five changes. Wirtz first start in four games.
Unpopular opinion
I hate it when people say 'unpopular opinion' and follow it up by just laying out the wildest and nonsensical takes but...unpopular opinion: I don't think the vaunted Rams Park atmosphere is quite that good.
Don't get me wrong, it's intimidating for the opposition and no doubt causes the odd mistake here or there with the incessant whistling whenever Gala don't have the ball but for me, it was just that - a whole lot of whistling.
I was there for the September group game and I found Marseille's, for example, to be much more of atmospheric stadium.
Either way, it doesn't really matter what I think, the Galastasaray fans have a reputation for putting on a hostile reception for their visitors, so Liverpool will have to stand up to that tonight. It's a big test.
Liverpool unfussed
Some of the younger Liverpool players make their way on to the pitch and are greeted by loud whistling.
Morrison gets his phone out and seems to be enjoying it as he records the jeers.
Noisy Galatasaray
A couple of the home players have just popped out on to the pitch to cheers from the few Galatasaray fans who are in here.
The Liverpool end aren't impressed and boo.
They have quality players that can fight and they have great fans behind them. We need to be so, so, so good to bring a result back to Anfield and that's what we're going to try.
"Last time when we played them there was not a lot between us and them. We both got a penalty, unfortunately ours was overturned by the VAR and theirs was given. And in open play I think we were quite similar, a 50-50 game that we lost because of that penalty.
"Two very good teams playing against each other.
Arne Slot celebrates after his Liverpool side booked their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 3-1 win at Wolves (Image: Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool decisions for Galatasaray
So what do we think selection-wise this evening then?
I am going for a first Florian Wirtz start in nearly a month off the left of the front three, Cody Gakpo can drop to the bench.
Milos Kerkez returns for Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez is at right-back.
We'll find out at 4.30pm if Arne Slot agrees...