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Leaders Liverpool on Verge of Sealing Last 16 as Lille Visit Anfield

Ahead of tonight’s UEFA Champions League clash between hosts Liverpool and French side Lille at Anfield, the Reds’ Head Coach, Arne Slot, is very much aware that he needs just four points from this game and the next one away at PSV to guarantee them top spot of the new format league.
Liverpool will secure their place in the last 16 if they avoid defeat at Anfield tonight. Slot’s side are the only team with a 100% record from the opening six games in the new-look league phase.
Liverpool are three points clear at the top of the 36-team Champions League table and with those four points, it means that they will be seeded for the last 16 in March and face one of the sides that progress through the two-legged play-offs in February.
However, with the new format seeing 15-time European winners Real Madrid, Premier League champions Manchester City and French champions Paris St-Germain struggling and likely to qualify through the play-offs at best, Slot believes finishing top may not be much of an advantage.
“With this strange new format, I’m not thinking (about) the league table in a way that if you finish number one you get the easiest team,” he said.
“Paris St-Germain is low down but has faced maybe the hardest team in each of their games. Maybe if you end number one you can face them,” stressed Slot ahead of tonight’s big game at Anfield.
Liverpool are six points clear at the top of the Premier League, into the semi-finals of the EFL Cup and FA Cup fourth round.
However, against Lille that have history of struggling against English sides as they have won just one of their last 10 UCL games against them (D2, 7), and losing the last six in successions, Slot is not taking anything for granted.
Why not? Manager Bruno Genesio wont be paying much attention to statistics. He has completely transformed his side as they currently boast an almighty 21-game unbeaten run dating back to September 2024. That included undefeated in their last five Champions League since losing to Sporting CP on Match-day 1 which has catapulted them into contention to finish within the top eight!
With Liverpool’s duo of Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez out for a “weeks rather than months” through injury, coach Slot should be happier with the return of Alexis Mac Allister from Champions League suspension. Allister’s last four Liverpool goals have been home openers.
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