Liverpool vs Porto LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction tonight
Follow all the latest action as the Reds host the Dragons at Anfield
The pressure is off for Liverpool tonight as they host FC Porto in the Champions League, but it’s still all to play for as far as the visitors are concerned. The Reds won each of their first four group stage games to seal top spot and qualification to the last 16, while the Portuguese side sit in second with two games to play - just one point ahead of Atletico Madrid.
While some supporters would perhaps like to see the Reds rotate to an extent and preserve the first-choice stars who will have an inevitably busy run over the December fixtures, Jurgen Klopp’s chances of doing that are hampered by ongoing injuries, especially in midfield. They come into this match full of confidence and looking sharp after a thumping win over Arsenal at the weekend, with the Reds having lost just one game in all competitions this term.
Porto are not much worse than that, in fact, with just two defeats for themselves in 2021/22 - but one of those came against the Reds two months ago, when the the trident of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane each found the net in a 5-1 thrashing. Follow all the team news and match action as Liverpool host Porto below:
Liverpool vs Porto
Jurgen Klopp on Takumi Minamino, who starts tonight after scoring his first Anfield goal against Arsenal:
“Taki scored for us at the weekend after being on the pitch for a matter of seconds and I promise you there will not have been a more popular goalscorer in our group at that moment. You could tell that from all of our reactions.
“This is of course partly because we love him as a person. He has such a warm and generous soul. However, it was far more than just his endearing personality that made us so pleased. It was because of the attitude he shows and the contribution he makes day in and day out.
“Without question he is a person who helps set our standards. I cannot praise highly enough the level he shows in training. He takes the maximum possible from each session. He is a coach’s dream.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments