Champions League Wednesday Preview

Liverpool are looking to make it a full house of five Premier League clubs to make it through to the knockout stages of the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Reds only need a draw from their game with Spartak Moscow to qualify from Group E, whilst a win will also guarantee them top-spot. However, defeat for Liverpool would see them eliminated unless Sevilla lose at Maribor.

Going into the game, Jurgen Klopp knows just how big the game at Anfield is.

“It is a proper final, all or nothing,” he said. “We know about the situation. They know the situation. It is Champions League.

“It is always important but the last game of the group stage is most important if you have to play for something, which we obviously have. It is exciting. All or nothing means you can either win or you lose. We know we can draw but this information is only useful after the game. We cannot play for that and we do not want to.”

Manchester City, who are already through from Group F, travel to Shakhtar Donetsk – who only need a draw from the game in Khakiv to join the Premier League leaders in the knockout phase.

City coach Pep Guardiola is looking to complete a 100% record through the group stages, which would extend their run of victories to 20.

“We play to win the game, I promise you,” he added. “And next Sunday too – but I assure you that sooner or later we’ll lose.”

Tottenham are already assured of top-spot in Group H and although Mauricio Pochettino is expected to make changes, he is determined to win their final game with APOEL.

“We need to take the game seriously. It is important to win, finish well in the Champions League and build the momentum,” Pochettino said.

 “We deserve to finish first [in our group]. But the team deserves to build momentum and we can only do that by winning games.”

See below for a preview on each game, including predictions from former England, Crystal Palace and Tottenham midfielder Andy Gray, super agent and former Manchester City ace Barry Silkman, our own Football Insider Graeme Bailey together with everything you need to know from the bookies – with BoyleSports’s Leon Blanche.

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GROUP E
Liverpool 19:45 Spartak Moscow
Anfield

TEAM NEWS: Joel Matip and Adam Lallana remain sidelined for Liverpool. Jano AnanidzeDmitri Kombarov and Georgi Tigiev are out for Spartak.
KEY FACT: Spartak have won only six of their past 40 Champions League game
MATCH ODDS: Liverpool 1/5 Draw 13/2 Spartak 12/1
ANDY SAYS: Liverpool will win this, I don’t see them being troubled…2-0
GRAEME SAYS: Tough game, but Liverpool forwards should win it…1-0
SILKY SAYS: Could be closer than some think, but Liverpool to win…2-1
BOYLESPORTS PICK: Liverpool -1 @4/7
FOOTBALLIndex – One to follow: Mo Salah just over £4, but he is outside the top-ten

GROUP F
Shakhtar Donetsk 19:45 Manchester City
Metalist Stadium

TEAM NEWS: Kevin De Bruyne is suspended, whilst John Stones and Benjamin Mendy are still injured. Darijo Srna is banned for Shakhtar whilst Serhiy Kryvtsov and Maksym Malyshev are sidelined.
KEY FACT: None of Manchester City’s 41 Champions League group games has ended goalless
MATCH ODDS: Shakhtar 15/8 Draw 12/5 Man City 6/4
ANDY SAYS: Comfortable City win, don’t see them not landing the three points…1-3
GRAEME SAYS: I don’t see this being that easy, indeed I think Shakjtar could get a point…2-2
SILKY SAYS: Yeah, City win all the way – they shouldn’t find this too hard…1-3
BOYLESPORTS PICK: City draw @12/5
FOOTBALLIndex – One to follow: Sergio Aguero only £3.20 – what a bargain

GROUP H
Tottenham Hotspur 19:45 Apoel Nicosia
Wembley

TEAM NEWS: Victor Wanyama, Toby Alderweireld and Erik Lamela all miss out but Fernando Llorente, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou and Juan Foyth are set to start. Carlao and Zhivko Milanov are both sidelined for Apoel.
KEY FACT: Apoel are winless in their last 13 Champions League games, drawing
MATCH ODDS: Spurs 2/7 Draw 9/2 Apoel 11/1
ANDY SAYS:
Spurs win, without many major issues…3-0
GRAEME SAYS: This won’t be a classic, narrow Spurs win…2-0
SILKY SAYS: Spurs should win this with relative ease…3-1
BOYLESPORTS PICK: 
Spurs leading at half time @8/11
FOOTBALLIndex – One to follow: 
Davinson Sanchez is in the top-100 and less than £1

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