LIVERPOOL 3-1 RB SALZBURG | MANE (9), ROBERTSON (24), SALAH (36), HWANG (39)
Liverpool XI: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Mane, Salah, Firmino
Subs: Kelleher, Lovren, Milner, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana, Origi.
RB Salzburg XI: Stankovic, Ulmer, Wober, Onguene, Kristensen, Junuzovic, Mwepu, Szoboszlai, Minamino, Hwang, Daka
Subs: Kohn, Farkas, Ramalho, Ashimeru, Okugawa, Koita, Haaland
- Sadio Mane opens the scoring for Liverpool after neat one-two with Roberto Firmino
- Andrew Robertson doubles the lead in the 24th-minute
- Mohamed Salah scores the third, converting after Firmino effort saved
- Hwang Hee-chan pulls on back for the visitors before the break
Liverpool vs RB Salzburg LIVE: Champions League score, goals, fixtures and updates (Image: GETTY)
Salzburg XI
19:05: Whaaaa? Annoying news arrives with teenage sensation Erling Braut Haaland only fit enough to make the bench.
RB Salzburg XI: Stankovic, Ulmer, Wober, Onguene, Kristensen, Junuzovic, Mwepu, Szoboszlai, Minamino, Hwang, Daka.
Subs: Kohn, Farkas, Ramalho, Ashimeru, Okugawa, Koita, Haaland.
Liverpool vs RB Salzburg LIVE: Champions League score, goals, fixtures and updates (Image: GETTY)
Twitter round-up
Chad: What do we have to do to not put out a line-up with Gini, Hendo, and Fabinho as a midfield three?! The line-up screams for an Oxlade-Chamberlain or Keita type player!
Jonny: I just don’t see any reasoning why we aren’t rotating the midfield tonight with Ox, Keita or even both.
Ryan: First match I’ll be missing in full this season. Gutted it’s the #UCL home opener but hoping to get out of class to some good news!
You know where to follow full coverage, Ryan…
Liverpool vs RB Salzburg LIVE: Champions League score, goals, fixtures and updates (Image: GETTY)
They’ve arrived…
18:55: The Salzburg fans are squeezing every last bit of enjoyment out of this Champions League orange.
Sorry that was a bizarre metaphor, I’ve been watching too much Great British Bake Off.
Thousands of the parading through the streets on route to Anfield. Should make for a cracking atmosphere tonight.
Starting XI
18:50: No surprises in Jurgen Klopp’s team selection with Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firming all spearheading the attack.
We knew Joel Matip wouldn’t feature having suffered an injury – so Joe Gomez partners Virgil Van Dijk in the middle of defence.
Liverpool XI: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Subs: Kelleher, Lovren, Milner, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana, Origi.
BREAKING: Liverpool fined
18:45: Liverpool have been fined £200,000, of which £100,000 is suspended, for fielding an ineligible player in a Carabao Cup match against MK Dons on September 25.
The issue surrounds midfielder Pedro Chirivella, who came off the bench in the 63rd minute of the 2-0 victory, and the absence of an international transfer certificate – required after the 22-year-old returned from a loan spell with Spanish club Extremadura last season.
The English Football League said in a statement: “Following a comprehensive review of all the evidence, the board determined that it wasn’t appropriate to expel the club from the competition because of a number of mitigating factors.”
Avoided being kicked out of the competition, so that’s kind of a win, right?
Liverpool vs RB Salzburg LIVE: Champions League score, goals, fixtures and updates (Image: GETTY)
Happy home for holders
18:40: Champions League football returns to Anfield for the first time since that memorable 4-0 win against Barcelona in May, a night which has gone down in history as one of the best comebacks in the history of the competition.
While the Reds, unbeaten at home in the competition since 2014, are not likely to produce anything as dramatic as that when they host RB Salzburg, they do need a win to get the defence of their crown up and running after defeat against Napoli a fortnight ago.
Liverpool vs RB Salzburg LIVE: Champions League score, goals, fixtures and updates (Image: GETTY)
Evening…
18:30: Hello everyone and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Champions League.
Before we start, can we have a pact NOT to reveal any spoilers from The Apprentice tonight?
I’ll download it from the train home and want to be surprised when idiot A does something stupid and idiot B somehow surpasses it with something incredibly dumb.
Anyway… big night of European action with the defending champions Liverpool back at Anfield for the first time.
The Reds are understandably heavy favourites to return to winning ways – but the visitors shouldn’t be underestimated. I’ll explain why shortly…
LIVERPOOL vs RB SALZBURG – TEAM NEWS
Liverpool centre-back Joel Matip will miss the Champions League visit of Red Bull Salzburg with a knock.
It is likely to mean a recall for Joe Gomez, who has been restricted to just five appearances this season, alongside Virgil Van Dijk.
Midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri has not recovered from a calf injury while goalkeeper Alisson Becker (also calf) is back in training but not available for Wednesday.
Liverpool provisional squad: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane, Kelleher, Lovren, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Keita, Lallana, Origi, Brewster.