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Liverpool is chasing a sixth win from six UEFA Champions League games on Tuesday when it plays Girona in Catalonia. The Premier League leaders saw the Merseyside Derby with Everton canceled this weekend and were therefore able to rest while the Spaniards went to Real Madrid in La Liga.
Girona have lost important key pieces of last season’s success and have struggled to replicate anything close to that incredible form that saw them finish third. Artem Dovbyk, Savinho, Eric Garcia, Yan Couto and Aleix Garcia have all moved on, giving Michel a completely different side to last year. With 22 points from 16 games, they are in eighth place in the top flight.
The hosts’ first-ever meeting with an English team will come against a Liverpool side fresh from not playing bitter rivals Everton this weekend. Storm Darragh forced the EPL clash to be postponed, so Goodison Park’s final Merseyside Derby will have to wait.
Slot’s Reds were still at least four points clear in the Premier League with their game in hand and were held 3-3 by Newcastle United last week, ending a seven-match winning run. Liverpool have scored multiple goals from each of their last nine games in all competitions and a 100% winning run in Europe.
Here are our storylines, how to watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Tuesday December 10 | Time: 12:45 PM ET
- Location: Estadi Montilivi – Girona, Catalonia, Spain
- Watch: Biggest+
- Chances: Girona +600; Sign +375; Liverpool-225
Competition phase so far
Girona already defeated Slovan Bratislava this year, but lost to Paris Saint-Germain, PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord and Sturm Graz. The Spanish team is currently ranked 30th and would leave Europe if they stayed below the 24-team cut-off point. Meanwhile, Liverpool lead the 36-team field by two points and have already booked at least a play-off place with three games remaining. The Reds are on a two-match winning run against Spanish opponents, having won none of eight previously.
Team news
Girona: Arnau Martinez is back, but Viktor Tsygankov will be out, allowing Yaser Asprilla to start while one of Bryan Gil and Arnaut Danjuma look for a start. Yangel Herrera is also available again, while Jhon Solis could return after missing the Real defeat.
Possible Girona XI: Gazzaniga; A Martinez, Lopez, Krejci, Gutierrez; Martin, Romeu; Asprilla, Van de Beek, Danjuma; Miovski.
Liverpool: Alexis Mac Allister is suspended from the Premier League and Champions League and is therefore unavailable with Alisson Becker, Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota, Kostas Tsimikas, Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley all out. Curtis Jones could be Ryan Gravenberch’s partner without Mac Allister, while Mohamed Salah could set a new personal best in the UCL by winning one more.
Possible Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Gakpo.
Prediction
This one should be simple enough for Liverpool, who will continue to march towards the round of 16 and will do so with minimal hassle from Girona, who are simply making the most of their remaining time in Europe. Choose: Girona 0, Liverpool 2.