Liverpool vs Red Star LIVE: Teams confirmed; Anfield POWER CUT, Champions League latest

Liverpool vs Red Star: LIVE Champions League score, goals and updates from Anfield

• PSG hammered Red Star 6-1. Liverpool will be targeting a similar sort of scoreline tonight
• Roberto Firmino has been directly involved in nine goals in his seven Champions League games at Anfield
• Liverpool haven’t lost back-to-back games in the Champions League group stage since November 2014
• Red Star have won just one of their nine away games against English opposition – vs Liverpool in 1973

LIVERPOOL vs RED STAR

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Shaqiri, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Moreno, Milner, Lallana, Sturridge, Origi.

Not all bad news for Red Star… apparently

18:55: The Serbian champions and 1991 European Cup winners will not be able to count on a vocal minority support at Anfield as UEFA banned the club from selling tickets to their fans as a punishment for trouble at August’s qualifier at Salzburg.

However, Red Star do not have to look too far for inspiration as they have won both of their previous meetings against red>Liverpool. Paired together in the last 16 of the 1973/74 European Cup, Red Star prevailed 2-1 in both legs before being eliminated by Atletico Madrid in the next round.

Guns loaded

18:50: Blimey, no messing around for Jurgen Klopp. The Liverpool manager has gone full beans to try and destroy Red Star at Anfield tonight.

Like I said, five change from the 1-0 victory over Huddersfield.

Trent Alexander-Arnold replaces Dejan Lovren with Joe Gomez reverting to centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk.

Fabinho comes in for captain Jordan Henderson while Georginio Wijnaldum takes James Milner’s place.

Sadio Mane shakes off (not literally) his thumb injury to return to the starting XI ahead of Adam Lallana and striker Roberto Firmino replaces Daniel Sturridge.

Starting XI…

18:45: And right on time, here is the Liverpool line-up for tonight’s bout. Plenty of changes from the victory over Huddersfield – five to be precise.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Shaqiri, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Moreno, Milner, Lallana, Sturridge, Origi.

Fortress Anfield

18:43: Liverpool’s run to the Champions League final last term was due in no small part to their record at home, with five wins and two draws.

Only once did they fail to find the back of the net and that was when Klopp rested several first-teamers against Porto as his side held a 5-0 aggregate lead.

Against Manchester City, Roma and PSG – their opponents on their last three European nights at Anfield – they have scored 11 times. Red Star, who were hammered 6-1 in Paris earlier this month, could be forgiven for feeling a sense of foreboding.

Power cut!

18:40: We’ve been plunged into darkness at Anfield! Something like this always happens when we approach Halloween. And yes, I’m still a 27-year-old who worries about ghosts.

Too much information… Liverpool have power issues tonight but they don’t expect it to affect KO.

“We’re currently experiencing some issues with the power supply to the Main Stand at Anfield,” the club wrote on Twitter. “All other stands are open and operating as normal. Some facilities in the Main Stand will be affected. Supporters can enter the stadium as normal.”

Winning ugly

18:35: Jurgen Klopp admitted that eking out a 1-0 win at Huddersfield over the weekend was “maybe the first period in my life that we are winning average matches”.

The result proved the Merseysiders can grind out a win even when they are not hitting top form, a trait that has eluded the club for a number of years and arguably cost them silverware. It is something they may need to do throughout the campaign if they are to have success on domestic and European fronts.

Evening…

18:30: Oh, look what the cat dragged in…

That’s my rather risqué way of welcoming you to our LIVE Champions League coverage as Liverpool welcome Red Star Belgrade to Anfield.

I’ll be calling the visitors Red Star, but for those desperate to sound like football hipsters – their full title is: Fudbalski Klub Crvena Zvezda.

Yeah, let’s stick with Red Star…

Anyway, the Reds followed up a memorable win over PSG in their Group C opener with a defeat to Napoli last time out and want to return to winning ways.

I think that’s enough of an introduction. Let’s have the team news and line-ups.

LIVERPOOL vs RED STAR

Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita will sit out Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday but Sadio Mane could make his return to action.

Henderson sustained a hamstring problem in Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League win at Huddersfield and came off at half-time, while fellow midfielder Keita sat the game out due to a hamstring issue of his own, picked up while on international duty with Guinea.

Forward Mane (broken thumb) was also not involved at the John Smith’s Stadium but is in contention for this contest having returned to full training.

Liverpool provisional squad: Alisson, Mignolet, Clyne, Van Dijk, Lovren, Gomez, Moreno, Robertson, Matip, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Milner, Lallana, Shaqiri, Firmino, Mane, Salah, Sturridge, Origi, Solanke.