Mohamed Salah will help Liverpool go all out for Champions League revenge over Real Madrid as Manchester City clash looms
Revenge is in the air
Arne Slot has a difficult juggling act to perform when he names his Liverpool side to face Real Madrid in the box-office Champions League showdown at Anfield.
The Reds manager won’t want to risk injuries or fatigue plaguing key players with Sunday’s blockbuster against Manchester City looming but, on the other hand, he won’t want his team to be overwhelmed by the Galacticos – especially with Real’s 5-2 victory in the last 16 a couple of years ago still haunting the Kop.
Fortunately, the Premier League leaders are also two points clear at the summit of the revitalised Champions League and look bound to finish the group stage in the top eight, which means they can ease into the last 16 avoiding the play-off games in the new year.
Slot is blessed with strength in depth and could easily field Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister, who did not start Sunday’s 3-2 victory at Southampton, and barely skip a beat. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott may also be available after injury. That’s a huge bonus as time management is important with so many sides running out of steam when chasing silverware on multiple fronts.
After facing City, the Reds head to Newcastle and then there is the Merseyside derby at Everton before a third straight road trip to Girona for a Champions League match – which may well be something of a dead rubber from Slot’s point of view, allowing wholesale changes to finally take place.
Madrid, who won the European Cup for the 15th time in June, visit Anfield in 18th place in the group stage after a 3-1 home defeat to AC Milan in their last European game.
They had tonked Borussia Dortmund 5-2 before that but after starting the campaign with a 3-1 win over Stuttgart, they lost 1-O at Lille so there’s work to be done to climb into the top eight.
Revenge for that home humiliation will surely spur on Liverpool against a Real side struggling with injuries and the Reds are 10/11 to triumph with Coral, Ladbrokes and William Hill, while a 2-1 success is 8/1 with the latter firm.
Mohamed Salah, who dropped the bombshell news he is more likely to leave Liverpool than sign a new contract after taking his Premier League tally to ten goals with his double at Southampton, is 23/5 to break the deadlock with Unibet and BetMGM and 11/8 with bet365 get on the scoreboard at any time.
Have Villans been rumbled?
Aston Villa entertaining Juventus would be the biggest match in England on most other Champions League matchdays but it falls slightly below the Anfield shoot-out.
There’s a worry Unai Emery’s side have lost their mojo since starting the European campaign with three straight victories against Young Boys in Switzerland and Bayern Munich and Bologna in front of the Holte End.
A defeat at Club Bruges is part of six games without a win and although injuries have played a role in that poor run there’s also the feeling Villa’s style of play has been somewhat sussed out.
Juventus are the only unbeaten team in Serie A, where they possess the best defensive record, and have taken seven points from 12 in Europe. But they have drawn seven of 13 league games, so the stalemate appeals at 12/5 with BetGoodwin while under 2.5 goals is 7/10 with Betway.
• Australia are already trying to get under England’s skin despite the Ashes being 12 months away with former coach Darren Lehmann insisting Joe Root isn’t an elite batter.
The Yorkshireman will hit back by being the tourists’ top runscorer in the first of three Tests against New Zealand at 7/2 with Paddy Power and Betfair. Black Caps icon Tim Southee will retire after the series and is 3/1 with BoyleSports to be the top home bowler.
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