Midtjylland vs Liverpool preview: Team news, stats, kick-off time
Jurgen Klopp may ring the changes for dead-rubber clash; Caoimhin Kelleher should start in goal again; Follow with our dedicated live blog across Sky Sports' digital platforms and on Gillette Soccer Special live on Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Premier League
Wednesday 9 December 2020 18:17, UK
Team news and stats ahead of Midtjylland vs Liverpool in the Champions League group stage on Wednesday; kick-off 5.55pm.
Team news
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is set to make a number of changes as he rests key players for the Champions League dead rubber against Midtjylland.
He could hand a debut to highly-rated 18-year-old centre-back Billy Koumetio and first European appearances to Leighton Clarkson and Jake Cain in midfield.
Divock Origi, Takumi Minamino and Diogo Jota are likely to come in up front but Caoimhin Kelleher looks set to keep his place in goal after back-to-back clean sheets deputising for the injured Alisson Becker.
Klopp will have none of the players currently injured - Xherdan Shaqiri, Alisson Becker, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thiago Alcantara, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez - available for the game, while those who featured in Sunday's victory over Wolves have only completed recovery sessions so far.
Midtjylland have a clean bill of health as they welcome Liverpool.
Klopp: We're Liverpool, we want to win
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp:
"Our Champions League squad was really already very young, we have had four, five, six players involved in the squad so far and yes they will travel and then we will make decisions.
"The analysis is not finalised yet and they will all play a part in my thinking. It is the first time we don't have to get a result in the last match of the group stage and so we have to consider the general situation, that's clear, but we have to consider we are Liverpool and we want to win the game.
"All these things will lead to a line-up."
Who needs what?
Liverpool have already qualified for the last 16 as group winners, while Midtjylland are destined to finish rock bottom of the group.
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Opta stats
- The only previous meeting between FC Midtyjlland and Liverpool was won 2-0 by Jürgen Klopp's side, thanks to goals from Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah earlier in this season's UEFA Champions League group stage.
- Liverpool have won each of their previous three games against Danish opponents in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, scoring eight goals in total and keeping a clean sheet in each game.
- Since beating Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League in February 2016 (2-1), FC Midtyjlland have lost their two games against English opponents in major European competition (excluding qualifiers) - 1-5 v Manchester United and 0-2 v Liverpool.
- Liverpool have finished top of their Champions League group for the third time in the last four seasons - victory here will see them win as many as five matches in a single Champions League group stage for the first time in the competition.
- Liverpool have won their final Champions League group stage game in each of the last three campaigns, scoring 10 goals and conceding none in this run.
- FC Midtyjlland remain winless so far in their maiden Champions League campaign (D1 L4), though they picked up their first point in the competition at Atalanta last time out.
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