Liverpool will host Toulouse in the Europa League on Thursday in Group E. Les Violets are still undefeated and have a chance to reach the summit with a historic victory. The Reds are looking to maintain their flawless record in this year’s group stage.
Preview (Liverpool vs. Toulouse)
Liverpool bounced back from losing their final two Premier League games prior to the international break. They defeated Merseyside rivals Everton 2-0 at Anfield last weekend. Ashley Young’s dismissal in the first half undoubtedly helped Liverpool. The Reds had to wait until Mohamed Salah broke the scoreless draw with a penalty kick in the 75th minute. The Egyptian then scored a second goal on the counterattack deep into stoppage time.
With favorable-looking league matches against Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, and Luton Town ahead of them, Jurgen Klopp’s team will fancy their chances of building on their derby victory over the Toffees. However, they must first turn their focus to the Europa League, starting on Thursday. They will face for the first time since a 5-0 aggregate victory in Champions League qualifying back in 2007. Liverpool’s unbeaten streak in the Europa League group stage now stands at ten games. They completed a 3-1 comeback victory over LASK Linz on matchday one. They followed it with a simple 2-0 home victory against Union SG three weeks prior.
With a win on Thursday, the Reds, who have won all six of their games at Anfield in all competitions this year and only lost two of their previous fifteen European home games against French opponents, can go five points clear of second-place Toulouse and take command of Group E halfway through the season. Toulouse saved a point last weekend at home against Reims in Ligue 1 to extend their unbeaten streak. After just three minutes, Thijs Dallinga scored his second goal at home in as many games.
Team News
Due to injuries, Liverpool will be missing Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Andrew Robertson (shoulder), Thiago Alcantara (hip), and young attacker Ben Doak (muscle). Cody Gakpo (hamstring) has participated in training but is still questionable and will be evaluated prior to starting. After serving the second of his three-game domestic ban last weekend, Curtis Jones is free to play again. The midfielder may start in place of Dominick Szoboszlai in the starting lineup. Wataru Endo will face off against Alexis Mac Allister for a spot in the deep-lying midfield position.
Darwin Nunez will be looking to fight his way back into the starting lineup at the expense of either Luis Diaz or Diogo Jota, the latter of whom has scored seven goals in his past six Europa League games. Joel Matip, Joe Gomez, and Jarell Quansah will all be vying for a starting position in defense. Regarding Toulouse, Ibrahim Cissoko, a summer acquisition who has yet to make his debut this season owing to a foot issue, may find Thursday’s match to be too soon. Zakaria Aboukhlal and Oliver Zanden are also out with respective ankle and hip problems.
Logan Costa, who was suspended for the team’s most recent Europa League match against LASK Linz, is also eligible to play again. He will likely play alongside Rasmus Nicolaisen at the center of the defense going forward. Given that Toulouse is still unblemished in Group E and has defeated both Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille in Ligue 1 this season, Liverpool cannot afford to take their opponents lightly on Thursday. Even if Klopp chooses to rest any of his starting lineups, the Reds should eventually be too good for their French opponents, therefore we predict a straightforward win for the hosts that will get them one step closer to the knockout stages.
Liverpool 2 – 0 Toulouse
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