Galatasaray vs Liverpool live: Team news and line-ups as Hugo Ekitike starts Champions League clash

Galatasaray and Liverpool will meet for a fifth time in European competition, with both sides managing one victory apiece across the previous four (D2). This will be their first game against each other since a 3-2 win for Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League in December 2006.

Liverpool are winless in their previous two away trips to face Galatasaray, 1-1 in February 2002 and losing 3-2 in December 2006. The only teams they’ve faced away from home more often in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League without winning are Chelsea (5 – D3 L2) and Napoli (3 – L3).

Hugo Ekitike said it is a “good question” of how Liverpool use him and Alexander Isak after spending £200m on new strikers this summer but has insisted they can play together.

Manager Arne Slot has preferred to operate with one striker, flanked by two wingers, but Ekitike formed a prolific partnership with Omar Marmoush at Frankfurt in the first half of last season.

Arne Slot makes four changes to the side that lost to Palace at the weekend.

In defence, Jeremie Frimpong returns at right-back in place of Conor Bradley, while in midfield Curtis Jones comes in for Alexis Mac Allister.

Mo Salah is rested in place of Cody Gakpo, while Hugo Ekitike returns from suspension to start in place of Alexander Isak.

The latest from Richard Jolly at Rams Park:

“A star-studded bench for Liverpool tonight. It was expected Alexander Isak would be on it. The surprise is that Mohamed Salah is, too. Perhaps it is a recognition that Salah needs to be rested more than before and Liverpool do have Chelsea on Saturday.

“But it will be interesting to see who plays on the right; presumably Florian Wirtz but possibly Cody Gakpo or even Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai.”

Galatasaray XI: Cakir; Singo, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs; Lemina, Torreira, Gundogan; Akgun; Osimhen, Yilmaz.

Subs: Gunay, Metehan, Sallai, Sara, Icardi, Sane, Eren, Berkan, Ahmed, Kaan, Yusuf, Arda.

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Gomez, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai; Wirtz, Ekitike, Gakpo.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Gomez, Endo, Isak, Mac Allister, Salah, Bradley, Robertson, Ngumoha.

The latest from Richard Jolly at Rams Park:

“The Rams Park is still largely unoccupied but when Liverpool emerged for a stroll on the pitch, there were still deafening whistles from the home crowd.

“Arne Slot looked unperturbed, but it suggests Liverpool should prepare for something rather louder when the rest of the Galatasaray crowd get here.”

The line-ups will be announced in the next five minutes or so, so here’s a reminder of the early team news for the visitors…

Liverpool will be without Giovanni Leoni for the rest of the season after he tore his ACL, leaving Arne Slot with just three senior centre backs. Ibrahima Konate has been shaky as of late and may be dropped for Joe Gomez, while Hugo Ekitike is available after missing Saturday’s loss through suspension. Federico Chiesa has not travelled with the squad due to injury.

“Win, lose or draw – if you want to compete for trophies and wear a Liverpool shirt, you have to give your all and play good football,” said Arne Slot in his pre-match conference when asked about the reaction to the defeat to Palace.

“We conceded so many chances against Palace, so we can improve and those things I will show to the players.

“”We play to score goals and win games. As long as Liverpool have existed, they have more possession than other teams. Sometimes teams are happy to defend because they are very strong. Teams are managed so well and are so fit, it is getting harder and harder to play through, so we brought in good attackers who can help unlock those road blocks.

“We have conceded four goals from set-pieces. We have changed full-backs but we have [also] changed a bit more. The goals we conceded – I will look back in detail -but the first thing that comes to my mind is not that the new full-backs are the problem.”

Jurgen Klopp has provided an update on whether he will ever go back into coaching, 16 months on from his emotional departure from Liverpool.