Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid live: Champions League team news and line-ups as Alexander Isak in line for debut

Arne Slot defended Florian Wirtz’s start to his Liverpool career by saying there is unfair focus on the German international, who is yet to score or make an assist in his first four appearances for the Reds.

“There’s so much focus on Florian, but the ones that have stayed behind still in the team haven’t scored four goals or 12 assists as well,” Slot said ahead of facing Atletico.

“He’s been part of a team that is on top of the league and that won four games. He’s part of the team that won against Newcastle, that won against Arsenal, where the team last season didn’t win away at Newcastle and didn’t win at home against Arsenal.

“It’s the way you want to look at it. Yes, he hasn’t scored four goals or 12 assists in four games – but for me, that’s down to the quality we faced. He’s part of a team that is number one in the league at the moment.”

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has said Alexander Isak has looked “very good” in training as the striker prepares to potentially make his debut tonight against Atletico Madrid.

“Very eager, obviously the quality has been shown already from the first session – I was still on international [duty but] from what I’ve heard and seen,” Van Dijk told a press conference.

“So yeah, only positive and off the pitch as well we have conversations. I spoke to him during the international break when everything was sorted and for him obviously it’s about about getting as fit as possible as quickly as possible, getting to understand each one of us as quickly as possible – how we train, how we press, set-pieces.

“It’s been a good week for him. Let’s see tomorrow.”

They are the captain and manager of a team who won the Premier League last year and who have made a 100 per cent start to the current season, but, as Virgil van Dijk and Arne Slot reminisced, it was about Champions League setbacks.

Perhaps that is the mentality of winners: that they remember the defeats more than the wins.

“He’s in the squad. The chance to play, I would usually say 99.9 per cent sure but I can say 100 per cent sure he will not play 90 minutes but he’s part of the squad.

“It’s already a Champions League game to look forward to but if people look forward to his playing time that could mean that could happen tomorrow as well.”

“The only thing we’re sure of is he will not play 90.”

Arne Slot has confirmed that Alexander Isak will be in the squad for Liverpool’s Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid, but is “100 per cent sure” he will not play 90 minutes.

Isak joined Liverpool in a British-record £125m deal on deadline day, bringing an end to the saga of the summer that saw the Swede go on strike at Newcastle.

The striker has yet to feature for the Reds having not played club football since the end of last season and was not in the matchday squad that scraped victory over Burnley on the weekend.

Slot, however, has revealed that there is a strong chance that he will make his debut against Atletico.

Atletico will be without forward Julian Alvarez as he continues to recover from the discomfort that forced him off during their last LaLiga match against Villarreal. Atletico had an injury nightmare against Villarreal as all four of Alvarez, Nico Gonzalez, Robin Le Normand and David Hancko were forced off. Thiago Almada, Jose Maria Gimenez, Alex Baena and Johnny Cardoso were also not fit to travel.

Liverpool’s £125m man Alexander Isak could make his hotly-anticipated debut after being left out of the squad the scraped past Burnley, but it will likely be off the bench as he continues to work towards match fitness.

Meanwhile, Alexis Mac Allister looks to be a doubt after being forced off with an ankle injury, which could cause Dominik Szoboszlai to move back into midfield while Jeremie Frimpong returns to the starting XI.

On the other flank, Andy Robertson will likely begin the game after Milos Kerkez’s early removal at Turf Moor.

Viewers in the UK can watch the game on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, with coverage starting at 7pm BST. Subscribers can also watch the game on discovery+.

Premier League champions Liverpool will look to continue their 100 per cent start to the new campaign, even if unconvincing, as they take on Atletico Madrid in their Champions League opener.

Arne Slot’s heavily-strengthened Premier League champions have four wins from four but have been reliant on late winners, with Mohamed Salah’s 95th-minute penalty at Burnley on the weekend the most fortuitous of them all.

They will nevertheless be eyeing a seventh European title this season and will look to emulate their league phase exploits of last term, which saw them win seven from eight and top the table.

Atletico, meanwhile, have endured a tough start to the season but will be buoyed by their first LaLiga win on Saturday, beating Villarreal to put an end to a three-match winless run.