Jurgen Klopp’s men begin their 2020-21 UEFA Champions League campaign with a visit to Ajax on Wednesday evening, as the Reds hope to overcome the gloom of a rather tense yet equally thrilling Merseyside derby affair over the past weekend.
VAR turned a villain for the Champions of England as Jordan Henderson’s potential match-winning goal in stoppage time was disallowed due to Sadio Mane being adjudged offside in the buildup play.
However, Liverpool FC will be swiftly turning their focus towards their hopes of clinching Champions League glory, especially after season’s heartbreaking loss to Atletico Madrid in the last-16 of the tournament.
The Dutch giants, on the other hand, get ready to play hosts to the Reds on the back of a 5-1 humbling of Heerenveen and look a solid side to pose a tough challenge to a rather under-par Liverpool FC, who have not hit the ground running as of the current season.
WHEN & WHERE?
Date: Wednesday 21 October
Time: 7 PM GMT
Venue: Johan Cruyff Arena
TEAM NEWS
The 2-2 draw at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon brought along a major injury woe for Liverpool FC, with star centre-back Virgil van Dijk possibly being sidelined for upto eight months with an ACL tear. The Dutch international will undergo surgery on his injured knee and is an absentee for the Reds over the course of this season.
Thiago Alcantara too is bound to miss the Champions League fixture at the Johan Cruyff Arena after being subject to a very rash challenge from Everton’s Richarlison in the dying moments of the derby game. The Spaniard could be kept out from the first-team action on Wednesday as a precautionary measure, reports suggest.
Alisson Becker will continue to be on the sidelines as the Brazillian international recovers from a shoulder injury sustained in training, and Adrian is widely tipped to start the game between the sticks for the Anfield giants against Ajax.
