This will be the first competitive meeting between Liverpool and Qarabag, a reminder of how European expansion continues to throw unfamiliar challenges into the calendar. For Liverpool, familiarity would be welcome. A straightforward win would do more than advance them, it would steady a season in need of balance.

Welcome to week 24 of The Athletic ’s Premier League predictions challenge, where the readers’ resurgence continues.

Defeat for Real Madrid meant they dropped into the play-offs while Jose Mourinho's Benfica scraped in to join them after a dramatic last-minute goal from their goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.

Arne Slot says Liverpool “have to do smart things” in the transfer market when asked about making signings to cover a growing injury list. Liverpool lost Jeremie Frimpong to what head coach Slot later confirmed was a muscle injury only a few minutes into their 6-0 home win over Qarabag in their final Champions League league-phase game on Wednesday.

Arne Slot has made two changes to the Liverpool side that won 3-0 away at Marseille.

Salah's curling free-kick made it three early in the second half before Ekitike added a stunning fourth after picking the ball up inside his own half