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Liverpool vs Villarreal: Match Preview, Lineups and Predictions

On Tuesday, Liverpool will host Villarreal in a Champions League fixture, marking their first meeting since the 2021–22 semifinals. Both teams come into this game with recent wins, setting the stage for an intriguing contest at Anfield.

Andoni Iraola, Liverpool's manager, faces off against his former assistant Iñigo Pérez, who now leads Villarreal. Pérez previously worked under Iraola at Rayo Vallecano before taking the Villarreal job in June 2023. Despite Villarreal sitting mid-table in La Liga, they recently secured their first Champions League win since 2022 by beating Napoli 3–1.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have started their group stage strongly, defeating Atlético Madrid 2–1 at home and overwhelming LASK 6–3. Their momentum continued with a comeback win over Brentford in the Premier League. Though still refining their style under Iraola, Liverpool have shown solid results so far.

Match Prediction

This encounter is special given the managers’ close history. Iraola acknowledged facing Pérez in the Champions League would feel "a little bit strange," as Pérez knows him well. Still, winning at Anfield remains a tough task for visitors. Liverpool have rarely faltered at home during European nights and are expected to continue that trend.

The last time these sides met was in the 2021–22 semifinals, with Liverpool advancing after a 5–2 aggregate win before losing to Real Madrid in the final.

Head-to-Head Record

  • Total Meetings: 4 competitive matches
  • Liverpool Wins: 3
  • Villarreal Wins: 1 (Europa League semifinal first leg in 2016)

Liverpool responded to Villarreal's sole win by winning the return leg 3–0, progressing to the final that season.

Villarreal’s Struggles in Front of Goal

Villarreal rank 12th in La Liga, partly due to their inefficiency in scoring. According to Opta, only Barcelona and Real Madrid have higher expected goals (xG) after nine games, but Villarreal have underperformed with just 13 goals from an xG of 19.49. This suggests their attack might improve but currently lacks clinical finishing.

Alexander Isak’s Impact

Striker Alexander Isak is proving his worth after a club-record transfer last year. The Swedish forward has hit five goals this season in under 600 minutes on the pitch. Returning from injury, Isak recently secured a winning goal in Liverpool's comeback against Brentford, highlighting his growing influence.

Prediction

Liverpool 2–0 Villarreal

Expected Lineups

Liverpool Predicted XI (4-2-3-1)

  • Goalkeeper: Alisson
  • Defenders: Araújo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Tsimikas
  • Midfielders: Gravenberch, Mac Allister
  • Attacking Midfielders: Muñoz, Wirtz, Ngumoha
  • Forward: Isak

Liverpool will be missing Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong, both injured in their recent win. Gravenberch returns from suspension to midfield. Some rotation is expected, possibly giving rest to players like Bradley Barcola. Long-term absentees include Hugo Ekitiké, Giovanni Leoni, and Conor Bradley.

Villarreal Predicted XI (4-4-2)

  • Goalkeeper: Júnior
  • Defenders: Mouriño, Navarro, Veiga, Romero
  • Midfielders: Saliba, Comesaña, Gueye, Moleiro
  • Forwards: Moreno, Mikautadze

New boss Pérez maintains a 4-4-2 formation. Villarreal will miss winger Tajon Buchanan (hamstring) and key contributor Nicolas Pépé (eye surgery). Georges Mikautadze and veteran Gerard Moreno will spearhead the attack. Nathan Saliba is expected to start in midfield, with Renato Veiga anchoring defense.

Match Details

  • Location: Liverpool, England
  • Stadium: Anfield
  • Date: Tuesday, October 20
  • Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. BST
  • Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
  • VAR: Piotr Lasyk (Poland)

Broadcast Information

  • United States: Paramount+, ViX
  • Canada: DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada
  • Mexico: Space Mexico, Max Mexico
  • United Kingdom: Amazon Prime Video

For more broadcasting options worldwide, check the full list of Champions League broadcasters.

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