Match Preview: Porto vs Liverpool

Liverpool face Porto in Portugal at the Estádio do Dragão on Wednesday evening for the first leg of the Champions League Round 16 tie.

Porto are in the knockout stages after finishing 2nd in Group G. Besiktas topped Group G finishing 4 points above the Portuguese giants as the two sides knocked out RB Leipzig and Monaco who finished 3rd and 4th respectively.

Porto lost twice in the group stage but are unbeaten in the Primera Liga this season and currently sit in first place of their domestic league having won 17 and drawn 4 of their 21 games .

Liverpool currently sit in 3rd place in the Premier League but the Champions League is their most likely way of winning silverware this season having been knocked out of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup .

READ MORE: Why no side will want to draw Liverpool in the Champions League

LFC ensured that they finished top of group E with the 7-0 victory over Spartak Moscow on Matchday 6 of the group stage. It’s the first time the Reds have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League since 2008/2009 and will be looking to get as far as possible in the competition.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – Wednesday, December 6, 2017: Liverpool players line-up before the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Liverpool FC and FC Spartak Moscow at Anfield. Philippe Coutinho Correia, goalkeeper Loris Karius, Dejan Lovren, Ragnar Klavan, Joe Gomez, Emre Can, Roberto Firmino, Alberto Moreno, Georginio Wijnaldum, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool fans have a love affair with the Champions League: the most successful English Club in the competition are looking to win it for the sixth time this year.

Klopp confirmed yesterday that Loris Karius will remain in goal for tomorrow’s fixture. Virgil Van Dijk is expected to start in the Champions League in a Liverpool shirt for the first time. Nathaniel Clyne has travelled with the squad to Portugal but will not be fit enough for the first leg tomorrow. Jordan Henderson and Joe Gomez face late fitness tests to see if they’re fit enough to feature and Emre Can is suspended for accumulating too many yellow cards.

As for the hosts, Aboubakar faces a late fitness test to see whether he is available as Danilo Periera and Felipe are absent.

The Reds come into the game off the back of a 2-0 victory against Southampton on Sunday. Firmino and Salah got a goal and an assist each as they both stood out with another excellent performance from the pair.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – Sunday, February 11, 2018: Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Southampton FC and Liverpool FC at St. Mary’s Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

There are no easy draws at this stage of the competition and there is no doubt that Porto will present a tough rearguard. A close match lies ahead where I expect Jurgen’s tactics and the speed and skill of our front three to see us through – just.

This is the 5th time the two sides have met with Liverpool currently unbeaten against Porto. In the past there has been two draws between the sides and Liverpool have won on the other two occasion. Liverpool haven’t won away from home against Porto in the past and will be hoping that they can change that on Wednesday.

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