Liverpool vs Red Star Belgrade Preview: Recent Form, Key Battles, Team News & More

Liverpool will resume their UEFA Champions League campaign at home to Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday keen to bounce back from defeat in Naples.

The Reds started their journey in Europe with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Paris Saint-Germain, before losing away to Napoli on matchday two. 

Red Star meanwhile earned a point against the latter on matchday one, before being mercilessly thrashed 6-1 by the former in their most recent Champions League game - one which is now under investigation for allegations of match fixing.

Ahead of the Serbian team's trip to Anfield, here's everything you need to know.

When?	Wednesday 23 October @ 20:00 (BST)
Where?	Anfield
How Can I Watch?	BT Sport

Recent Form

Liverpool recovered from a run of four games without a win in all competitions by beating Huddersfield Town 0-1 on Saturday, courtesy of a goal from Mohamed Salah.

Mark Robinson/GettyImages

That put them level on points with Manchester City on the Premier League table, unbeaten in their opening nine games, though their performances haven't quite been of top quality their and there are still improvements to be made.

Red Star, meanwhile, maintained their lead at the top of the Serbian SuperLiga with a 3-1 win over FK Rad on Saturday evening.

Classic Encounter

Liverpool 1-2 Red Star Belgrade - 1973/74 European Cup

Red Star hold proud the record of being the first team to beat Liverpool in a European tie at Anfield - a feast that wasn't repeated for another 18 years.

Their win came in the round of 16 stage of the 1973/74 European Cup, when they won both legs of the match to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition. It was a huge win for the Serbian club that the current generation would undoubtedly love to relive.

Key Battle

Mohamed Salah vs. Milan Rodić

Having already come across some of Europe's best strikers in José Callejón, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, the task doesn't get any easier for Red Star's Milan Rodić, who comes up against Salah on Wednesday.

VI-Images/GettyImages

The Egyptian netted his fourth goal of the season over the weekend and will be out to score his first in the Champions League in 2018/19.

The forward scored an impressive ten in the competition last year and has been under pressure to match the performances that lead Liverpool to the final.

Denying him of that in this game is a task Rodić could play a key role in fulfilling. The 27-year-old Serbia international has faced Liverpool before in the 2012/13 Europa League, when Luis Suarez scored twice in a 3-1 win at Anfield.

Team News

Captain Jordan Henderson could be unavailable for the game at Anfield due to a hamstring issue. The midfielder was substituted during the half-time interval of the Reds' game against Huddersfield and could add to manager Jürgen Klopp's injury worries in midfield, with Naby Keïta also an absentee.

Sadio Mané has returned to training after missing his side's last match with a hand injury and could feature for the home side, but will more likely start on the bench.

Red Star have injury doubts over right-back Filip Stojković, while captain Vujadin Savić could make his return to the lineup after not featuring for the team since their game against PSG.

Predicted Lineups

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Milner, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Shaqiri

Red Star Belgrade XI: Borjan; Sumaila, Degenek, Babic, Rodic; Ebecilio, Jovicic, Ben, Krsticic, Marin; Boakye

Prediction

Champions League games at Anfield are often nights to be long remembered, as Liverpool bring their best quality to the pitch, while the watching fans turn on the volume under the lights.

Jean Catuffe/GettyImages

Klopp will be looking for nothing less than an improved team performance, as he fields a strong line-up capable of scoring goals and keeping them out. Red Star wouldn't have been encouraged by a 6-1 defeat at the Parc Des Princes in their last Champions League outing and will do best to avoid another thrashing at the hands of another top opponent.

Nonetheless, a Liverpool win is expected.

Prediction: Liverpool 3-0 Red Star Belgrade