RB Leipzig vs Liverpool LIVE: Champions League result and reaction as Darwin Nunez goal secures win
RB Leipzig 0-1 Liverpool: Arne Slot’s men remain unbeaten so far in European after overcoming the German side
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Liverpool weathered a late Leipzig storm to secure a 1-0 win on their travels in the Champions League. The Reds are still unbeaten in the European top-flight with three wins from their three matches and join Aston Villa on a maximum nine points.
There were two decisive factors in the game. The first was Darwin Nunez, a striker in desperate need of a goal. He popped up in the first half to get on the end of a headed effort from Mo Salah. Salah’s shot looked to be going in, but Nunez made sure and sent Liverpool ahead just moments after the hosts had had a goal disallowed.
The second factor was Liverpool’s deputy goalkeeper Coaimhin Kelleher. The Irishman had a superb outing making around six solid saves to deny a forward line containing Benjamin Sesko and Xavi Simons and keep a clean sheet under a late surge from the German side.
At time it wasn’t pretty but Liverpool managed the game well and got themselves over the line.
Relive the Champions League action with our live blog below:
Preparation is key
RB Leipzig have been readying themselves for Liverpool’s visit, under the watchful eye of coach Marco Rose. Can the German side earn all three points tonight?
‘Contract negotiations ongoing’ says Van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk is one of three players, along with Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contracts with Liverpool are coming to an end.
The captain provided an update saying negotiations over a new deal are ‘ongoing’. Van Dijk said: “I can say obviously discussions are ongoing, but I don’t know, we will see what happens in the future.
“My very full focus is on Liverpool, wanting to win games that are ahead of me and nothing else. What the future will bring I have no idea at the moment. I can only tell you that discussions have been started up and we will see.”
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk speaks out over Anfield contract talks
Virgil van Dijk has confirmed he is in talks with Liverpool about a new contract but admitted he has no idea what his future holds.
The Liverpool captain’s current deal – like those of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold – expires at the end of the season and he has been discussing an extension with the club.
But Liverpool risk losing a £75m signing on a free transfer with Van Dijk able to arrange a summer move to foreign clubs from January and the centre-back unsure whether he will remain at Anfield.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk speaks out over Anfield contract talks
The Liverpool captain is one of three Reds stars with an expiring contract as doubts swirl over the futures of Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold
Slot not fooled by Leipzig’s record in Europe
RB Leipzig have yet to win in the Champions League this season but are unbeaten in the German Bundesliga. Liverpool boss Arne Slot has noted this and is preparing to face a strong team this evening.
Slot said: “I never think it is a good idea to lose a game. Wherever you are in the season, you always want the best possible result. We face a good team, doing well in the Bundesliga.
“With this format, after two games you can have a league table that doesn’t tell the whole story. They are a very good team and, yes, the fixture list is tough, but what do you expect if you play in the Champions League?
“That is what we like and what we want.”
‘They are physical and a strong team’
RB Leipzig head coach, Marco Rose, spoke about Liverpool in the build-up to tonight’s clash and labelled Arne Slot’s side as ‘physical and strong’.
Rose believes facing the current Premier League leaders will be an exciting challenge for his team. He said: “They are strong at pressing and work hard defensively. They are physical and a strong team without possession, something that they were good at under Jurgen Klopp and now Arne Slot is doing it in his own way.
“Their game hasn’t changed much; they still play at a really high intensity.Their positional play is strong and dominant, plus they are hard to defend against and have lots of quality in attack.
“They are a top side and it’s an exciting challenge for us.”
Klopp ‘wants to learn again’ as Red Bull’s global head of soccer
Jurgen Klopp hopes to be able to “figure out what is useful for football” in his new role as Red Bull’s global head of soccer.
The former Liverpool manager said he wanted to start learning about the game again when he officially starts on January 1.
“A few months ago I said I don’t see myself on the sidelines any more and that’s still the case, but I still love football and still love working and Red Bull gives me the perfect platform for that,” Klopp, who left Anfield in the summer after almost nine years, said in a video on Instagram.
“I want to share my experience which I collected over the years and we all know there are much more successful managers out there.
“In my career I’ve fought for promotion, I’ve fought against relegation, I’ve fought for titles and I’ve fought for trophies. Sometimes we failed, sometimes we succeeded and dealing with that is not easy, but it is possible. Then I want to learn again because when you are in the job and have to play every three days you barely have time for that.
“Now I have time and I have the opportunity and I want to see, feel and figure out what is useful for football. So developing football a little bit as well.”
Jurgen Klopp was accused of betrayal – yet Liverpool and Red Bull share something in common
Across a quarter of a century and three clubs, Jurgen Klopp had forged a reputation as the people’s champion, the charismatic communicator with the capacity to get everyone to buy into what he was doing. His legend was burnished, his legacy endured.
Nine years after his departure from Borussia Dortmund, he was welcomed back to the Signal Iduna Park in September to coach in a testimonial game between sides captained by Jakub Blaszczykowski and Lukasz Piszczek, performing his trademark fist pumps in front of the Yellow Wall again.
On Saturday, Mainz turned their attention to the manager who propelled them from the German second flight into Europe. “Have you forgotten everything we gave you?” read one banner. “Bist du bekloppt?” (“Are you crazy?”) asked another, punning on his surname in his native tongue. For once, the people turned on Klopp.
Klopp was accused of betrayal – yet Liverpool and Red Bull share something in common
The German coach has accepted a role as head of soccer with the energy drinks giant and its network of clubs, a decision that has political, personal, financial and footballing factors
Latest odds
According to the bookies, Liverpool are the favourites to win this one though at 14/5 Leipzig are in with a decent shout of causing an upset.
A draw is apparantly the least likely outcome so expect one of these teams to go out and win this evening.
Leipzig 14/5
Draw 16/5
Liverpool 10/11
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Predicted line-ups
Here’s how we see the two teams lining up this evening. Liverpool are without Alisson in goal so Caoimhin Kelleher will get the opportunity to further impress in the Champions League.
RB Leipzig XI: Gulacsi, Geertruida, Orban, Castello, Henrichs, Nusa, Kampl, Vermeeren, Xavi, Openda, Sesko
Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones, Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Early team news
Liverpool will be without first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who continues to recover from a hamstring problem. A late decision may be made over Diogo Jota, who had to come off against Chelsea, while Harvey Elliott continues his rehabilitation following a broken foot.
Leipzig may be without Amadou Haidara after he had to leave the field early during their win against Mainz. Nicolas Seiwald, David Raum, Assan Ouédraogo and Xaver Schlager are all not expected to be available. But Kevin Kampl could be pushing for inclusion in the matchday squad.
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