Liverpool welcome Villarreal to Anfield tonight aiming to keep their perfect start to the Champions League league phase going and build on back-to-back wins.
Kick-off is at 8pm UK, live on Prime Video. Andoni Iraola’s side are chasing a third European win after victories over Atlético Madrid and LASK, while Villarreal arrive buoyed by beating Napoli. Both sides have had uneven starts domestically, so Europe has offered each of them some encouragement.
An opportunity to strengthen Liverpool’s position
Liverpool have six points from their opening two games, coming from behind to beat Atlético 2-1 at Anfield before an extraordinary 6-3 win at LASK, where Bradley Barcola’s hat-trick brought his first goals for the club. A third win would take them to nine points and strengthen their early position in the race for automatic qualification for the last 16.
There is plenty of attacking encouragement in those results, but conceding three in Austria gives Iraola something to address. The challenge is to combine that scoring threat with more control when possession changes hands.
Team news: Frimpong and Szoboszlai out
Jeremie Frimpong and Dominik Szoboszlai were both forced off in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Brentford, and the club has confirmed neither will face Villarreal. Iraola said Frimpong has a new muscle injury and it will be difficult to have him back before the November international break, while Szoboszlai has suffered a recurrence of the problem 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 a one-match domestic ban, while Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo were not included in the league-phase squad.
There has been no club update on Victor Muñoz, who the Liverpool Echo, once a great paper, now part of Reach plc’s clickbait machine, reported missed the part of Monday’s training open to the media.
Those absences leave decisions on the right of defence and in midfield. Ronald Araújo started at right-back at Brentford, and Szoboszlai’s absence opens up another selection question in the centre. Iraola has also hinted that his starting XI may not be the one supporters expect, because some players aren’t fresh enough.
For Villarreal, Tajon Buchanan returned to training on Monday after missing three games with a hamstring injury, although that doesn’t guarantee he is ready to play. Nicolas Pépé has missed their last three matches with an eye problem.
Villarreal bring confidence and questions
Villarreal lost their opening league-phase game 3-2 at Borussia Dortmund, then came from a goal down to beat Napoli 3-1, their first win in 13 Champions League matches. They followed that with a goalless home draw against Elche on Saturday.
Anfield will be a serious test of how they cope away from home, but the Napoli result shows they carry a genuine attacking threat.
A familiar face in the opposing dugout
There’s a personal edge for Iraola and Villarreal head coach Iñigo Pérez, who was his assistant at Rayo Vallecano. The pair have been friends since their academy days at Athletic Club, and Iraola spoke warmly about him before the game, acknowledging how well Pérez knows him.
That familiarity adds interest to the tactical battle. With each coach knowing the other’s preferred approach, execution and in-game adjustments could prove decisive.
Where the match could be decided (our analysis)
This section is KopTalk’s tactical view, not confirmed team information.
Liverpool’s first priority should be controlling the space behind their attacking players. If the full-backs push on and midfielders join the press, those left behind must be positioned to stop Villarreal escaping the first challenge. Letting the visitors settle into comfortable possession would be dangerous, so pressure on the ball needs midfield cover and a disciplined defensive line behind it.
The second question is how well Liverpool connect midfield and attack. Florian Wirtz’s positioning could be key: receiving between the lines would let him turn, combine with Alexander Isak and release runners beyond the Villarreal defence.
Barcola is an obvious attacking focus after his hat-trick in Austria. His ability to carry the ball and attack space can stretch Villarreal’s shape and open up more room centrally.
Then there’s energy. Liverpool were at Brentford on Saturday, leaving only two days in between, and the injuries complicate Iraola’s rotation decisions. Any changes need to keep enough cohesion to sustain the press and guard against counter-attacks.
History favours the Reds
Liverpool have come out on top in both previous European meetings, both of them semi-finals. In the 2016 Europa League, they overturned a 1-0 first-leg defeat with a 3-0 win at Anfield. Six years later, they won 5-2 on aggregate in the Champions League, beating Villarreal 2-0 at home and 3-2 in Spain.
Liverpool have also won 15 of their last 16 Champions League group-stage or league-phase home games, while Villarreal have never beaten an English club in the Champions League proper.
Those records favour Liverpool, but reputation alone won’t win the game.
The verdict
Liverpool have the home advantage, attacking quality and European momentum to approach this game with confidence. Their injury list and recent defensive lapses still leave room for Villarreal to make it an uncomfortable evening.
The task for Iraola’s side is to impose a high tempo while keeping control behind the ball. If Liverpool can give their creative players a platform without exposing their defence, a third successive Champions League win is within reach.
What’s your prediction for tonight?
