Sports Blog 23/08/2017: UEFA Champions League Qualifying Preview – Liverpool vs 1899 Hoffenheim, Wednesday 23rd August 2017

Can Liverpool hold off Hoffenheim and ensure a place in the Champions League group stages?

The main story coming out of the play-off 1st leg surrounded Trent Alexander-Arnold. The 18-year old scored on his European debut, converting a free kick just after the half hour mark to give Liverpool the lead. The Reds made it 2-0 with a quarter of an hour to go after an own goal from Havard Nordtveit, only for Mark Uth to give Hoffenheim a lifeline minutes before the final whistle. It could have been worse – Simon Mignolet kept out Andrej Kramaric’s spot kick just 11 minutes into the match, after Dejan Lovren had fouled Bayern Munich-loanee (and former Arsenal forward) Serge Gnabry.



Domestically Liverpool haven’t been particularly convincing. An admittedly unlucky 3-3 draw against Watford on the opening weekend of the Premier League was followed last Saturday by a narrow 1-0 win over Crystal Palace thanks to a late-ish strike from Sadio Mane (who sits at a Super Mega PGM of 32-38). Sunday’s game ostensibly poses an even greater test in the form of the visiting Arsenal (though given the Gunners’ own faltering form maybe not).

The interminable Philippe Coutinho situation is also showing no signs of abating. Last week Liverpool rejected a third bid – worth £114 million – for the Brazilian from Barcelona, and are prepared to give the same answer if the Catalan club make a reported £138 million fourth offer. Coutinho is yet to make an appearance for Liverpool due to a back injury, and will miss Wednesday 2nd leg with an illness, with Jurgen Klopp stating he had ‘no idea’ when he would be back.

As for Hoffenheim, their Bundesliga season finally got underway on Sunday with a 1-0 win at home against Werder Bremen. They did leave it late, however, with Kramaric – who looks like Hoffenheim’s best bet up front, at a Super Mega PGM of 20-24 – scoring in the 84th minute.

Given that no German side has ever won at Anfield the visitors face an uphill battle on Wednesday night, with Spreadex offering a Liverpool/Hoffenheim Goal Supremacy spread of 0.85-1.05 alongside a Total Goals spread of 3.15-3.35.