LATEST NEWS Two of the most exciting teams go head to head tonight as the English Champions Liverpool and the Italian goal machine Atalanta BC face off in a mouth watering Champions League clash at the Gewiss stadium in Bergamo.
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The Hype
Considering the history of both the teams in the competition, it should be an easy win for Liverpool as they have won the competition six times and it is only the second season in Europe for Atalanta. However, in football, it is never that simple.
Atalanta have made a reputation for themselves for being one of the most prolific goal scorers of Europe. This season Gasperini’s team has scored a ming boggling 17 goals in their opening 6 games in the Seria A.
The frequency with which the Italian side manages to find the net is a big worry for the English side as they are lacking very key players in the defence. The patched up Liverpool defence has already conceded 15 goals in the Premier League, this is the same amount of goals that they conceded in 24 games last season.
However Atalanta are not defensively foolproof either. They have conceded 13 goals in the Seria A so far this season.
The one thing that the fixture guarantees is goals as both the sides combined have found the back of the net 62 times in the past 13 league games alone.
Recent form
Liverpool have won all of their last four games in all competitions. They have also won each of their last three away Champions League away games.
However Jurgen Klopp particularly has a poor record in Italy as he has lost all five of his previous Champions League matches in Italy, including his last three visits with Liverpool.
The Italian side, on the other hand, has lost just one of their last 17 home games in European Championships. They have managed to secure 4 points from their opening two fixtures which consisted of a win and a draw against Midtjylland and Ajax respectively.
Atalanta BC form in all competitions: WLWLDW
Liverpool form in all competitions: LDWWWW
Team news and possible lineups
Liverpool
Liverpool’s four match winning run is even more impressing considering the fact that they have managed it without the likes of Van Dijk, Thiago and Matip.
Rhys Williams is likely to start alongside Joe Gomez in the heart of the defence. Nat Phillips who put up a Man of the Match display against West Ham over the weekend is unfortunately not registered in the Champions League squad and hence won't be participating.
Thiago and Matip did return to training prior to the fixture but it is unlikely that Klopp will take the risk of playing them
Diego Jota is most likely to accompany Salah and Mane in the front.
The possible lineup: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold,, R Williams, Gomez, Robertson, Shaqiri, Henderson, Milner, Salah, Mane, Jota
Atalanta
Duvan Zapata is likely to head the ever so deadly Atalanta attack with the Colombian contributing in six goals in five Champions League starts for the Italian side.
Sportiello is likely to continue between the sticks. Caldara, Piccini, de Roon are all sidelined for the hosts.
The possible lineup: Sportiello; Toloi, Romero, Djimsiti; Hateboer, Freuler, Pasalic, Gosens; Ilicic, Gomez; Zapata
Our prediction
Atalanta are more than capable of capitalizing on Liverpool’s defensive shortages and the same can also be said about the English Champions. Both the teams have seamlessly found the back of net but have also conceded more than their liking. Both the teams will be aware that a win tonight will go a long way in determining their fate in the competition.
We predict the scoreline to be 3-2 Atalanta.
Betting tip
The experts are predicting a double chance bet on a home win or an away win in this match.
