Hoffenheim v Liverpool: LIVE updates and highlights from Champions League play-off

Hoffenheim v Liverpool: Express Sport brings you LIVE coverage of tonight’s Champions League play-off clash from the Rhein-Neckar-Arena

HT: How about that! Jamie Carragher has tweeted a picture of Trent Alexander-Arnold as a mascot. Taught him everything he knows, Jamie?

HT: Don’t forget to vote on our poll tonight folks. Alternatively, you can comment at the bottom of the page or let me know via Twitter (jamie_anderson3).

HT: Steven Gerrard can’t praise TAA enough. He think he’s going to become a major part of Liverpool’s team in the future, and is already breathing down Nathaniel Clyne’s neck for a starting berth.

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Harry:Very ropey in defence, getting lots of luck at times. Decent in attack, need more possession. What a goal by TAA.

Rohan:Main Man Trent! Remember the name, this guy is gonna be a super. What a way to introduce yourself on the European stage.

Drew:Let’s take £100m for Coutinho and use the money to genetically clone Sadio Mane. We can call him Sid Manes. Job done.

I can’t tell if Drew is a complete maniac or an undiscovered genius. Might be the former on reflection…

HT: HOFFENHEIM 0-1 LIVERPOOL

Liverpool might have ridden their luck, but 18-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold has given them a precious away goal and lead in Germany with a sublime free-kick.

Kramaric, Gnabry and Wagner all had great opportunities to get on the scoresheet, but they’ve been made to pay for poor finishing.

44: How have Hoffenheim not scored?! Kramaric beats Alberto Moreno to the header, and Gnabry’s snapshot is parried away by Mignolet. Wagner drags his follow-up wide.

41: That opener has knocked the stuffing out of Hoffenheim. They don’t look rattled, but they’ve not created much to trouble Liverpool.

38: Emre Can looks to double Liverpool’s advantage with a forward run, but his strike is straight down the keepers throat.

35: HOFFENHEIM 0-1 LIVERPOOL – ALEXANDER-ARNOLD

Naughty! Bicakcic is booked for dragging down Mane, who’d broken through the middle. In professional terms I think they would call it a “good foul.”

There’s no Coutinho to take this one, so the responsibility is left to Trent Alexandre-Arnold, who curls an amazing free-kick from 30-yards straight past the motionless keeper.

Who knew he had that in the locker?! Huge goal for Liverpool, and a huge moment for the youngster.

That’s his first goal for Liverpool in his ninth start in all competitions. Still, wish he’d done that in the Premier League because he’s in my Fantasy team!

32: The ball falls to Kaderabek just outside the six-yard box, but his back is to goal and the Liverpool defence stick to him like glue.

30: Half an hour gone and there’s not been too much goalmouth action since that penalty save, which was actually the only shot on target.

27: Did you know that Simon Mignolet has saved 7 of the 20 penalties he’s faced in all competitions since joining Liverpool (excluding shootouts)? Me neither, but Opta knew and I pinched that from them.

24: Some breaking transfer news coming from Merseyside. West Brom have signed Everton’s Gareth Barry, while Ronald Koeman’s side have reached a £45million agreement with Swansea for Gylfi Sigurdsson.

22: Hoffenheim clearly aren’t happy with the chaotic start to the match, and have slowed the tempo right down. You can sense the BT Sport commentary team are itching to say “Liverpool are desperately missing Philippe Coutinho,” but they’ve managed to refrain so far.

19: Trent Alexander-Arnold (who I will abbreviate to TAA because I’m incredibly lazy), wins a corner for his side but Hoffenheim clear. Liverpool growing in confidence after that HUGE reprieve.

15: I’m still trying to get over that penalty folks. One of the worst you’ll see this season. No doubt.

Mo Salah has the perfect opportunity to punish the former Leicester striker. He breaks clear of the Hoffenheim defence but hesitates and shoots narrowly wide. It should be 1-1 here, but it’s still goalless.

12:Penalty! Now on first glance that’s a little harsh. Gnabry looks to wriggle his way past Lovren, who makes the slightest contact and the former Arsenal man goes down.

Kramaric steps up… and saved! What an utterly dreadful penalty. He literally poked it slightly to Mignolet’s left and the goalkeeper pushes it away to safety.

No wonder Leicester binned him…

8: Chance! Gnabry is close to collecting a cross in the six-yard box but Joel Matip manages to clear the danger.

Dejan Lovren then gets lucky when trying to slide and clear. He gets in a muddle but fortunately for him, it trickles back to Mignolet instead of the onrushing Kramaric.

Lively start here.

6: Simon Mignolet races off his line to clear a speculative long pass and boots it to the moon. Sadio Mane then slips over when trying to take it round a couple of players.

3: Mo Salah is straight into the action on the right flank. He combines nicely with Emre Can but he’s quickly closed down by about 124 Hoffenheim players. Hunting in packs these German lads.

1: HOFFENHEIM 0-0 LIVERPOOL

Aaand we’re off! Incredible atmosphere tonight. Liverpool wearing their white shirts, Hoffenheim in blue.

19:44: And it’s time for THE CHAMPIONNSSSSSSS music to be blared around the stadium. I cant confirm that none of the players attempted to sign it, but I bloody did!

19:42: Quick reminder of those starting XI’s folks. We’re almost underway.

Hoffenheim XI: Baumann, Kaderabek, Bicakcic, Vogt, Hubner, Zuber, Rupp, Demirbay, Kramaric, Gnabry, Wagner.

Subs: Kobel, Nordtveit, Toljan, Amiri, Uth, Szalai, Geiger.

Liverpool XI: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Lovren, Moreno, Can, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane.

Subs: Karius, Milner, Gomez, Grujic, Klavan, Origi, Solanke.

Referee: Bjorn Kuipers.

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Enam:Need a big performance from the captain tonight. Otherwise if he continues like this even Milner will end up replacing him…

Liz:Would love nothing more than a comfortable 3/4-0 win tonight but we all know that won’t happen.

Jay:If Liverpool attack like they did on Saturday they will win but if they defend like the did they will lose. BTTS and #lfc win for me

19:35: Sticking with the rise of Hoffenheim, they are managed by the Bundesliga’s youngest-ever head coach, Julian Nagelsmann.

The 30-year-old has been dubbed the mini-Mourinho, and received the stamp of approval from Jurgen Klopp this week.

Asked about Nagelsmann, Klopp said: “He is a big, big, big coaching talent. We don’t know each other very well because we didn’t really have time – when I left Germany I think he was an U19 coach or something like this.

“But since then, we have written messages and things like this. I’ve really followed his way since then because I like good football and obviously his team is playing interesting and good football.

“He’s not the only one but he’s a good example for a lot of really good young managers in Germany. It’s an interesting time on the manager market in Germany at this moment.”

High praise indeed.

19:30: There’s a touch of the Leicester’s about Hoffenheim.

The village has a population of just 3,272 (can you tell I consulted Wikipedia for that figure?) and were only promoted to the Bundesliga in 2008.

9 years later, they’re about to play their very first European game after finishing fourth last season. Good luck, lads!

How many European matches have Liverpool played? Just the 364…

19:25: Chris Waddle isn’t impressed with Philippe Coutinho’s back injury folks.

That’s probably the understatement of the evening…

Waddle doubts the Brazil international even has an injury, and has accused him of downing tools.

He said: “A back injury? Wow. It is basically ‘I have downed tools, I want to be on the next plane to Barcelona’. If it happened soon he would be available for the next game.

“If his mind is set to leave, take the money.”

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Nooruddean:Expect Liverpool to sail past Hoffenheim. Their star player is an Arsenal reject and their top scorer failed at Leicester. They’ll do nothin…

Malcolm:Firmino back at Hoffenheim!! Got a feeling he will be doing some damage tonight

Rougez:I can only hope Hoffenheim aren’t as sharp as we are given we’ve just started the season, but it will be difficult either way.

19:15: Hoffenheim will be alien to most of this Liverpool team, but not for Roberto Firmino.

Firmino joined the Reds from Hoffenheim in 2015 for £29million, and he’s never looked back really.

Boasting the whitest teeth in England, will Firmino come back to haunt his former employers?

19:10: Whoops, I forgot to let you know the Hoffenheim side.

Hoffenheim XI: Baumann, Kaderabek, Bicakcic, Vogt, Hubner, Zuber, Rupp, Demirbay, Kramaric, Gnabry, Wagner.

Subs: Kobel, Nordtveit, Toljan, Amiri, Uth, Szalai, Geiger.

Gnabry? I’m sure Arsenal fans in North London will be praying for their former player to inflict maximum damage on Liverpool…

19:00: Jordan Henderson is going to channel his European experiences to help Liverpool overcome Hoffenheim tonight.

The England midfielder is one of only three survivors from the team which lost the Europa League final to Sevilla in Basle in May 2016, and he’s using that bitter night as motivation.

“That was a tough night for us as a team. Losing in any final but particularly a European final is tough,” he said.

“You have to use that and make sure you do not have that feeling again and we will use that going into the game and that anger, if you like, to have a good Euro campaign so hopefully it will help us going forward.”

18:55: Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann has warned Liverpool NOT to take his side lightly.

I’ve always thought warning the opposition about complacency was a bad idea, but Nagelsmann seems to think different.

Anyway, The 30-year-old has been something of a revelation in Germany, guiding the club to the brink of their first appearance in the Champions League after finishing fourth in the Bundesliga.

Asked if they could cause an upset he said: “Absolutely. I am aware of that. Of course we know Liverpool is the favourite in this encounter and we know we can, with a good match, shock our opponent.

“I don’t know if we need to shock them or the English public but I can also say we need an absolutely top performance tomorrow in order to do that.”

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Ewan:Nearly game time, c’mon Liverpool! Looking for a solid performance, hope we worked on set pieces!

Joe:Big game for the pool tonight,don’t get beat & snatch an away goal. They don’t look ready for the season ahead

Paul:Shouldn’t be this nervous for a game, you just never know what the side will do 

18:40: Jurgen Klopp has made no changes to the side who drew 3-3 with Watford on Saturday.

Trent Alexander-Arnold continues in the absence of Nathaniel Clyne, while Alberto Moreno starts ahead of James Milner, who’s on the bench again.

Further forward it’s Roberto Firmino leading the line with Sadio Mane and Mo Salah in support.

18:35: Here’s Liverpool’s starting line-up folks. No surprises.

Liverpool XI: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Matip, Moreno, Henderson, Can, Wijnaldum, Salah, Mane, Firmino.

Subs: Karius, Klavan, Gomez, Milner, Grujic, Solanke, Origi.

18:30: Not long until those starting XI’s are announced folks. Surely Klopp’s going with the same team that started against Watford on Saturday?

18:25: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp appeared to lend his support to the idea, and I’m sure it’s got nothing to do with Philippe Coutinho…

Klopp said: “It would have helped us this year (if the window had shut early). It makes sense that when the season is starting, planning for the team is over.”

18:20: You seen this story? I’m sure Jim White will be rolling in his grave…

Premier League clubs are pushing for the transfer window to be shut before the start of the season.

The issue is set to be discussed at a shareholders’ meeting in September with a majority of clubs in favour of shortening the window, which this year closes on August 31.

The move comes amid uncertainty over the future of a number of players, including Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, Everton’s Ross Barkley and Swansea striker Gylfi Sigurdsson.

That’s the subject of our poll tonight folks. Are you for or against the idea?

Let me know by voting, or alternatively you can comment at the bottom of the page or let me know via Twitter (jamie_anderson3).

18:15: How much is a tidy sum, Jamie? Allow me to explain.

Liverpool will win £1.8million if they manage to eliminate Hoffenheim, with a further participation bonus of £11.5m for the 32 clubs who reach the Champions League group stage.

It’ll then rise to somewhere in the region of £35m when they start the competition properly.

Should they lose, Jurgen Klopp’s side get £2.7m and are booted straight to the Europa League where the prize money is significantly smaller.

My GCSC maths (grade C) tells me that winning is paramount. Bloody genius me…

18:10: Good evening folks, welcome to our LIVE coverage of Hoffenheim v Liverpool from the Rhein-Neckar-Arena.

I really can’t stress just how important tonight’s play-off is.

Win and Liverpool will have one foot in the Champions League group stages and a tidy cash injection.

Lose, and Jurgen Klopp’s side will drop down to the Europa League with Merseyside rivals Everton and Arsenal.

High stakes? You better believe it!

PREVIEW

Liverpool will be without Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Daniel Sturridge for tonight’s clash.

Coutinho has a back injury, Lallana is out for two months with a thigh problem while Sturridge could return from a similar problem at the weekend.

Right-back Nathaniel Clyne is still absent after hamstring and back injuries.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: “This is the strongest qualification round. England play Germany and you can go out against Germany.

“We were both fourth last season, both in strong leagues, but that does not increase the pressure. We want to go to the group stages.

“That was our target for the whole of last season and now we have two steps to go – but they are the most difficult steps. That is how it is.

“If anybody thinks because they don’t know about German football or the quality of Hoffenheim – and a lot of people only know two names – it is clear we have to do the job.

“I am really positive and looking forward to the game, even when I know it is really difficult. That is no problem. That is how it should be in the Champions League, where all the games are difficult.”

Liverpool provisional squad: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Matip, Moreno, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Can, Salah, Firmino, Mane, Karius, Gomez, Robertson, Milner, Grujic, Kent, Solanke, Origi.