The Liverpool Offside - Champions League 2020-21: Liverpool vs. FC MidtjyllandZeppeline, Trinken, & Pink Badeshortshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51345/ltos-fav.png2020-12-09T22:30:14+00:00http://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/rss/stream/213008412020-12-09T22:30:14+00:002020-12-09T22:30:14+00:00Jürgen Klopp Honest on Liverpool’s Champions League Draw with Midtjylland
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<img alt="FC Midtjylland vs Liverpool FC - Danish 3F Superliga" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6U1txyN-gRMr2U74w8cIxWHW7ds=/16x0:2460x1629/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68487408/1230035679.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Lars Ronbog / FrontZoneSport via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>An ultimately meaningless game.</p> <p id="2340181">Liverpool played out a 1-1 draw away at Midtjylland in the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> full of controversy and VAR nonsense. But it didn’t matter. The Reds had won the group anyway.</p>
<p id="ZNIkNq">Jürgen Klopp, truthfully, seemed pretty happy to just move onto the next game.</p>
<p id="JXRdsW">“Honestly, it’s absolutely not the mood to think about [qualification]”, <a href="https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fc-midtjylland-vs-liverpool-live-19425975">the Liverpool Echo </a>report the manager as saying. “Now, already, Fulham is in my mind. I cannot think about what happened so far.</p>
<p id="xw8Qt2">“We feel we could have had more points [in PL]. City point was OK but Brighton & <a href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com">Everton</a> should have won. Could have more.</p>
<p id="PcU8tA">“Now it is Fulham and they get our full focus.</p>
<p id="io7N4U">“You can make changes but you need a few key positions. Fabinho in the last line played 45 mins. In midfield would have been Naby, just needs to get mins.</p>
<p id="4A1gSM">“How the game developed...Mo looked fine. Others it’s really difficult after a long time without 90 mins.</p>
<p id="HfbosP">“Different halves. I liked the football first half, how they adapted. Taki played 2nd time that position.</p>
<p id="O0vzTL">“Looked much better. Had big chances which we could have used better. Wanted to build but it didn’t work out. Midtjylland were physical, direct. Didn’t defend throws.”</p>
<p id="he2TXi">On youngsters Billy Koumetio and Leighton Clarkson making their debuts, Klopp felt they will [learn]. We let them have the experience. A wonderful thing to have 1st CL game but a career is about how many.</p>
<p id="vf3rqg">“Really skilled boys and a lot to learn. They helped us a lot. A big night for both. Thankful they are as good as they are.”</p>
<p id="LPwqGW">That’s really all anyone can take from this game. It was a nice opportunity for some young players to get minutes, and a frustrating use of some experienced players. You’ll forget this game happened by January. Onwards and upwards.</p>
<p id="pn3EvO"></p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-news-coverage/2020/12/9/22166249/jurgen-klopp-honest-on-liverpools-champions-league-draw-with-midtjylland-premier-league-eplGraceOnFootball2020-10-27T23:14:30+00:002020-10-27T23:14:30+00:00Digging Deeper Into Liverpool’s 2-0 Win over Midtjylland
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<img alt="Liverpool v Sheffield United - Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5fYN7wLzLZ588qVudKOdYEBYGKs=/128x0:3260x2088/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67698882/1282049297.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>We dig into the Reds most recent win as their season chugs along, however bumpily.</p> <p id="Aqv7YR">Another scrappy affair, another clean sheet, another three points. <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a>’s <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> campaign keeps rolling along on octagonal wheels while everybody else is on squares, and we are absolutely here for it.</p>
<p id="W9CHdP">Below, we take a look at some winners, losers and narratives from the night.</p>
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<h2 id="TQVW68">Winners</h2>
<p id="nBr0Ue"><strong>Getting the Job Done:</strong> Listen, there’s no need to pretend this was a thrilling contest. Liverpool rotated their entire front line and did just enough to ensure all three points stayed at Anfield, leaving them in pole position at the top of group D. </p>
<p id="dliWgc">Looking at some of the bonkers results in recent weeks and the state of league tables around Europe, though, it becomes clear that being able to manage the situation — a long unplanned break before a hectic run of fixtures, followed by an absurdly brief pre-season leading into a spectacularly condensed campaign — as boringly as possible may be more than enough to win a title or two. Barcelona sit 12th, <a href="https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com">Juventus</a> 5th, and in the Premier League, Liverpool and Tottenham are the only two members of the Big Six currently placed in the top nine.</p>
<p id="mjvgbH">The Reds secured their 19th title in a season defined by their ability to turn it up when they had to and cruising when they could. Retaining that ability could prove even more valuable in what promises to be a sensationally stupid year.</p>
<p id="20ZEm0"><strong>Diogo Jota:</strong> He’s quite good, the Portuguese attacker! Another product of the recruitment team’s meticulous scouting and assessment work, the former Wolves winger does not have the look of a man who has trained with his team-mates for less than six weeks.</p>
<p id="b8tc25">He may occasionally appear to be playing in a slightly different rhythm than his more established partners up top, but in six appearances, the 23-year old has notched three goals — including the 10.000th in the club’s history with his tap-in tonight — and looked adept in all three spots across the front line. </p>
<p id="BIDw41">The £40m fee — although offset by Ki-Jana Hoever moving in the other direction — may have seemed high to some, but the young attacker has hit the ground running on his quest to prove any skeptics wrong. Long may it continue!</p>
<h2 id="dz5UpA">Losers</h2>
<p id="H24Voa"><strong>The Decision Makers:</strong> I know I just sang the praises of the recruitment team, but when <span>Dejan Lovren</span> left this summer — a good decision! — the call to not bring in a fourth choice centre-back as cover for the notoriously injury prone Joël Matip and <span>Joe Gomez</span> appeared a risky one to most fans cursed with some degree of foresight.</p>
<p id="PH97Lf">The Reds have been fortunate with injuries in recent seasons, rarely missing more than one starter from any given position group at a time, and almost never more than two starters concurrently. The loss of Virgil van Dijk for the season immediately set the alarm bells a-ringing, and when Joël Matip — predictably — began missing time, moving world-class defensive midfielder Fabinho down into the centre of defense was the solution.</p>
<p id="AuHgxQ">After playing 91% of possible minutes this season, the Brazilian pulled up with what looked to be a hamstring issue tonight, handing 19-year old Rhys Williams his first proper piece of top-level football, and while the young Englishman did terrifically well on the night, it would be unfair to expect him to anchor the defense for any length of time next to <strong>still only 23-year old</strong> Joe Gomez.</p>
<p id="jiM4lb">Hopefully, the physio team can work some sort of magic on Joël Matip to get him back to fitness, and evne more hopefully-er, the recruitment team makes some moves in January. </p>
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<h2 id="skV95m">Credit to the Opposition</h2>
<p id="lOCPYQ">Midtjylland were exactly as advertised — and perhaps even a little better — putting on a performance that was full of well-drilled build-up play, impressive individual skill, some sneaky clever set-piece plays, and — on at least two occasions — genuine goal threat. On another day, they could have easily snuck a point or three in their bag and brought them back to Denmark, and given the discrepancy in resources between the two clubs, that’s quite the feat.</p>
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<h2 id="qa6sd8">What Happens Next</h2>
<p id="XL59vh">Chaos reigns, as the Reds continue blasting through the fixture list, hosting David Moyes’ West Ham on Saturday, before traveling to Italy to take on Atalanta for the first time in club history next Wednesday, in what looks set to be a battle for top spot in Group D.</p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2020/10/27/21537322/digging-deeper-liverpool-cl-2020-2-0-win-midtjyllandAudun Manum2020-10-27T22:03:39+00:002020-10-27T22:03:39+00:00Liverpool 2, Midtjylland 0: Man of the Match
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<img alt="Liverpool FC v FC Midtjylland: Group D - UEFA Champions League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GKBtr3QU7u7CJ4gsuOiQEazTw5U=/876x536:4704x3088/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67698568/1282559422.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>After the Reds continue their not that good but still somehow flawless start to their Champions League campaign, we want you to rate your man of the match.</p> <p id="FgP6nK">Sandwiched between two huge chances for Anders Dreyer was a fairly boring and uneventful match, in which <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a>’s superior individual quality ultimately told, as the Reds grafted their way to another win and clean sheet, putting Jürgen Klopp’s men well on their way to qualify from group D.</p>
<p id="zws4ZY">Now tell us how you saw it! With our favoured polling tool out of service, we’re instead giving you a choice between a few of the players we thought looked best today for the Reds, so make your choice below and vote for who you think should be the man of the match—or take to the comments to let us know that we got it wrong by leaving the real man of the match off the list entirely.</p>
<p id="etfFNw">As always, anyone visiting on Apple News or Google AMP who wish to vote and can’t see the poll can make it visible by navigating to the front page of The <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> Offside and re-entering the story.</p>
<div id="Txbthf"><div data-anthem-component="poll:9547654"></div></div>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2020/10/27/21537287/liverpool-2-midtjylland-0-cl-2020-motm-vote-best-worst-performances-jota-alisson-gomez-shaqiriAudun Manum2020-10-27T16:30:00+00:002020-10-27T16:30:00+00:00Liverpool vs. FC Midtjylland Live Updates: Lineups, TV Listings, and How to Watch Online
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Qzu99220oWFmyDGRqmZIXchTh7c=/0x146:3498x2478/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67696373/IMG_4496.0.jpg" />
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<p>Lineups, television and streaming options, and live Champions League coverage as Liverpool face off against FC Midtjylland.</p> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="a96bSB">
<h2 id="1LUx1m"><strong>LIVERPOOL VS FC MIDTJYLLAND</strong></h2>
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<strong>| Tuesday, October 27th |</strong><br><a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league"><strong>Champions League</strong></a><strong> | Anfield</strong><br><strong>8PM BST/4PM EST</strong>
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<p id="dP0kDW">Anything less than a win would be a massive disappointment for the Reds tonight. On the flip side of the coin, a consolation goal and/or keeping the score within three would probably be a good night for the visitors. FC Midtjylland should be easy work for the hosts, especially if the Wolves try to press and play the way they normally do in the Danish league against the English champs (as they did, to their own demise, against Atalanta). FCM have a few good players that can hurt <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a>, but the gulf of talent—at home, no less—should be too much to handle. </p>
<p id="Wa4zX9">Jurgen Klopp will no doubt be focused on getting in and out with the result. A win, at minimum, keeps them joint-top of the group. A big win, or a favorable result in the Atalanta-Ajax match, could see the Reds top of the group. Either way, Liverpool would be well on their way toward qualifying out of Group D with a win tonight. </p>
<h2 id="R1OPFV"><strong>PREVIEW & VIEWING OPTIONS</strong></h2>
<p id="ZvxH4t"><strong>Full Preview: </strong><a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2020/10/26/21534732/liverpool-vs-midtjylland-cl-2020-preview-team-news-predicted-lineups-how-to-watch">Liverpool vs. FC Midtjylland</a></p>
<p id="F8Gajz"><strong>Television:</strong> BT Sport 3(UK); No Coverage (USA); Optus Sport (Australia); <a href="https://prf.hn/click/camref:1100l4uLf/creativeref:1011l39034/adref:LO" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>DAZN</strong></a>* (Canada); SONY TEN 1 (India); beIN Sports Connect (Malaysia); SuperSport Football Plus Nigeria (Nigeria); beIN Sports Connect Singapore (Singapore); SuperSport Premier League (South Africa); other listings at <a href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/"><strong>LiveSoccerTV</strong></a></p>
<p id="sAtwV1"><strong>Online Streaming:</strong> CBS All Access (USA) | <strong>Online Radio:</strong> <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.liverpoolfc.com%2Fvideo&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fliverpooloffside.sbnation.com%2Fliverpool-fc-match-coverage%2F2020%2F10%2F27%2F21536528%2Fliverpool-fc-midtjylland-ucl-2020-goal-highlights-teamsheets-tv-channels-online-streaming" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>LFCTV GO</strong></a></p>
<h2 id="QD3mpg"><strong>LIVERPOOL</strong></h2>
<p id="ldFKIE"><strong>Starting XI</strong><em> </em>Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Fabinho, Robertson; Henderson, Milner; Shaqiri, Jota, Minamino; Origi</p>
<p id="eSk8vS"><strong>Bench</strong> Adrian, Kelleher, Wijnaldum, Firmino, Cain, Mane, Salah, Jones, R. Williams, N. Williams</p>
<h2 id="njFnf3"><strong>FC MIDTJYLLAND</strong></h2>
<p id="fVMsje"><strong>Starting XI</strong><em> </em>Andersen; Andersson, Sviatchenko, Scholz, Paulinho; Onyeka, Cajuste; Dreyer, Sisto, Mabil; Kaba</p>
<p id="9bK9Qr"><strong>Bench</strong> Ottesen, Birksoe, Cools, James, Dyhr, Madsen, Evander, Kraev, Isaksen, Anderson, Vibe, Pfeiffer</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="ZpbWTf">
<h2 id="3B7vlN"><strong>JOIN THE CONVERSATION</strong></h2>
<p id="TfF4zD">If you haven’t already, sign up for an SB Nation account and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/account/setup?community_id=373"><strong>join the conversation on The Liverpool Offside,</strong></a> where we’ll have full coverage of every Liverpool match this season, breaking news, opinion, and tactical discussion.</p>
<p id="ls92QV"><small>*Liverpool Offside has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Liverpool Offside may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.</small></p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-match-coverage/2020/10/27/21536528/liverpool-fc-midtjylland-ucl-2020-goal-highlights-teamsheets-tv-channels-online-streamingZachary Marx2020-10-27T14:58:12+00:002020-10-27T14:58:12+00:00Know Your Champions League Enemy: FC Midtjylland
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<img alt="Brondby IF vs FC Midtjylland - Danish 3F Superliga" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8Z3vrLFVpjJYLsO8-SY0wVS_B5s=/0x0:5904x3936/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67695541/1229259306.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Captain Erik Sviatchenko once caught a fish THIS BIG. | Photo by Lars Ronbog / FrontZoneSport via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Liverpool face off against Danish champions FC Midtjylland in the second match of Group D. Let’s learn more about the Wolves. </p> <p id="mUdJu6">Herning, Denmark—the small town smack dab in the middle of Jutland (mid-Jutland, <em>Midtjylland</em>)—is a pretty unassuming place. Certainly not the type of place from which you’d expect a <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> football team to hail. </p>
<p id="JhX2GK">I know, because I live here. </p>
<p id="RF6o6P">I have bartended for these players. I’ve bumped into these players countless times around town. I’ve even studied Danish with the parents of one of the players (hiya to Mr. and Mrs. Cajuste, if you’re reading). </p>
<p id="GSqfsd">When FCM not only qualified for the Champions League, but drew <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a>, my mind practically exploded. Up is down. Black is white. Dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria. </p>
<p id="PqzsN7">But here we are. FCM, the Wolves, in the Champions League. Playing Liverpool. In a pandemic when no one can watch them. No, nothing makes sense, these days. </p>
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<h2 id="DtOLpk"><strong>History, Colors, Nicknames</strong></h2>
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<p id="Sl2ee5">The club was only founded in 1999, after a merger of local Danish second division rivals Ikast FS and Herning Fremad. Herning, I must reiterate, is tiny: around 50,000 people. And Ikast is even smaller (~15,000). Neither Herning not Ikast had a history of success. Oh, they had <em>history</em>—with the former dating back to 1918, and the latter to 1935—but neither had earned promotion to the top flight of Danish football. Ikast’s biggest claim to fame had been three trips to the <em>Pokal</em> (domestic cup) final in the 1970’s and 80’s. </p>
<p id="UAcUQl">Something had to change. And something did, when the two sides joined forces in 1999. They were immediately promoted to the top division (Superliga) in 2000, having earned a record points tally along the way. And have remained there ever since. </p>
<aside id="q0FymS"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Know Your Champions League Enemy: AFC Ajax","url":"https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2020/10/17/21520509/liverpool-fc-know-your-enemy-champions-league-afc-ajax-amsterdam-ucl-epl-match-preview-group-d"}]}'></div></aside><p id="8JIYJC">From the off, the owners have tried to level the playing field with their wealthier domestic rivals (primarily FC Copenhagen). In 2004, they were the first Danish side to create their own academy. They also formed a partnership with Nigerian club FC Ebedei, which a) gives FCM a much more diverse team than one would expect for a club from Farm Country, Denmark, and b) gives racist rival fans an excuse to express their racism, labeling FCM “FC Africa.” Charming. </p>
<p id="FfOTZg">In 2008 they started employing the one and only Thomas Gronnemark. The upshot of all of this is that they are invested in finding and creating talented footballers, competing for domestic titles—which have finally started to come in recent years—and hopefully selling on a few of their most talented prospects for a profit. </p>
<p id="OtusCT">The Wolves’ primary colors are red and black. Their home kits are generally solid black with red accents, but for European competitions they usually switch to solid red at home. This is reportedly because of a fondness for Liverpool by one of the owners. Good taste. However, this year FCM have gone with a fantastic all-white strip for their home Champions League matches. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="nzmUqY">
<h2 id="Kzo6qz"><strong>Trophies and Europe</strong></h2>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="HTHKMT">
<p id="wBlKPr">In 2014, Brentford’s owner became a majority shareholder in FCM’s ownership group, and his involvement immediately paid dividends. </p>
<p id="04xMVr">In 2014/15, FCM won their first Danish title. Since then they’ve won two more titles, in 2017/18 and 2019/20. Three titles in six years is not a bad haul in most leagues, and especially not in a league that has been dominated by FC Copenhagen over the last couple of decades. </p>
<p id="qDqivD">And in 2018/19, the Wolves defeated Daniel Agger’s old club, Brøndby, to win their first Danish Cup. </p>
<p id="iRKQia">FCM have a long history of trying and failing to qualify for Europe, especially once the UEFA Cup became the Europa League (and thereby changed formats). It’s really not easy for a Danish team to qualify! </p>
<p id="IFdQY7">Their only other time in Europe (other than fruitless qualifying rounds!) was in 2015/16. They managed to defeat <a href="https://stmarysmusings.sbnation.com">Southampton</a> in the Europa League playoff before the group stages. They finished second in the group to Napoli, ahead of Club Brugge and Legia Warsaw. The Wolves managed a shock upset of <a href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com">Manchester United</a> in the home leg of the Round of 32, and were actually in the match until the 75th minute of the return leg, when 3 late goals ended their run. </p>
<p id="nEzNxV">To qualify for this year’s Champions League, FCM had to see off Ludogorets (1-0), Young Boys (3-0), and Slavia Prague (4-1 on aggregate). It’s an impressive feat just to qualify, even if the Europa League is probably more “their speed.” </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="cHtdpx">
<p id="kdct2E">So, there you have it! </p>
<p id="sHeVSr">Obviously on a personal level I’m gutted. Herning might be small, but we would have made excellent hosts for our Dutch, Italian, and Scouse visitors. Case in point:</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">We also hired a bagpipe-player to greet you when you get into the ground <a href="https://twitter.com/RangersFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RangersFC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCMRangers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCMRangers</a> <a href="https://t.co/bpEmkqJu8x">pic.twitter.com/bpEmkqJu8x</a></p>— FC Midtjylland (@fcmidtjylland) <a href="https://twitter.com/fcmidtjylland/status/1159507286404022274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2019</a>
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<p id="LzOUOW">Don’t ask me how they found a bagpiper in Denmark. </p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2020/10/27/21536070/liverpool-fc-know-your-champions-league-enemy-fc-midtjylland-denmark-group-d-ajax-atalantaZachary Marx2020-10-27T02:00:00+00:002020-10-27T02:00:00+00:00Injury Update: Liverpool Likely Without Thiago, Naby Keita, And Joel Matip
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<img alt="Liverpool Training Session" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tA4GIx8km0YVevUiBH-OadxXSlc=/0x0:4686x3124/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67693362/1282358444.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Jurgen Klopp says Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, and Naby Keita are all close, but not quite ready to feature in their midweek Champions League match</p> <p id="LzSg24">With games coming thick and fast, <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> were hoping for good news on a trio of players pushing for fitness ahead of their midweek match against FC Midtjylland. Unfortunately, it seems like it is not in the cards as Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip, and Naby Keita are all expected to miss the match.</p>
<p id="ruiTG4">“It’s still what I said last week, we look day by day,” said Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp.</p>
<p id="gbekfl">“It looks like we will need a few more days. For tomorrow night, they probably will not be ready.”</p>
<p id="AtILko">Thiago and Joel Matip both hobbled off after the Derby against <a href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com">Everton</a>. Thiago was the recipient of a nasty tackle from Richarlison that saw the Brazilian sent off — after <span>Jordan Pickford</span>’s reckless challenge went unpunished earlier in the game, and before Lucas Digne was sent off this weekend against <a href="https://stmarysmusings.sbnation.com">Southampton</a> — but I digress. Matip didn’t suffer any obvious injury, but it was revealed after the match that he had picked up yet another knock.</p>
<p id="1TMIr5">Naby Keita, on the other hand, had just returned to Liverpool after a negative covid-19 test when he picked up an injury during training.</p>
<p id="qHXKbA">With a dearth of options in central defense, Fabinho has been drafted to emergency service. Both Jordan Henderson and <span>Georginio Wijnaldum</span> have taken turns filling the holding midfield role in some makeshift midfield alignments.</p>
<p id="WkuGvf">Hopefully the trio will be fit in short order. Liverpool have a big stretch of games coming up. After a resurgent West Ham side at the weekend, Liverpool will face the free-scoring Atalanta side twice in the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> sandwiching league games against <a href="https://bitterandblue.sbnation.com">Manchester City</a> and <a href="https://fosseposse.sbnation.com">Leicester City</a>.</p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2020/10/27/21535551/injury-update-liverpool-likely-without-thiago-naby-keita-joel-matip-champions-league-fc-midtjyllandCruyff Turns Anonymous2020-10-26T18:03:35+00:002020-10-26T18:03:35+00:00Liverpool vs. Midtjylland: Preview, Team News, and Ways to Watch
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<img alt="Ajax Amsterdam v Liverpool FC: Group D - UEFA Champions League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/39JpHDj8TLAPeqedaAdUL8VSwSE=/0x42:1067x753/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67690960/1229234090.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Reds host the Danish champions as they look to topple Atalanta from the top of group D.</p> <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="qm9v04">
<h2 id="BqgYiQ">Liverpool vs Midtjylland</h2>
<h5 id="gH6SAI">| Tuesday, October 27th |<br>Champions League | Anfield<br>8PM BST / 3PM EST</h5>
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<p id="oav5vd">In the middle of their first real fixture congestion of the season, and coming off a scrappy 1-0 away win over Ajax last week, <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> look to continue their bid for top position in their Champions League group, hosting relative minnow Midtjylland.</p>
<p id="88tvvw">The reigning Danish Superliga champions have started their league campaign well enough, separated from top position on goal difference after collecting 13 points from their opening six fixtures, identical to the position tomorrow’s opponents find themselves in. </p>
<p id="5Hh8VV">Things have not gone so well in the Champions League, however, as the Wolves were demolished 4-0 by a rampant Atalanta last week, and another loss here in the Thomas Gronnemark derby would likely see their European ambitions smashed before they even begin.</p>
<p id="DOZjpa">Manager Brian Priske will be able to call on a full-strength side, though, including top scorers Anders Dreyer and former Celta Vigo man Pione Sisto.</p>
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<h5 id="unXFb5"><strong>Projected Liverpool Lineup (4-3-3)</strong></h5>
<p id="Yyzs1U">Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Matip, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Milner; Mané, Firmino, Salah</p>
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<p id="t8ES1i">The surprise return of Alisson boosted Jürgen Klopp’s side at the weekend, with the Brazilian saving the only non-penalty shot he faced against <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/sheffield-united">Sheffield United</a>. Joël Matip will be assessed on the night, but is likely to miss out, and a return to the centre-back pairing of <span>Joe Gomez</span> and Fabinho appears to be on the cards.</p>
<p id="Jg5Z5Z">In midfield, Naby Keïta and Thiago are in a similar situation, and the pair are unlikely to make an appearance, making a midfield trio of <span>Jordan Henderson</span>, <span>Georginio Wijnaldum</span> and <span>James Milner</span> nigh unavoidable, another Curtis Jones start notwithstanding.</p>
<p id="QxyvQX">That is assuming Klopp reverts to his familiar tactics following the 4-2-3-1 experiment at the weekend. While it yielded a win — and a first Premier League goal from Diogo Jota — the counter-press looked disjointed and the front four out of sync in transition, so whether the gaffer decides to stick with what’s familiar, use his depth, or simply make his depth option starters again remains to be seen.</p>
<p id="fy7nfe">Regardless, with five substitutions, <span>Roberto Firmino</span>, <span>Mohamed Salah</span>, Sadio Mané and Takumi Minamino are likely to all see minutes tomorrow night.</p>
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<h5 id="Ye0nud">What the Managers Said</h5>
<p id="5JZGmE"><strong>Jürgen Klopp:</strong> “They [are] a football-playing side, they have different ideas depending on what the opponent is doing, they are flexible as well, so it’s a challenge. It’s a real challenge and that’s what we have to be ready for.”</p>
<p id="ecf35p"><strong>Brian Priske: </strong>“*incomprehensible Danish*.”</p>
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<h5 id="789Puw">The Officials (POL)</h5>
<p id="KSNBKh"><strong>Referee:</strong> Paweł Raczkowski<br><strong>Assistant referees:</strong> Radosław Siejka, Adam Kupsik<br><strong>Fourth official: </strong>Krzysztof Jakubik<br><strong>VAR:</strong> Pawel Gil, Bartosz Frankowski</p>
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<p id="b8UBoe">Kickoff is set for 8PM GMT/3PM EST tomorrow, and television listings for the match can be found on <a href="https://www.livesoccertv.com/match/3805031/liverpool-vs-midtjylland/">LiveSoccerTV</a>.</p>
<p id="gMrAwU">In the meantime, and as always, we’ll be keeping you updated with all the buildup to the game, including team news as it’s released, our live matchday thread, and post-match recaps from The Liverpool Offside staff. If you want to join the discussion, sign up for an SB Nation account to have your say on the action as it happens.</p>
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https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2020/10/26/21534732/liverpool-vs-midtjylland-cl-2020-preview-team-news-predicted-lineups-how-to-watchAudun Manum2020-10-26T15:51:58+00:002020-10-26T15:51:58+00:00Klopp Talk: FC Midtjylland Will Be “a Real Challenge” for Liverpool
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<img alt="Liverpool v Sheffield United - Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HfULExcbCpWXyZrq14S1LlUpTos=/0x17:2082x1405/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67690046/1282044393.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Liverpool manager expects his side to be ready for a fired-up underdog on Tuesday in the Champions League.</p> <p id="8LmDny">There were always going to be challenges this season for Jürgen Klopp’s title defending Reds, but few expected anything like a shock 7-2 defeat to <a href="https://7500toholte.sbnation.com">Aston Villa</a> followed by a season-ending injury for star Virgil van Dijk.</p>
<p id="i7Z7o9"><a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a>, though, have reacted well, digging deep to secure one-goal victories against Ajax in Europe and <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/sheffield-united">Sheffield United</a> in the league, and up next is a <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> group stage game against FC Midtjylland.</p>
<p id="csQvEf">“The boys were really ready to show real resilience, fighting for a result, digging in and all these kind of things,” Klopp said. “I expect that but after the very good times we had it’s then possible people react differently.</p>
<p id="gCFnYh">“My boys didn’t, they did exactly what I thought they would do. They fought as much as they could [and now] it’s a challenge. It’s a real challenge and that’s what we have to be ready for and that’s what we try to be.”</p>
<p id="5wJ7D1">On paper, even without Van Dijk it will be a game where Liverpool will be heavily favoured against a side that was a long-shot to even qualify for Europe’s premier cup competition, but facing an underdog poses challenges.</p>
<p id="fbnxjv">For Midtjylland there will be nothing to lose on Tuesday, and a strong performance for the visitors to Anfield—with maybe a lucky break or two—could provide an upset result. Klopp, though, expects his side to be ready.</p>
<p id="ok8VxE">“Midtjylland have different styles,” the Liverpool boss added. “They have playing build-up or they are a bit more direct in their build-up and stuff like this. If you press them high, then they play more long, all these kind of things.</p>
<p id="nl1DKG">“They have really experienced defenders, good footballing midfielders, speed on the wings, physicality in the centre upfront. They have a clear plan, so we have to see. But we have a clear plan as well, so we will try that.</p>
<p id="6sCM9V">“We have to make decisions before the game and then we have to make a lot of good decisions in the game. Then we have to show we are ready for a fight because that’s what I expect. So that’s our approach.”</p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-news-coverage/2020/10/26/21534507/jurgen-klopp-says-fc-midtjylland-real-challenge-for-liverpool-champions-league-2020Noel Chomyn