Liverpool host Villarreal at Anfield tonight (8pm UK, Prime Video), looking to make it three wins from three in the Champions League league phase.
There’s been little fresh news today, so this update brings together Andoni Iraola’s update on Jeremie Frimpong and Dominik Szoboszlai’s injuries and his suggestion that he could make changes.
Team news
Frimpong and Szoboszlai are out after being forced off at Brentford. Iraola says Frimpong has a new muscle injury and will struggle to return before the November international break. Szoboszlai’s problem is a recurrence of the injury that kept him out of the two games before Brentford.
Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitiké and Giovanni Leoni remain sidelined. Ryan Gravenberch is available again after serving his domestic suspension, while Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo are ineligible because they weren’t included in Liverpool’s league-phase squad.
There is still no confirmed update on Victor Muñoz. The Liverpool Echo reported that he missed the part of Monday’s training open to the media. He needed treatment twice at Brentford before being replaced late on, but his absence from open training alone does not establish that he will miss tonight’s game.
Changes possible
Iraola has indicated that some players aren’t fresh enough and that his starting XI may differ from what supporters expect.
With a short turnaround after Brentford, there could be opportunities for others. The team announcement should settle both the selection questions and Muñoz’s involvement.
Tonight’s opponents
Villarreal lost 3-2 at Borussia Dortmund in their opening league-phase match before beating Napoli 3-1 at home. They drew 0-0 with Elche on Saturday.
Tajon Buchanan returned to training on Monday after three games out with a hamstring problem. Nicolas Pépé has also missed their last three matches with an eye issue.
There is a personal connection in the dugouts: Villarreal boss Iñigo Pérez was Iraola’s assistant at Rayo Vallecano, and the pair have known each other since their Athletic Club academy days.
Liverpool have knocked Villarreal out of two European semi-finals, in the Europa League in 2016 and the Champions League in 2022.
Four in a row at Anfield
Tonight starts a run of four successive home games, with Brighton, Chelsea in the Carabao Cup and Arsenal to follow.
It is a chance to build momentum, and both Iraola and Virgil van Dijk have urged the team to make home advantage count.
Transfer watch
Portuguese Benfica website Glorioso 1904 claims Liverpool and Chelsea are monitoring 18-year-old right-back Daniel Banjaqui. The report says there has been no approach and Benfica do not want to sell. This remains an unconfirmed link.
There is no fresh reporting behind the latest Finn Jeltsch coverage: it repeats the claim from the pro-Barcelona paper Sport covered in Monday morning’s briefing.
Also today
Liverpool’s under-19s take on Villarreal in the UEFA Youth League at Kirkby this afternoon (3pm UK kick-off), with coverage on All Red Video.
Next fixtures (UK times)
Tuesday 20 October: Villarreal at home, Champions League, 8pm (Prime Video)
Sunday 25 October: Brighton at home, 2pm
Wednesday 28 October: Chelsea at home, Carabao Cup fourth round, 8pm
Sunday 1 November: Arsenal at home, 4:30pm
Who would you bring into the starting XI tonight?
