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Liverpool vs Bayern Munich. UEFA Champions League First Knockout Round.

AnfieldAttendance52,250.

Liverpool vs Bayern preview: Fabinho may solve Champions League defensive crisis

Liverpool's Fabinho
Image: Fabinho could start at centre-back for Liverpool

Fabinho could be the solution to Liverpool's defensive fitness crisis in Tuesday's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

This comes after Jurgen Klopp revealed that Dejan Lovren would be subject to a last-minute fitness assessment ahead of the last-16 showdown at Anfield.

Lovren is recovering from a hamstring injury while Virgil van Dijk serves a one-game suspension, leaving last season's runners-up short of recognised defensive options for their first meeting with the Bundesliga champions in this competition since 1981.

Lovren faces late fitness test
Lovren faces late fitness test

Dejan Lovren being assessed by Liverpool ahead of Bayern Munich game

Quizzed on whether Fabinho could play at centre-back, Klopp said: "In the Champions League, against Bayern Munich, it's not an easy job but we don't want our last guy alone defending against Bayern.

"It depends on how we defend in general and that's it. There will be a lot of moments where we have to defend and we've worked on that.

"We've tried to work on that because we respect the quality of Bayern a lot. We will try to make the best of the situation."

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One Liverpool fan would 'roll over' and let Bayern Munich 'tickle my tummy' if it meant winning the Premier League - but what does Jurgen Klopp think?

Team news

With Van Dijk suspended and Lovren doubtful, Klopp has to decide who will partner Joel Matip at centre-back. Xherdan Shaqiri (abdominal) faces a late fitness test and is a doubt to face his former club.

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Joe Gomez (ankle) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee) remain long-term absentees.

Bayern Munich will be without centre-back Jerome Boateng after he was ruled out with "stomach flu". Thomas Muller serves the first of a two-game suspension.

Jerome Boateng
Image: Jerome Boateng will out of the trip to Anfield

Winger Franck Ribery did not travel with the Bayern squad to England on Monday following the birth of his child but he will join up with his team-mates ahead of Tuesday's game.

Kingsley Coman has been declared fit after suffering a knock in Friday's 3-2 away win over Augsburg. Arjen Robben, who has not featured for Bayern since late November due to a thigh injury, is not included in the 21-man squad.

Opta stats

  • Bayern Munich have won only one of their seven matches in European competition against Liverpool (D4 L2).
  • Liverpool and Bayern Munich's only previous encounter in the European Cup/Champions League came in the 1980/81 semis. Liverpool progressed on away goals (1-1 on aggregate) - they would go on to beat Real Madrid in the final (1-0).
  • Bayern Munich haven't scored a single goal against Liverpool at Anfield (3 games).
  • Liverpool are unbeaten in 19 consecutive European matches at Anfield (W14 D5), last losing at home back in October 2014 against Real Madrid in the Champions League (0-3). It's their second longest unbeaten streak at home in European competition after their 40-match run between September 1974 and December 1991.

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Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool won't have a chance against Bayern Munich if they start thinking about their fixture list, starting with Manchester United on Super Sunday
  • Bayern Munich were one of five teams to remain unbeaten in this season's Champions League group stages, along with Ajax, Barcelona, Lyon and Porto. They have reached the Champions League semi-finals in seven of the last nine seasons.
  • Bayern Munich are on a run of eight consecutive Champions League away matches without a defeat (W6 D2), with their last loss on the road coming in September 2017 versus Paris Saint-Germain (0-3).
  • Bayern Munich are the top scoring side from set-pieces in this season's Champions League with eight goals, including five from corner situations (also a competition high).

Charlie's Prediction

What a game. The atmosphere at Anfield will be fantastic. Liverpool usually turn up on the night and the front three will be the difference. Bayern are not as good as they have been in recent years. Bayern are well-drilled but at the back you can get at them and Liverpool's front three are a handful for anybody. Bayern will have an odd game where they play really well but they haven't bought that well recently. It's a big rebuilding job at Bayern and I think Roberto Firmino will score in a Liverpool win.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-1, Firmino and Mane to score (50/1 with Sky Bet)

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