Liverpool v Real Madrid: Confirmed line-ups as Alexander-Arnold starts on the bench and Gakpo dropped

Liverpool will hope to build on Saturday’s win over Aston Villa when they host Real Madrid in the Champions League tonight.

Arne Slot’s side went into the weekend contest having lost six of their previous seven games but goals from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch helped them to a morale-boosting victory.

Madrid will present a stiffer test altogether. Xabi Alonso’s men are five points clear at the top of La Liga and one of just five sides with a 100 per cent record after three matchdays in the Champion League.

They crushed Valencia 4-0 on Saturday, a week after winning the season’s first Clasico against Barcelona.

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LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS

There was a surprise in the Liverpool XI named by Slot with Cody Gakpo dropping to the bench. Germany international Florian Wirtz, who has struggled since swapping Bayer Leverkusen for Anfield, comes in.

Andy Robertson is again preferred to Milos Kerkez at left-back.

Liverpool: Mamardashvili; Bradley, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Ekitike

REAL MADRID TEAM NEWS

Alonso makes just one change to the side that beat Valencia with Eduardo Camavinga coming in for the injured Franco Mastantuono. That is likely to mean either Jude Bellingham or Arda Guler is pushed into a front three alongside Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.

The returning Trent Alexander-Arnold starts on the bench with Federico Valverde continuing to fill-in at right-back.

Real Madrid: Courtois; Valverde, Huijsen, Militao, Carreras, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Guler; Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, Mbappe

How to watch Liverpool v Real Madrid: TV and online streams

Liverpool versus Real Madrid kicks off at 8pm UK time tomorrow night. You can watch it on Amazon Prime and stream via their app.

Stats for Liverpool v Real Madrid

• Liverpool and Real Madrid have faced each other on 12 previous occasions in the European Cup/Champions League. After winning the first three between 1981 and 2009, Liverpool have only won one of the last nine (D1 L7)
• Liverpool have won 20 of their last 22 home Champions League group stage games (D1 L1), including each of their last 12 in a row. However, three of their seven home group defeats have come versus Spanish sides (one each vs Barcelona, Valencia and Real Madrid)