After a dramatic and concerning defeat at Crystal Palace, Liverpool travel to Istanbul on Tuesday evening for their second Champions League group stage fixture against Galatasaray at RAMS Park. Kick-off is at 20:00 BST.

The Reds opened their European campaign with a nervy 3-2 victory over Atlético Madrid, secured by a late Virgil van Dijk header, while Galatasaray suffered a humbling 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany.

Match Preview

Saturday's result at Selhurst Park marked Liverpool's first defeat of the season, ending their perfect start in dramatic fashion with Eddie Nketiah's 98th-minute winner.
The manner of the defeat, conceding from a set-piece and failing to close out the game, will concern Arne Slot ahead of this crucial European encounter.

Liverpool have never won in Turkey against Galatasaray in four previous European meetings, managing just one victory overall against the Turkish giants.

More worryingly, they have never kept a clean sheet on Turkish soil in European competition a statistic that takes on added significance following their defensive lapses at Palace.

Galatasaray will be desperate to respond after their heavy defeat in Frankfurt exposed defensive vulnerabilities of their own.

The return of Victor Osimhen from injury adds a dangerous dimension to their attack, with manager Okan Buruk hinting at giving the Nigerian striker meaningful minutes despite his recent fitness concerns.

The hostile atmosphere at RAMS Park, with its capacity crowd of over 50,000, will provide a stern test of Liverpool's mental resilience following Saturday's setback.

And with Galatasaray looking to avoid back-to- back defeats in Europe, it could be a tricky night for the Reds.

Mohamed Salah sits one goal away from reaching 250 goals for Liverpool in all competitions, while the club are targeting their 300th away goal in European competition; milestones that could provide motivation in what promises to be a challenging encounter.

Team News

Liverpool's only confirmed absentee remains Giovanni Leoni, who suffered a season ending ACL injury.

Slot may consider rotation following the demanding fixtures, with Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké among those pushing for starting places.

For Galatasaray, Victor Osimhen's return from injury is the main talking point, though his match fitness remains uncertain. The Turkish side will assess his condition before deciding on his involvement.

Several Galatasaray players including Barış Yılmaz and Leroy Sané are expected to feature in an attacking setup designed to exploit Liverpool's defensive concerns.

Predicted XI's

Liverpool: Alisson; Frimpong, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Gakpo, Wirtz, Salah; Ekitike

Galatasary: Cakir; Sallai, Singo, Sanchez, Elmali; Torreira, Lemina; Sane, Gundogan, Akgun; Osimhen