AC Milan vs Liverpool predicted lineups and team news

The new Champions League format begins on Tuesday 17th September, with the game of the day seeing AC Milan facing Liverpool at the San Siro.

AC Milan vs Liverpool predicted lineups

AC Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Fofana, Loftus-Cheek; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Morata.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Gakpo, Salah, Diaz.

Slot eyes Champions League response

These two sides have lifted the famous big-eared trophy 13 times between them and will be keen to get the new-look competition started with a victory.

After differing fortunes domestically at the weekend, these two European heavyweights will battle it out in the new league phase, with the game to be shown live on Amazon Prime for viewers in the UK.

Arne Slot’s impressive start as Liverpool manager came to a grinding halt on Saturday as the Reds suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

The Dutchman had won his opening three matches after replacing Jurgen Klopp in the summer, but that perfect start came to an abrupt end.

The Reds don’t have to wait long to correct things and make a statement in Europe, as they head to Milan for their opening match of the league phase.

Mohamed Salah has scored an impressive 41 Champions League goals and the Egyptian striker will have fond memories of facing AC Milan, having scored home and away against them in the 2021-22 season. Liverpool won both legs of that battle, 3-2 at Anfield and 2-1 in Italy.

The home team go into this game after an impressive 4-0 Serie A victory over Venezia on Saturday, when all the goals were scored in the opening half an hour.

That was the first win in their first four games though for Paulo Fonseca’s men, who currently sit ninth in the Serie A table having previously lost to Parma and drawn with Torino and Lazio.

Goals have not been an issue though for the Rossoneri, though, as they have found the net nine times in those four league matches.

AC Milan vs Liverpool team news

Milan are expected to have Alvaro Morata available for their Champions League opener. The Spanish striker missed almost a month due to injury but returned as a second-half substitute in Saturday’s match. Former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham looks likely to be replaced.

Reports also claim that the hosts will make two defensive changes, with Fikayo Tomori and Davide Calabria set to start in place of Matteo Gabbia and Emerson Royal respectively.

Having named the same starting line-up for Liverpool’s first four matches, Slot is being tipped to make at least one change on Tuesday.

The most likely area to be impacted is the front three, as that’s where the Reds have more options, with Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez pushing for starts.

The visitors are without Harvey Eliott, with a broken bone in his foot likely to keep him out of action for the next month.