On Tuesday, Liverpool is set to host Lille at Anfield for a UEFA Champions League showdown.
The last time Lille visited Anfield in 2010, they suffered a heavy defeat, losing 3-0, and they have struggled in their previous encounters in England, failing to win in eight attempts, with seven losses, including the last six. Conversely, Liverpool has been dominant at home against French teams, winning their last four matches and scoring 13 goals in those games. Overall, they have only lost two out of 16 previous meetings with Ligue 1 teams on their turf.
Match Preview: Liverpool vs. Lille
Will Liverpool keep their flawless record intact in this season’s UEFA Champions League? So far, they have played six matches and emerged victorious in all, including impressive wins over AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Bayer Leverkusen, although their most recent match saw them secure a narrow 1-0 win against Girona thanks to a second-half penalty from Mohamed Salah. The Reds currently sit comfortably atop the Champions League standings, knowing that a victory in this match would guarantee their progression to the knockout stage ahead of next week’s match against PSV Eindhoven.
In addition, Liverpool has also extended their lead in the Premier League to six points after an exhilarating comeback against Brentford on Saturday, where Darwin Núñez scored twice during injury time. This result marked their unbeaten run in the league at 18 matches, raising the question of whether they can maintain their perfect European record.
However, Lille should not be underestimated as they have emerged as one of the tournament’s surprise teams. Currently ranked eighth, they are on track to reach the round of 16 for only the third time in their history. Under Bruno Génésio’s management, Lille successfully navigated two qualifying rounds to enter the league phase and have accumulated 13 points. Notably, they achieved victories over both Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid in October. In addition, they managed to draw against Juventus and secured wins against Bologna and Sturm Graz—a thrilling 3-2 match decided by a late goal from Hákon Arnar Haraldsson. Recently, Lille eliminated Olympique Marseille from the Coupe de France on penalties and are riding a wave of momentum with an unbeaten streak of 14 matches in Ligue 1, climbing to third place after a comeback win against Nice. While Lille may be viewed as underdogs heading into this clash with Liverpool, they will certainly believe that an upset is possible.
Liverpool vs Lille: Head-to-Head Overview
Total Matches: 2
Liverpool Victories: 1 | Draws: 0 | Lille Victories: 1
Liverpool Team Update
As Liverpool sits comfortably at the summit of the UEFA Champions League standings, it will be intriguing to see if Arne Slot opts for squad rotation. Kostas Tsimikas made a rare appearance in the starting XI last Saturday, indicating that Andy Robertson is likely to return to left-back. In central defense, with Joe Gomez unavailable, Jarell Quansah might step in for Ibrahima Konaté if he requires a breather. Additionally, Conor Bradley could also feature in the matchday squad. Diogo Jota’s availability is uncertain due to a muscle issue sustained during the match against City Ground last Tuesday, but Darwin Núñez, who netted twice against Brentford over the weekend, is expected to take his place. It’s worth noting that Konaté is on the brink of suspension with one yellow card.
Predicted Liverpool Lineup vs Lille (4-3-3):
Alisson; Bradley, Quansah, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Núñez, Luis Díaz.
Key Liverpool Player vs Lille
Mohamed Salah is currently experiencing a frustrating goal drought spanning three matches, a stark contrast to his usual performance level. Can he add to his impressive tally of 21 goals this season?
Lille Team Update
Lille will be missing several key players due to injuries, including Samuel Umtiti, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Tiago Santos, Nabil Bentaleb, and Edon Zhegrova. Former Everton player André Gomes has not been registered in the UEFA squad, paving the way for Angel Gomes—who recently became a full England international—to potentially start in midfield. Rémy Cabella, formerly of Newcastle, is expected to play on the wing. If any of Thomas Meunier, Angel Gomes, captain Benjamin André, or Jonathan David receive bookings during this match, they will miss the upcoming clash with Feyenoord.
Predicted Lille Lineup vs Liverpool (4-2-3-1):
Chevalier; Meunier, Diakité, Alexsandro, Ismaily; Gomes, André; Bakker, Haraldsson, Cabella; David.
Key Lille Player vs Liverpool
Jonathan David, who will be a free agent this summer, boasts 17 goals this season, six of which have come in the UEFA Champions League. This performance has attracted interest from many elite European clubs. The pressing question remains: can he lead les Dogues into the knockout phase?
Prediction for Liverpool vs Lille
We anticipate a Liverpool triumph at Anfield. The Reds are in formidable form right now and we expect Arne Slot’s team to prove too challenging for Bruno Génésio’s side: **Liverpool 2-0 Lille.**
