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Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s Champions League clash between Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Flailing Premier League visitors Liverpool return to Champions League action on Wednesday, when they take on struggling Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt at Deutsche Bank Park.
The German hosts are 15th in the league phase table with three points following a demoralising 5-1 defeat against Atletico Madrid on September 30, whereas the visitors are 17th with three points after they lost 1-0 against Galatasaray at the end of September.
Match preview
After achieving their highest ever placement in the Bundesliga (third) since 1991–92 last season, Frankfurt are currently seventh with 10 points after seven matchweeks, three fewer than they totalled at the same stage last term.
Dino Toppmoller will be alarmed by the fact that his side have conceded 18 times in their past five games, and they have in fact picked the ball out of their own net at least twice in six of their last seven outings.
Liverpool will have to be wary on the night given they are facing a team that managed to score 12 goals in the five matches leading up to Wednesday’s clash.
Considering that just one of the German club’s last 67 European matches have ended scoreless, there is sure to be plenty of action in both boxes.
However, the Eagles’ form should give the travelling fans hope as they are winless in three – they lost twice in that period – and have been defeated in four of their seven most recent fixtures, while only emerging as winners on two occasions.
A defeat at the hands of the English visitors would be their third consecutive loss at home, with the hosts also conceding seven times in their last two at Deutsche Bank Park.
Liverpool come into the clash off the back of a 2-1 defeat against fierce rivals Manchester United on Sunday, but more concerning than the loss has been the lack of improvement since the beginning of the season.
Arne Slot‘s side have conceded 16 goals in 11 matches this term, whereas they conceded 15 in their first 22 fixtures of 2024-25.
The Reds’ displays at the back have considerable room for improvement, but the lack of a coordinated press has routinely exposed the likes of Milos Kerkez and Conor Bradley, with both full-backs struggling to deal with opposition wingers.
Liverpool cannot afford to lose a fifth consecutive game, but they will have to improve in the final third considering they scored just three goals in their four-match losing streak.
The Merseysiders have only encountered Frankfurt twice, winning 2-0 at Anfield and drawing 0-0 away from home in the first round of the 1972-73 edition of the UEFA Cup, now known as the Europa League.
Slot oversaw two victories in his side’s first two away matches of 2025-26, but his team have since suffered three losses, and it should be noted that Liverpool lost three of their final four games on the road in 2024-25.
Eintracht Frankfurt form (all competitions):
Liverpool Champions League form:
Liverpool form (all competitions):
Team News
Eintracht Frankfurt teenager Can Uzun is currently the club’s joint top scorer with six goals, and the attacker is set to support centre-forward Jonathan Burkardt.
Eagles fans can expect to see a double pivot consisting of Ellyes Skhiri and Hugo Larsson, the latter of whom has been linked with Manchester City.
Central defenders Robin Koch and Arthur Theate have been regularly stationed in the middle of the team’s back four, and they are set to feature once again despite criticism of their performances.
As for Liverpool, midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is a doubt after he was forced off the pitch against United due to an ankle issue, and Curtis Jones may come into the XI if the Dutchman is unavailable.
Alexis Mac Allister has been trusted by Slot this season despite consistently poor displays, but since there is no sign of the manager’s faith dissipating, the Argentine may be selected once again.
Andrew Robertson is almost certain to come into the starting lineup in place of Kerkez, while Ibrahima Konate could be replaced by Joe Gomez.
Up front, Hugo Ekitike‘s form merits a spot ahead of Alexander Isak, and the Frenchman will be keen to add to his tally of five goals.
Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:
Santos; Kristensen, Koch, Theate, Brown; Larsson, Skhiri; Doan, Uzun, Bahoya; Burkardt
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Mamardashvili; Szoboszlai, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike
We say: Eintracht Frankfurt 2-3 Liverpool
Liverpool will at some point arrest their poor form, but without drastic defensive improvements, they will likely fail to keep a clean sheet.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s own defensive frailties could come back to haunt them, as while they may find the back of the net, it is difficult to see them keeping the Reds at bay.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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