Liverpool v Atletico Madrid predictions: Flying Reds can seal qualification

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Liverpool v Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Liverpool and both teams to score
1pt 12-5 bet365, Betfair, Hills

Team news

Liverpool
Midfielders Naby Keita, James Milner and Harvey Elliott are sidelined. Fabinho and Thiago are back in training but may not be ready for starts.

Atletico Madrid
Antoine Griezmann and Stefan Savic are suspended, Marcos Llorente and Thomas Lemar are injured and Geoffrey Kondogbia (concussion) is a doubt.

Match preview

Liverpool have been making light work of a potentially tricky Champions League section and can seal qualification for last 16 by toppling Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday.

Having being drawn alongside Atletico, Porto and Milan in Group B, the Reds might have anticipated an intense battle for progression.

However, they came from behind to triumph 3-2 at home to Milan on matchday one and followed up with excellent away wins at Porto (5-1) and Atleti (3-2) to leave themselves on the brink of reaching the knockout stages for a fifth successive season.

Jurgen Klopp is coping with a mounting injury list and could be short of options in midfield with Naby Keita and James Milner sidelined and Thiago and Fabinho short of match fitness, but his back four and front three should be at full-strength and it is in those defensive and attacking thirds where the home side hold a decisive advantage.

Atleti's need of the points is greater since they find themselves locked together with Porto on four points from three games.

Diego Simeone's side showed plenty of spirit in last month's defeat at home to Liverpool, hauling themselves level by the break after conceding two early goals.

However, the game turned back in Liverpool's favour on 52 minutes when Antoine Greizmann – the scorer of Atleti's goals – was sent off.

Griezmann misses the trip to Merseyside through suspension, so the main threat to Liverpool comes from their former favourite Luis Suarez, who continues to find the net on a regular basis.

The 34-year-old Uruguayan has helped himself to six goals in 11 La Liga appearances this season and it was his penalty which sealed Atleti's crucial 2-1 success away to Milan on matchday two.

Suarez will be keen to impress on familiar territory and could sniff out the odd chance and deny Liverpool their first Champions League clean sheet of the campaign.

However, Liverpool have been perfectly happy to rely on simply outscoring their opponents this season and their top-class attack should expose the faults in an Atletico defence weakened by the absence of defensive rock Stefan Savic, who completes a four-match Champions League suspension.

Without Savic, Atleti have looked more vulnerable than usual, and they may struggle to contain a rampant Reds outfit who have progression in their grasp.

Key stat

Liverpool are unbeaten in 24 matches.

Inside info

Liverpool

Penalty taker Mohamed Salah
Free-kick wizard Trent Alexander-Arnold
Set-piece aerial threat Virgil van Dijk
Card magnet Andy Robertson