Xabi Alonso returns to Anfield on Tuesday night as his Bayer Leverkusen team take on Liverpool.
Alonso’s long-awaited Merseyside return arrives on Matchday 4 of the new format, with Leverkusen facing a Liverpool side that have won their opening three league phase encounters to sit joint-top of the table with Aston Villa.
The Bundesliga champions impressively beat Feyenoord and Milan in their first two games before drawing away at surprise-package Brest on Matchday 3. Their record is enough to have them in the top eight as the halfway point approaches.
Leverkusen will benefit from having an extra day’s recovery as they prepare for a daunting visit to Anfield under the lights. Alonso’s team were held by Stuttgart on home soil on Friday night, with Bayern Munich’s subsequent victory over Union Berlin meaning Leverkusen are already seven points adrift of Die Roten in the Bundesliga table.
Liverpool, meanwhile, continue to impress with Arne Slot at the helm. A come-from-behind 2-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday saw them climb to the top of the Premier League table following Manchester City’s defeat at Bournemouth. Slot’s Reds have lost just once in all competitions this term.
Ibrahima Konate was forced off at half-time on Saturday after his arm was inadvertently stamped on by centre-back partner Virgil van Dijk, but the Frenchman alleviated fears over a prolonged absence on Sunday when he revealed that scans showed no fracture.
Liverpool lineup: (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jones, Diaz; Nunez.
Alonso is hopeful that summer arrival Martin Terrier will be available for Tuesday’s game after the forward missed Friday’s stalemate with Stuttgart.
Bayer Leverkusen lineup: (4-2-3-1): Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Xhaka, Garcia, Grimaldo; Terrier, Wirtz; Boniface.
