Liverpool vs Maribor - as it happened: Jurgen Klopp's men clinch three more points after convincing home win
Re-live live action from the Champions League
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool host Maribor on Wednesday night looking for another comprehensive victory to send them top of Champions League Group E with two games to play.
After thrashing the Slovenian club 7-0 away from home in the opening fixture of their double-header, the Reds drew level on five points with Group E frontrunners Spartak Moscow. With the Russian team away at Seville in the other group fixture, boss Jurgen Klopp will know his team have a brilliant opportunity to secure their leading position with two gameweeks remaining.
Since their last outing in the competition, the Merseyside club have experienced mixed Premier League fortunes. Although they cruised easily enough to a 3-0 victory against league newcomers Huddersfield at Anfield on Saturday, the defensive capitulation in the 4-1 loss to Spurs the week before will have left lasting scars. Another confident European win tonight would help to banish those ghosts and instil some positive momentum in their league challenge.
Nonetheless, given the relative ease in which his side defeated their northern Slovenian opposition last time out, expect some squad rotation from Klopp. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Emre Can and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may all start, with other first-choice replacements rested ahead of Saturday’s league clash with West Ham.
For Maribor and their manager, ex-Leeds United boss Darko Milanic, it might be a matter of merely saving face after their drubbing a fortnight ago. With long-term absentees Luka Zahovic and Denis Sme still in the stands, they will be hopeful of clawing back some respectability in their third ever outing in the Champions League group stages.
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What time does it start?
Liverpool vs Maribor kicks off at 19:45 GMT.
Where can I watch it?
The game will be shown on BT Sport ESPN from 19:00. Highlights will be shown at 22:15 on BT Sport 2.
It’s a big game for...
Trent Alexander-Arnold: In addition to the stunning free-kick he scored in his first ever Champions League appearance in August, the young wingback’s goal in Slovenia a couple of weeks ago would have reassured him he belongs on the biggest footballing stages. Another goal tonight might also persuade Jurgen Klopp to provide him with a more regular starting place.
Best stat...
7-0. Liverpool’s margin of victory last time out was the biggest margin of victory for an English club away from home in the European Cup/Champions League.
Remember when...
With Liverpool and Maribor only facing each other once before tonight, there’s not much inter-club history to choose from here. A good excuse, then, to revisit this textbook Gerrard screamer from the 2004-5 Champions League competition - the Reds would, of course, go on to lift the trophy that year.
Player to watch...
Daniel Sturridge: Scoring his 100th Liverpool goal on his return to action against Huddersfield on Saturday, the striker will hope for more goals tonight to further energise his journey back to full match-fitness.
Previous three meetings...
Maribor 0 Liverpool 7 (Firmino x2, Coutinho, Salah x2, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexander-Arnold), Champions League, October 2017.
Form guide...
Liverpool: DDDWLW
Maribor: WLWDLL
Odds...
Liverpool: 1/33
Maribor: 50
Draw: 22
(Odds provided by 888 Sport)
39' - Casemiro has just produced one of the most theatrical dives you'll ever see. You have to watch that on one of the highlights programme tonight.
41' - Denied! Moussa Sissoko's scuffed effort lands at the feet of Harry Kane but the Spurs striker's miscued shot is blocked by Sergio Ramos. That should've been a second goal for the hosts.
Half-time - The referee brings a close to the opening period and Spurs lead through Dele Alli's 27th-minute goal.
Half-time scores from around Europe
- Besiktas 1-1 Monaco (full-time)
- Dortmund 1-0 APOEL
- Porto 1-0 RB Leipzig
- Liverpool 0-0 Maribor
- Napoli 1-1 Manchester City
- Sevilla 1-0 Spartak Moscow
- Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 Feyenoord
- Tottenham 1-0 Real Madrid
47' - Harry Kane shrugs off Sergio Ramos before sending a low cross in towards Christian Eriksen. Luka Modric gets back well though and clears the ball away.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Maribor (Salah, 49)
Liverpool have made the breakthrough at Anfield and it's Mo Salah with the goal - his 10th of the season in all competitions.
GOAL! Napoli 1-2 Manchester City (Stones, 48)
"Anything you can do, I can do better!"
John Stones saw defensive partner Nicolas Otamendi equalise in the first half and clearly fancied one-upping him by getting the goal to put City ahead.
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