Liverpool travels to the Netherlands to take on Ajax on matchday five in the UEFA Champions League. If The Reds can avoid defeat against the Dutch side, they will qualify for the knockout phase. Progression will mean Liverpool has qualified for the knockout phase in all six of their Champions League campaigns under Jurgen Klopp. It will also represent their longest outright-ever run of consecutive qualifications.
This fixture will also be Liverpool’s 150th Champions League match. According to stats obtained from Sports Loci, the Mersey-siders are just the tenth different club to do it, and only the fourth English side to reach this milestone.
Liverpool won their last away game against Ajax, securing a 1-0 victory thanks to a Nicholas Tagliafico own goal in 2020. They will hope for something more like that than their other away match against Ajax. That was a 5-1 loss in the European Cup in 1966.
Liverpool at Ajax FYIs
Kick Off: Weds, Oct 26, 2022, at 8 pm UK at Amsterdam Arena
Competition: UCL Group A, Matchday 5 of 6
Liverpool Team News: Go Here
After Extra Time Podcast: Spotify Apple
UCL Group Standings: Ajax: 3rd, 3pts Liverpool 2nd, 9pts
Starting XI Prediction
Liverpool is once again amid an injury crisis. The Reds can’t take a trick with regards to getting their best XI on the park. Darwin Nunez and Thiago Alcantara missed their last fixture, but they are expected to return for this clash.
Here is how we think Liverpool will line up against Ajax.
GK- Alisson
DEF- Alexander Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Tsimikas
MID- Fabinho, Thiago, Henderson
ATT- Salah, Nunez, Carvalho
Match Prediction
We cannot, in good faith, pick Liverpool to win here. The Reds have been atrocious on the road in the league and on the continent. Their only victory so far this season was against a very poor Rangers side. This Ajax side will be a much tougher prospect than the Scottish outfit. Liverpool loses here. Ajax 2-1.
Stuart Kavanagh is a journalist currently residing in Broken Hill, Australia. He writes for the Barrier Truth newspaper, along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, He co-hosts the ‘After Extra Time’ podcast and contributes at edgeofthecrowd.com when time permits. He is also the Media & Communications Director at the Newosis Mental Health Foundation. You can find more about the work Newosis Mental Health Foundation does here.
Football mad, he is always down for debate and discussion at @stueyissickofit on Twitter.