Key occasions
Arne Slot’s pre-match ideas
It’s an ideal fixture to stay up for. Like I mentioned yesterday when folks requested, not that many did, I informed them how properly Inter have began the season, that they made two of the final three finals.
[On his team selection] At this second in time I’ve 13 outfield gamers with Champions League expertise accessible. When you don’t have wingers accessible, aside from Rio [Ngumoha] who may be very younger, taking part in with two No9s is essentially the most logical factor to do. The extra [Isak and Ekitike] play collectively, the extra they may discover a connection.
Internazionale’s final dwelling defeat in Europe was towards Bayern Munich on 7 September 2022. Since then they’ve received 15 and drawn three, together with victories over Barcelona (twice), Arsenal and Milan.
The Prime Video protection has Liverpool in a 4-3-1-2 formation with Szoboszlai taking part in behind Isak and Ekitike. Unsure they’ll play with out width, particularly as Joe Gomez is at right-back. We’ll discover out at 8pm sharp.
Curtis Jones, who can be a part of a beefed-up Liverpool midfield, talks to Prime Video
[What’s the mood in the camp?] Constructive. We’re all the time optimistic – we need to play properly and win each sport.
[On Inter’s excellent CL home record] We’re coming right here to take that away. And simply play our sport as properly. We need to be courageous on the ball and put up a battle.
[On the consequences of defeat] I’m not interested by a loss. It’d be mad to return right into a sport pondering like that.
Staff information
Arne Slot makes 4 adjustments from the 3-3 draw at Leeds: Andy Robertson, Joe Gomez, Alexis Mac Allister and Alexander Isak substitute Milos Kerkez, Conor Bradley, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo. Liverpool have named solely eight of a doable 12 subs.
Cristian Chivu makes one change to the Inter facet that hammered Como on the weekend: Henrikh Mkhitaryan replaces Piotr Zielinski in midfield.
Internazionale (3-5-2) Sommer; Akanji, Acerbi, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; M Thuram, L Martinez.
Subs: J Martinez, Taho, De Vrij, Zielinski, Sucic, Bonny, Frattesi, Diouf, Carlos Augusto, Bisseck, Cocchi, Esposito.
Liverpool (doable 4-3-3) Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Isak, Ekitike.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Kerkez, Wirtz, Bradley, Nyoni, Ngumoha, Fortunate.
Referee Felix Zwayer (Germany).
Jonathan Wilson on Mo Salah
There’s maybe nothing in a profession as onerous because the leaving of it. Until one thing totally exceptional occurs, Mohamed Salah has performed his final sport for Liverpool. Neglected of the beginning lineup for every of the final three matches, he skilled on Monday after his extraordinary post-match tirade following the 3-3 draw with Leeds however he has not been chosen for the Champions League towards Inter on Tuesday. He might or will not be with the group for Saturday’s sport at Anfield towards Brighton (“I don’t know if I’m going to play or not however I’m going to get pleasure from it,” he mentioned). After that, he can be in Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations with the Egypt nationwide group and the switch window can have opened by the point the match is over.
How has it come to this? Salah is considered one of Liverpool’s all-time greats. He lies behind solely Ian Rush and Roger Hunt of their all-time goalscoring charts. Throughout all golf equipment, solely Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney have scored extra Premier League targets. He performed a key function in two Premier League titles and a Champions League. He’s received the Premier League Golden Boot 4 occasions and been named participant of the 12 months 3 times by each his fellow gamers and soccer writers – together with final 12 months. He’s solely 33 and there was no apparent signal but of him fading with age. This isn’t the top anyone would have needed.
There’s loads of scorching, sweaty Champions League motion tonight, together with Spurs v Slavia Prague and Atalanta v Chelsea. You may comply with these video games with Niall McVeigh.
‘A meltdown worthy of Saturday Kitchen’
Preamble
We interrupt the information cycle to convey you information of an precise soccer match: Internazionale v Liverpool within the Champions League. Liverpool’s depressing season took one other twist when Mo Salah torched a load of metaphorical bridges at Elland Highway on Saturday evening. He isn’t within the squad for tonight’s sport and should have performed his final sport for the membership. At this charge, given the difficulties their new gamers have had settling in, Liverpool’s end-of-season DVD can be referred to as Mo Cash Mo Issues.
Or perhaps it’ll be The Magnificent Seven. Liverpool know in addition to any membership {that a} disappointing first half of the season doesn’t preclude you successful trophies within the second: 1980-81, 1981-82 and 2004-05 spring to thoughts. Proper now, regardless of every part, they’re nonetheless within the hunt for a seventh European Cup.
They began the day in thirteenth place within the Champions League desk, however solely two factors behind PSG in second. Inter, who have been humiliated by PSG in final 12 months’s last, have put that behind him to take 12 factors from their first 5 video games. In the long run, the precise soccer is what issues – even when, on nights like tonight, you wouldn’t essentially comprehend it.
Kick off 8pm GMT.
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