MARIBOR, SLOVENIA - Tuesday, October 17, 2017: Liverpool's goalkeeper Loris Karius before the UEFA Champions League Group E match between NK Maribor and Liverpool at the Stadion Ljudski vrt. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Reds can rely on Karius as Klopp mulls over changes – 3 talking points for Liverpool vs. Porto

Liverpool head into their Champions League second leg at home to Porto with a virtually unassailable 5-0 lead.

With a place in the quarter-finals virtually guaranteed, Press Association Sport looks at some of the issues surrounding the match.


To Change or Not to Change

Despite his propensity to make minor alterations to his starting lineup virtually every game, manager Jurgen Klopp is not keen on making wholesale changes or fielding weakened sides.

Leading scorers Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino may get a well-earned rest and Klopp may decide to include a few players who have not had as many minutes as most recently, such as the likes of Dominic Solanke, Danny Ings, Adam Lallana, Alberto Moreno, Joe Gomez and Ben Woodburn.

 

Chance to Impress

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, March 3, 2018: Liverpool's Adam Lallana during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Newcastle United FC at Anfield. (Pic by Peter Powell/Propaganda)

While this game is for a place in the quarter-finals, Liverpool have a huge match at the weekend when they go to Man United, long-term arch-rivals and currently their main opponents to be best-of-the-rest behind Man City in the Premier League.

A good performance against Porto could be a deciding factor in whether a player starts at Old Trafford or even just makes the squad.

Klopp will certainly be watching for those players who think they can coast through this fixture to save themselves for Saturday.

 

Any Chance of an Upset?

PORTO, PORTUGAL - Wednesday, February 14, 2018: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp celebrates after the 5-0 victory over FC Porto during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st leg match between FC Porto and Liverpool FC on Valentine's Day at the Estádio do Dragão. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

In a word, no. No side has ever recovered from a 5-0 home defeat to progress from the second leg in 29 occasions of the competition’s history.

The best comeback remains Barcelona’s last season from 4-0 down to Paris St Germain, winning 6-1 at the Nou Camp to make the quarter-finals.

Liverpool have only ever conceded five times once in Europe—when they lost 5-1 at Ajax in the European Cup in December 1966.

Goalkeeper Loris Karius has kept nine clean sheets in 18 appearances this season and has conceded just six goals—three of which came in a mad 45 minutes in Seville—in the current Champions League, the best record in the competition.

Porto have never beaten Liverpool in five competitive meetings and have not won in 17 visits to England, losing 15 times. So no.

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