By Steve Northover

With the dust yet to truly settle from the weekend's defeat to bitter rivals Manchester United, Liverpool return to action in the Champions League, but this time away to German side Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Preview

When the fixtures for the ‘league phase’ for this year's Champions League was announced, this match was seen as the easiest to win especially with Real Madrid around the corner. However, after an incredible drop in form, the match has not just become a must win for Liverpool in Europe, but will probably be a barometer for the rest of the season. With four losses in a row, including last time out in Europe against Galatasaray, Liverpool are enduring their worst run of form in over 38 years.

It's not just the results that are bad, but also the performances that have come with it. The entire team appears bereft of ideas, confidence, and most importantly, a desire to win. So perhaps a trip to the German state of Hesse, to play a team currently sitting in 7th in the Bundesliga has come at the right time. 

Similar to Liverpool, their league start has been less than ideal, with five wins across ten games in all competitions. But like their Merseyside opponents, Frankfurt’s form appears to have fallen off a cliff in recent games, having not won in five games before tonight.

Meanwhile, it's not just form that mirrors Liverpool’s season thus far. Frankfurt are noticeably weak at the back, conceding 18 goals in their last five matches including a 5-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid last time out in Europe. Either way, with both sides play an attacking style of football, but with a weak defence, both sides can expect goals.

Team News

For Liverpool, it will be something of a home coming for Hugo Ekitike, having scored 22 times for the German side last season.  Meanwhile, Ryan Gravenberch has not travelled with the squad, having already sat out training on Tuesday. He joins Allison who has also not travelled, along with Stefan Bajcetic, and of course Giovanni Leoni.  With a number of players looking off the pace against Manchester United, expect a number of changes in key positions, notably Mohammed Salah.

Eintracht Frankfurt, meanwhile, will be without Elias Baum who has yet to recover from a hamstring injury, along with Oscar Hojlund who is sidelined with a muscle injury. Manager Dino Toppmoller has stated that he plans to rotate goalkeepers, so expect Michael Zetterer to come in and replace first choice keeper Kaua Santos. There will also be a late fitness assessment for right back Rasmus Kristensen prior to the match.  

Predicted Lineups

Frankfurt - 

Zetterer, Kristensen, Koch, Theate, Brown, Skhiri, Larsson, Doan, Gotze, Bahoya, Burkardt

Liverpool - 

Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Jones, Szobo, Gakpo, Wirtz, Chiesa, Ekitike.