Liverpool vs. Villarreal: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Liverpool host Villarreal in the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg, seeking to overturn a 1-0 deficit and reach the Reds' first European final since 2007.
Jurgen Klopp's side conceded in injury time in the first leg in Spain last week, meaning the job at Anfield will be far more tricky than it might have been.
With the Reds missing Mamadou Sakho, and Villarreal being strong on the counter-attack, a goal for the visitors would see Klopp's side needing three goals to progress.
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Of course, Liverpool are accustomed to such comebacks, not least their quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund where they came from 2-0 and 3-1 behind to win 4-3 on one of Anfield's most incredible European nights.
But Villarreal will play a more compact game than the Bundesliga side and will likely be looking to take a 0-0 draw and therefore progress to the final. The Yellow Submarine have never reached a European final, twice missing out at the semi-final stage before, in 2006 and 2011.
Villarreal have been in formidable form at home this season, winning all seven Europa League games and conceding just once. But away from Estadio El Madrigal, they've won just two of their six Europa games, although they've only lost once—which was back in September.
The last time Liverpool were at this stage of European competition was in 2010, when they were knocked out by Spanish opposition—Atletico Madrid—on away goals, having lost the away leg 1-0 and winning 2-1 at Anfield after extra time.
With a place in the final and a spot in next season's UEFA Champions League for the tournament winners at stake, the significance of the outcome cannot be understated for Klopp and Liverpool.
Date: Thursday, 5 May
Time: 8.05 p.m. GMT / 3.05 p.m. ET
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
TV Info: BT Sport Europe / FOX Sports 1
Live Stream: BT Sport Europe (U.K only) / FOX Soccer 2GO (U.S only)
Form Lines (Last 5 Games)
Liverpool
Lost 3-1 vs. Swansea City
Lost 1-0 vs. Villarreal
Drew 2-2 vs. Newcastle United
Won 4-0 vs. Everton
Won 2-1 vs. Bournemouth
Villarreal
Won 2-0 vs. Valencia
Won 1-0 vs. Liverpool
Drew 0-0 vs. Real Sociedad
Lost 3-0 vs. Real Madrid
Lost 2-1 vs. Rayo Vallecano
Team News
Both teams rested players at the weekend ahead of this game, with Klopp making eight changes for the defeat at Swansea City and Marcelino making 10 changes for his side's match at Valencia.
Liverpool are boosted by the potential return of midfielder Emre Can for this match. The German suffered an ankle injury against Dortmund and was expected to miss the rest of the season, but he returned to training well ahead of schedule on Monday and Klopp confirmed he will "for sure" return to the squad. Whether he is fit to start or not isn't clear.
There's no other team news for either side, with key players well rested in both cases.
The big decision for Klopp is whether to start Daniel Sturridge up front after leaving the forward out of the last three Europa League ties.
Predicted Line Ups
Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Toure, Lovren, Moreno, Can, Milner, Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho, Sturridge.
Villarreal: Asenjo, Martinez, Musacchio, Ruiz, Costa, Dos Santos, Pina, Soriano, Suarez, Soldado, Bakambu.
Players to Watch
Liverpool: Daniel Sturridge
Klopp opted for Divock Origi from the start in both games against Dortmund in the quarter-finals, and he went with Roberto Firmino instead of Sturridge in the away leg last week. But surely the Reds' No. 15 will start this match, where goals are needed.
Sturridge has five goals in his last eight starts, and Liverpool need their best goalscorer and finisher on the pitch.
Klopp is likely to start Sturridge, with Firmino, Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho in support. The England international needs to prove he is the key man for Klopp.
Villarreal: Denis Suarez
Former Manchester City and Barcelona youth product Denis Suarez, now aged 22, has been impressing at Villarreal where he has been given the opportunity to play regular football.
He was a key player in the first leg, keeping his cool to play in Adrian Lopez to tap home the only goal of the game in stoppage time.
Liverpool must be aware of the tricky winger on the counter, especially when the Reds' full-backs are high up the pitch.
Could a player named Suarez be the man to haunt Liverpool and dash their hopes of a return to the Champions League in Klopp's first full season?
Key Battle: Klopp vs. Marcelino
Marcelino got the better of Klopp last week, but the German signalled his intent to get revenge for the last-gasp defeat immediately in Spain.
"My first thought as everyone around me was celebrating was: ‘Sorry, but it is not over, you have to come to Anfield too and we will be ready," said Klopp in his post-match press conference at the El Madigral last week.
Klopp's decision to replace the unwell Coutinho with Jordon Ibe didn't work, with Ibe woefully out of form. The decision not to use Sturridge ultimately looked a bad one too. Such selections cannot go wrong in this game where small margins will decide the overall outcome.
Against Dortmund, Klopp got his subs right, with Sturridge and Joe Allen helping to change the game. His options from the bench will be more limited on this occasion, though.
Marcelino will instruct his players to sit deep and frustrate Liverpool, the key question is whether the home side can find a goal early on to calm the nerves.
Odds (via Oddschecker)
Liverpool: 4/5
Villarreal: 41/10
Draw: 31/11
* Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise stated.
