Liverpool vs Villarreal predictions: Entertaining Anfield clash likely as two positive outfits clash
Phil Agius
Liverpool have won their first two league-phase games, scoring eight goals
Villarreal have won only three of their 11 matches this season (D3, L5)
Both teams have scored in all four Champions League games these teams have been involved in this season
Liverpool have made a perfect start to their Champions League campaign and they are strong favourites to move on to nine points by beating Villarreal at Anfield on Tuesday.
The latest Liverpool vs Villarreal odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Key Stats
Liverpool have won their last three matches against Villarreal, two by at least two goals
The Reds have scored at least twice in the teams' last three meetings
Liverpool have won six of their last eight games
Villarreal have won only one of their six away fixtures this season (D2, L3)
Bradley Barcola scored a hat-trick against LASK Linz in Liverpool's last Champions League game
Defender Santiago Mourino has scored in both of Villarreal's Champions League matches
Both teams have scored in eight of Villarreal's 11 games this season
Recommended Bets
Bet Builder
Over 3.5 goals
Alexander Isak anytime goalscorer
Georges Mikautadze over 1.5 shots on target
Score prediction
Team News
Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong and Dominik Szoboszlai both went off injured against Brentford. Frimpong is set to miss this game and while Szoboszlai's setback is not considered as serious, he may also be left out of the side.
Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike remain out of contention while Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa are not part of the Champions League squad. Ryan Gravenberch is available after being suspended for the Brentford game.
Canada international Tajon Buchanan and former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe are sidelined for Villarreal due to injuries. Manager Inigo Perez has been rotating his forwards regularly this season and operates a similar policy in goal, with Peter Gulacsi and Luiz Junior sharing the role almost equally.
Need to know
It has been far from plain sailing for Liverpool in the Premier League this season, with three disappointing draws in their first five matches, but their only loss has been to leaders Manchester City and they are in fifth place after seven games following Saturday's 2-1 comeback win over Brentford.
Villarreal made an even slower start to the campaign, with two draws and four defeats in their first six matches, but they look to have turned a corner having won three of their last five games, with the only setback in that time being a 1-0 loss to Real Madrid.
The Yellow Submarine were held to a goalless draw by Elche on Saturday but have climbed to 12th place in the Spanish standings.
Prediction
The four matches involving these teams in the Champions League league phase have produced a whopping 21 goals, with three of them generating at least four goals, and this match could follow that trend.
Liverpool have yet to win at Anfield in three Premier League games this season but they have won both of their cup contests on Merseyside, beating Atletico Madrid 2-1 in this competition and Tottenham 3-1 in the Carabao Cup.
Villarreal's goalless game with Elche on Saturday was only the third time they have failed to score in 11 matches this season and it was also their first clean sheet of the campaign, so there is scope for goals by both teams.
The Yellow Submarine put up a bold showing in their first European away trip, going down 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in Germany and they did even better when beating Napoli 3-1 at home.
They look capable of going toe-to-toe with the Reds in a ding-dong battle and playing their part in another match with over 3.5 goals.
Alexander Isak is a man in form for the Reds after scoring the decisive goals in their last two league wins against Bournemouth and Brentford.
Having missed out on the 6-3 rout of LASK Linz due to injury, he should be raring to go and with five league goals already this season, he should be backed to open his continental account.
The visitors have some capable attackers themselves and Georgian striker Georges Mikautadze could prove a real threat to the home side. He has been a prolific scorer throughout his career and has already netted against Atletico Madrid and Levante in LaLiga this season, as well as scoring his side's equaliser in the 3-1 win over Napoli.
Whether or not he can add to his tally at Anfield, he is worth taking to have two or more shots on target against the Reds, having averaged 2.12 shots on target per 90 minutes this season.
