Liverpool vs Maribor - as it happened: Jurgen Klopp's men clinch three more points after convincing home win

Re-live live action from the Champions League

(Getty)

Liverpool host Maribor on Wednesday night looking for another comprehensive victory to send them top of Champions League Group E with two games to play.

After thrashing the Slovenian club 7-0 away from home in the opening fixture of their double-header, the Reds drew level on five points with Group E frontrunners Spartak Moscow. With the Russian team away at Seville in the other group fixture, boss Jurgen Klopp will know his team have a brilliant opportunity to secure their leading position with two gameweeks remaining.

Since their last outing in the competition, the Merseyside club have experienced mixed Premier League fortunes. Although they cruised easily enough to a 3-0 victory against league newcomers Huddersfield at Anfield on Saturday, the defensive capitulation in the 4-1 loss to Spurs the week before will have left lasting scars. Another confident European win tonight would help to banish those ghosts and instil some positive momentum in their league challenge.

Nonetheless, given the relative ease in which his side defeated their northern Slovenian opposition last time out, expect some squad rotation from Klopp. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Emre Can and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may all start, with other first-choice replacements rested ahead of Saturday’s league clash with West Ham.

For Maribor and their manager, ex-Leeds United boss Darko Milanic, it might be a matter of merely saving face after their drubbing a fortnight ago. With long-term absentees Luka Zahovic and Denis Sme still in the stands, they will be hopeful of clawing back some respectability in their third ever outing in the Champions League group stages.

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What time does it start?

Liverpool vs Maribor kicks off at 19:45 GMT.

Where can I watch it?

The game will be shown on BT Sport ESPN from 19:00. Highlights will be shown at 22:15 on BT Sport 2.

It’s a big game for...

Trent Alexander-Arnold could be handed a rare start (Getty) (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Trent Alexander-Arnold: In addition to the stunning free-kick he scored in his first ever Champions League appearance in August, the young wingback’s goal in Slovenia a couple of weeks ago would have reassured him he belongs on the biggest footballing stages. Another goal tonight might also persuade Jurgen Klopp to provide him with a more regular starting place.

Best stat...

7-0. Liverpool’s margin of victory last time out was the biggest margin of victory for an English club away from home in the European Cup/Champions League.

Remember when...

With Liverpool and Maribor only facing each other once before tonight, there’s not much inter-club history to choose from here. A good excuse, then, to revisit this textbook Gerrard screamer from the 2004-5 Champions League competition - the Reds would, of course, go on to lift the trophy that year.

Player to watch...

Daniel Sturridge: Scoring his 100^th Liverpool goal on his return to action against Huddersfield on Saturday, the striker will hope for more goals tonight to further energise his journey back to full match-fitness.

Previous three meetings...

Maribor 0 Liverpool 7 (Firmino x2, Coutinho, Salah x2, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexander-Arnold), Champions League, October 2017.

Form guide...

Liverpool: DDDWLW

Maribor: WLWDLL

Odds...

Liverpool: 1/33

Maribor: 50

Draw: 22

(Odds provided by 888 Sport)

[1 November 2017 18:34 · Liam Corless]

Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of tonight's Champions League action.

Our primary focus here will be Spurs vs Real Madrid at Wembley but we'll also be chucking in regular updates from around Europe as Manchester City take on Napoli in Italy and Liverpool host Maribor at Anfield.

[1 November 2017 18:35 · Liam Corless]

[1 November 2017 18:37 · Liam Corless]

Spurs vs Real Madrid teams confirmed

Spurs starting XI: Lloris; Trippier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Winks; Eriksen, Dele, Kane

Subs: Vorm, Aurier, Rose, Dembele, Sissoko, Son, Llorente

Madrid starting XI: Casilla; Achraf, Nacho, Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro, Kroos, Modric; Isco; Ronaldo, Benzema

Subs: Moha, Vallejo, Theo, Lucas Vazquez, Asensio, B Mayoral, Ceballos

[1 November 2017 18:48 · Liam Corless]

Manchester City and Liverpool teams confirmed

Manchester City starting XI to face Napoli: Ederson; Danilo, Stones, Otamendi, Delph; Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Gündogan; Sané, Sterling; Agüero

Liverpool starting XI to face Maribor: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Klavan, Moreno; Can, Milner, Wijnaldum; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Salah, Firmino

[1 November 2017 18:53 · Liam Corless]

Who will leave Wembley the happier man in a few hours' time?

[1 November 2017 18:56 · Liam Corless]

Liverpool put seven past Maribor a couple of weeks ago. Another win tonight will give the Reds' qualification hopes a huge boost.

[1 November 2017 19:01 · Liam Corless]

Besiktas draw with Monaco

Monaco reached the semi-finals last season but they look unlikely to make it out of the groups this time around. They've just drawn 1-1 away to Besiktas in today's early game - a result that keeps them bottom of Group G with just two points from four games.

Rony Lopes opened the scoring for Monaco in Istanbul but Cenk Tosun's second-half penalty for the hosts ensured the match ended as a draw.

[1 November 2017 19:07 · Liam Corless]

Guardiola: We will suffer like never before against Napoli

Manchester City have been irresistible domestically and on the continent this season but they face an acid test of their European credentials in Naples tonight.

This is what Pep Guardiola had to say about his side's chances earlier this week:

“There will be moments to defend, moments when we suffer like never before and I’m going to see how we react.

“Fear? There is no fear. A lot of respect for the way Napoli play, yes, but there should never be fear.”

[1 November 2017 19:15 · Liam Corless]

Tottenham have never beaten Real Madrid

Mauricio Pochettino's men delivered a superb display in the Spanish capital a couple of weeks ago but only got a point to show for it.

Here is how the last (and only) five meetings between Spurs and Real Madrid have ended:

• Real Madrid 1-1 Tottenham, Champions League (October 2017)
• Tottenham 0-1 Real Madrid, Champions League (April 2011)
• Real Madrid 4-0 Tottenham, Champions League (April 2011)
• Real Madrid 0-0 Tottenham, Uefa Cup (March 1985)
• Tottenham 0-1 Real Madrid, Uefa Cup (March 1985)

[1 November 2017 19:19 · Liam Corless]

Zidane: We will have better days

On tonight's match against Spurs: "We're expecting a tough match, just like at the Bernabeu.

"We're ready for this test and it's a fantastic setting for a wonderful match."

On Real Madrid's poor start to the season: "There are always some tough spells and we have had that at the start of this campaign, this is happening to us now in the league. It is a normal occurrence during the season. 

"We mustn't lose our heads and just tell ourselves that's the situation, but we'll have better days.

"This is a different competition and a big match with first place in the group at stake."

Quotes from BT Sport