Brentford v Liverpool - Premier League 2026/27 - Source: Getty
Liverpool v Villarreal - UEFA Champions League 2026-27 - Source: Getty
UEFA Champions League football returns to Anfield as a resurgent Liverpool welcome Villarreal to the north-west of England. With the opening two rounds of the league phase behind them, Tuesday's encounter offers both teams another opportunity to strengthen their claims for a place in the knockout rounds.
Liverpool's return to action after the international break was far from ideal, as they suffered a heavy 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League. However, Andoni Iraola's men have responded superbly and are well placed to make it three wins from three on the continental stage.
After dispatching Atletico Madrid 2-1 in their Champions League opener, the Reds travelled south-east across Europe to the Raiffeisen Arena on matchday two to take on LASK. There, they made light work of the Austrian champions, with three different players scoring their maiden goals for Liverpool in a 6-3 victory.
It was Bradley Barcola, though, who stole the spotlight in Linz, with the Frenchman netting a brilliant hat-trick to finally open his account following his big-money move from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
Villarreal, meanwhile, had gone four straight games without a win before their UCL opener last month and, perhaps predictably, marked the occasion on a sour note as they lost 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund, coming away from Signal Iduna Park empty-handed for a second consecutive campaign.
El Submarino Amarillo have since found some rhythm under head coach Iñigo Pérez following their setback in Germany and, as a result, emerged victorious in their second continental game of the campaign, beating Napoli 3-1.
An early goal from the Italians was a source of frustration for Villarreal, but Pérez's men remained undeterred and were rewarded for their efforts with goals from three different players, including right-back Santiago Mouriño, who has scored in consecutive UCL outings.
Liverpool vs Villarreal Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
The two teams last met in the semi-finals of the 2021-22 UCL campaign, with Liverpool winning the two-legged tie 5-2 on aggregate.
Villarreal's only competitive win against Liverpool came in their first-ever encounter in April 2016, when a 93rd-minute strike from Adrián López sealed a 1-0 victory in the Europa League semi-finals.
Both sides have conceded four goals apiece in the Champions League this season.
The Reds, meanwhile, boast the superior attacking record, having scored eight goals compared to Villarreal's five.
Liverpool vs Villarreal Prediction
Despite Villarreal's recent upturn in form, their next test is a daunting one as they travel to a ground where Liverpool have lost just one of their last eight matches and could come unstuck.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Villarreal
Liverpool vs Villarreal Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Liverpool to win
Tip 2 - Goals - Over/Under 2.5 - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3 - Both teams to score: Yes