After two stellar wins on the road, Anfield will be fired up for another UEFA Champions League (UCL) night when Liverpool host a Villarreal side on the rise themselves.
Match News and Current Form
Liverpool have bounced back well from the 3-0 thrashing handed to them at home by Manchester City having beaten Brentford 2-1 at the weekend despite conceding first, a result preceded by a dominant 6-3 win at LASK to continue their 100% start to this season’s UCL league phase. The Reds have therefore lost just once all season under Andoni Iraola and have won six of their last eight matches (D1, L1), with their two league phase victories in that run contributing to them winning both 19 of their last 22 UCL group stage/league phase encounters (L3), and 15 of their last 16 at home (L1).
Villarreal entered their last league phase match against Napoli off the back of a seven-game losing run in the UCL, but produced a scintillating come-from-behind performance to win 3-1. The adrenaline might have been too much to handle as they followed that up with an uneventful 0-0 draw with Elche, but losing just one of their last five matches now offers a silver lining to that result (W3, D1). Hitting the road in Europe hasn’t been kind to the Yellow Submarine of late though, as they’re currently riding their longest losing run away from home after losing the last six in a row!
Head-to-Head History
Liverpool have won three of the four H2Hs (L1) and are currently on their longest UCL winning run against Spanish sides having won five in succession, while Villarreal are winless in their 16 UCL matches against English teams (D6, L10).
Hot Stats and Streaks
None of Liverpool's last 83 UCL group stage/league phase matches finished goalless.
Liverpool have scored 2+ goals in 13 of their last 15 UCL group stage/league phase home games.
Villarreal have only kept three clean sheets in their last 33 UCL games, including none of their last 13.
Villarreal have conceded first in their last seven UCL away matches.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Víctor Muñoz has scored against Villarreal before and he’ll be full of confidence after netting Liverpool’s equaliser against Brentford, with that being his fifth successive goal to come after half-time. He’ll be in direct competition with Villarreal goalscorer against Napoli Tani Oluwaseyi, who has also seen his last five goals come after the break.
Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong are sidelined after being forced from the field against Brentford, while Villarreal’s absentees include Nicolas Pépé and Tajon Buchanan.
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Betting Analysis
The home side’s form coupled with Villarreal’s last six UCL matches averaging four goals per game points to a Liverpool win with over 2.5 goals.
Author: Peter Stavrinou