Liverpool begin their Champions League campaign at Anfield on Wednesday night when Atletico Madrid come to town.
Andoni Iraola’s side finally picked up their first win of the season on Friday, beating Ipswich 2-0 at Portman Road and putting an end to their rough start.
Atletico arrive in a very different mood. Diego Simeone’s side suffered a 3-0 defeat to Athletic Club in their last game, conceding twice in a brutal spell after half-time.
Liverpool won this fixture 3-2 at Anfield last season. Another entertaining European night at Anfield could be on the cards.
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What are the best picks for Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid?
Liverpool to win
Liverpool get the nod in the match-winner market.
The Reds have not been perfect under Iraola. Back-to-back 2-2 draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest showed there is still plenty to work on.
However, Friday’s 2-0 win at Ipswich was a step in the right direction.
Alexander Isak scored twice inside the opening 10 minutes, while Liverpool also kept their first clean sheet of the season.
Anfield could make the difference here.
Atletico are always difficult to break down, but their 3-0 defeat to Athletic Club exposed some problems at the back.
They also have a difficult record in England, having never won a Champions League group or league-phase game in the country.
Liverpool have won their last three meetings with Atletico, including last season’s 3-2 thriller.
We are backing the hosts to make it four.
Both teams to score
This fixture has produced goals in recent years.
Last season’s meeting finished 3-2 to Liverpool, as we mentioned before, while the Reds also won 3-2 when the sides met in Madrid in 2021.
Liverpool have plenty of attacking firepower, with Isak, Cody Gakpo and new signing Bradley Barcola all capable of causing problems.
There are still questions at the other end, though.
Iraola wants his side to press high and attack quickly after winning possession. That can create opportunities, but it can also leave space behind the full-backs.
Atletico have enough quality to take advantage.
Julian Alvarez remains their main threat, while Ademola Lookman and Giuliano Simeone give them pace in transition.
Liverpool should have more of the ball, but Atletico can still find a way through.
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Alexander Isak to score anytime
It is difficult to ignore Isak after what happened at Ipswich.
The striker scored twice inside the first 10 minutes to give Iraola his first win as Liverpool manager.
It was a welcome sight for Liverpool after Isak endured an injury-hit campaign last season.
He now has three Premier League goals this season and looked sharp against Ipswich.
The timing is good, too.
Atletico conceded three times on Saturday, with their defence struggling badly after the break.
Isak will not get the same amount of space at Anfield, but his movement could cause problems for Simeone’s back line.
We are backing him to continue his goalscoring run here.
Where can I watch Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid?
Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid takes place on Wednesday, September 9 at 8pm BST at Anfield.
UK viewers can watch the game live on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and HBO Max, with coverage starting at 7pm.
What have the managers said?
Andoni Iraola
Iraola was pleased with Liverpool’s performance in the 2-0 win at Ipswich, particularly their work without the ball.
“Today we were much better in our press, especially in the first half.”
The Liverpool boss also knows there is more to come from his team.
“We want this in our DNA. We have to be careful defensively, especially in transition.”
Diego Simeone
Simeone was unhappy with Atletico’s performance in their 3-0 defeat to Athletic Club.
The Argentine admitted his side’s collapse after half-time cost them the game.
“In the second half, we lost the match in just five minutes.”
He also described the result as deserved, making Wednesday’s trip to Anfield an immediate chance to respond.
What is Liverpool’s predicted team?
(4-2-3-1): Alisson; Ronald Araujo, Jeremy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez; Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai; Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo; Alexander Isak.
Injured: Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni, Federico Chiesa.
Barcola could make his first Liverpool start after coming off the bench against Ipswich.
What is Atletico Madrid’s predicted team?
(4-4-2): Jan Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Dávid Hancko, Alejandro Grimaldo; Giuliano Simeone, Pablo Barrios, Morten Hjulmand, Ademola Lookman; Julián Alvarez, Alex Baena.
Injured: Alexander Sørloth.
Suspended: Arnau Ortiz.
Ortiz is unavailable after carrying a European suspension into the new campaign.
Score prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid
This should be a much tougher test than Liverpool’s trip to Ipswich.
Atletico have enough quality to cause problems, but Liverpool have home advantage and looked far sharper in their last outing.
Isak is finding his feet, Gakpo is creating chances and Anfield should be bouncing for Iraola’s first Champions League game.
It could be another close one.
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