Liverpool Vs Porto - UEFA Champions League Quarter Finals - Tuesday 9th April 20:00 - Match Preview

It's the Quarter Finals of the Champions League and Liverpool switch focus from their hunt for the Premier League as they bid to go one better than they managed in this tournament and lift the cup. They take on Porto who are embroiled in a tight battle for their own domestic league and one of the sides Liverpool knocked out of the competition on their way to the final. Last seasons encounter in the Round of 16 was crazy, Liverpool stormed their way to a 0-5 with Sadio Mane getting a hattrick and then the sides played out a 0-0 draw in the return leg at Anfield. Awaiting the winner of this tie will be either Barcelona or Manchester United if Liverpool potential fixtures that have Liverpool fans buzzing and even more desperate to win than ever.

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Liverpool managed to overcome the German giants Bayern Munich in the previous round but a yellow card picked up by Andy Robertson in the 2nd leg of that tie means the left-back will be suspended for this match. Jurgen Klopp has Alberto Moreno as cover but is most likely to call on the versatility of James Milner for such an important game. The Liverpool manager has no fresh injury concerns with only Joe Gomez and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain who are still coming back from their long term injuries unavailable.

Joining Milner in defence it is likely to be Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Trent Alexander Arnold in front of Alisson in goal. Against Southampton, Jordan Henderson came off the bench to turn the tide of the game and score a goal meaning he is almost certain to come back into the starting lineup. Naby Keita was also on the scoresheet but besides the goal didn't do much else and could be the one making way with Fabinho and Wijnaldum likely to keep their spots. The front three will be the usual trio of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah, each of them was on the scoresheet in the 0-5 last season and Salah will be keen to grab another goal after breaking his barren run at the weekend.

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Liverpool were delighted with the draw when it was announced they'd be matched up against Porto and while it is understandable as it avoided encounters against Manchester City, Juventus and Barcelona it doesn't mean Porto are a weak team by any means. They are currently 2nd in the Portuguese Primeira Liga due to o goal difference, tied on 69 points with Benfica after 28 games. They made it through the group stage undefeated and came back from a first-leg loss to Roma to take the tie into extra time where they sealed it with a late penalty.

For the first leg of the Quarter Finals, they will be without Héctor Herrera and Pepe who are both suspended, while Danilo, Otavio and Eder Militao would all miss the 2nd leg if they pick up a yellow at Anfield. Striker Vincent Aboubakar is out with a long term injury while left-back Alex Telles missed their last game but is believed to be able to come back into the team to take on Liverpool. Moussa Marega is a threat down the right-wing and has 6 goals in the competition already however he has failed to get on the scoresheet in his last 5 appearances, Tiquinho Soares is the other player Liverpool's defence will have to be wary of, while he has scored just once in the competition so far he does have a respectable 13 goals in the Portugues league this season.