Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Liverpool’s Champions League Group E trip to Russia to take on Spartak Moscow. Jurgen Klopp’s men have been playing a dangerous game so far this season. Their attack has been as fluid as any, but they remain vulnerable at their core. Their 2-2 draw on their return to Europe’s elite competition last time out was a microcosm of their season in this way. Spartak Moscow also drew their first group-stage game, earning a 1-1 draw at Maribor, but they will be without key forward Quincy Promes, who sustained a calf injury in the 2-0 win over Kuban Krasnodar in the Russian Cup last week. Will Liverpool go all out for the win? Can their defence tighten up? I’m Pete Hall, and I will be bringing you the action, as it happens, live!
Champions League / Group Stage
Lukoil Arena / 26.09.2017
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- Fernando(23')
- P. Coutinho(31')
Live
Live Updates
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Updated 26/09/2017 at 21:42 GMT+1
2'
All the possession with Liverpool early on, as they pass the ball across this huge pitch.
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A cauldron of noise..
1'
KICK OFF! We are under way in the magnificent Otkrytie Arena. The noise is building. Will it unsettle the visitors?
19:45
Don't expect this encounter to be a cakewalk for the wasteful men from Merseyside. Liverpool have only won one of their last seven away games in the Champions League (D3 L3) – this coming against Debrecen in November 2009 (1-0). Klopp's men had 17 more shots than their opponents Sevilla in the opening group enounter, the biggest positive differential that didn’t lead to a win on matchday one of this season’s Champions League (2-2). We are minutes away from kick off, as that famous anthem soothes the airwaves...
19:36
A repeat of this mess won't help matters...
19:33
Tonight would be the perfect moment to finally net that victory.
19:13
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Spartak Moscow and Liverpool’s only previous Champions League encounter was in the 2002/03 first group stage. Liverpool won both games 8-1 on aggregate, including a 3-1 victory in Russia. Spartak have won only two of their last 17 home games in the Champions League (D5 L10). They’ve also kept only one clean sheet in their last 18 games on home soil in the competition. They will have their workl cut out this evening to keep put this Liverpool attack.
19:10
All eyes will be on Karius tonight as Liverpool look to earn their first win of their Champions League campaign, but the Liverpool stopper showed no sign of nerves in a news conference on Monday: "I'm happy to play in this competition," said Karius on Monday. "It's something you dream of as a player, the Champions League. I expect a difficult game. It's the Champions League and this is new surroundings for a lot of us but we're ready for it."
19:05
Jurgen Klopp looks ahead to tonight's clash...
18:55
As expected, Loris Karius is back in goal for the Reds. Joe Gomez is replaced by Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, and Sadio Mane returns to replace Gini Wijnaldum. Daniel Sturridge and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are on the bench.
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Image credit: Getty Images
18:49
TEAMS - SPARTAK MOSCOW: Rebrov, Eschenko, Kutepov, Tasci, Bocchetti, Dzhikiia, Samedov, Fernando, Pasalic, Popov, Adriano Subs: Selikhov, Petkovic, Bakaev, Samsonov, Melgarejo, Davydov, Pedro Rocha. /// LIVERPOOL: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Matip, Moreno, Henderson, Can, Coutinho, Salah, Mane, Firmino Subs: Mignolet, Flanagan, Klavan, Milner, Wijnaldum, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sturridge.
18:45
The teams are in...