Liverpool vs Maribor - as it happened: Jurgen Klopp's men clinch three more points after convincing home win

Re-live live action from the Champions League

(Getty)

Liverpool host Maribor on Wednesday night looking for another comprehensive victory to send them top of Champions League Group E with two games to play.

After thrashing the Slovenian club 7-0 away from home in the opening fixture of their double-header, the Reds drew level on five points with Group E frontrunners Spartak Moscow. With the Russian team away at Seville in the other group fixture, boss Jurgen Klopp will know his team have a brilliant opportunity to secure their leading position with two gameweeks remaining.

Since their last outing in the competition, the Merseyside club have experienced mixed Premier League fortunes. Although they cruised easily enough to a 3-0 victory against league newcomers Huddersfield at Anfield on Saturday, the defensive capitulation in the 4-1 loss to Spurs the week before will have left lasting scars. Another confident European win tonight would help to banish those ghosts and instil some positive momentum in their league challenge.

Nonetheless, given the relative ease in which his side defeated their northern Slovenian opposition last time out, expect some squad rotation from Klopp. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Emre Can and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may all start, with other first-choice replacements rested ahead of Saturday’s league clash with West Ham.

For Maribor and their manager, ex-Leeds United boss Darko Milanic, it might be a matter of merely saving face after their drubbing a fortnight ago. With long-term absentees Luka Zahovic and Denis Sme still in the stands, they will be hopeful of clawing back some respectability in their third ever outing in the Champions League group stages.

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What time does it start?

Liverpool vs Maribor kicks off at 19:45 GMT.

Where can I watch it?

The game will be shown on BT Sport ESPN from 19:00. Highlights will be shown at 22:15 on BT Sport 2.

It’s a big game for...

Trent Alexander-Arnold could be handed a rare start (Getty) (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Trent Alexander-Arnold: In addition to the stunning free-kick he scored in his first ever Champions League appearance in August, the young wingback’s goal in Slovenia a couple of weeks ago would have reassured him he belongs on the biggest footballing stages. Another goal tonight might also persuade Jurgen Klopp to provide him with a more regular starting place.

Best stat...

7-0. Liverpool’s margin of victory last time out was the biggest margin of victory for an English club away from home in the European Cup/Champions League.

Remember when...

With Liverpool and Maribor only facing each other once before tonight, there’s not much inter-club history to choose from here. A good excuse, then, to revisit this textbook Gerrard screamer from the 2004-5 Champions League competition - the Reds would, of course, go on to lift the trophy that year.

Player to watch...

Daniel Sturridge: Scoring his 100^th Liverpool goal on his return to action against Huddersfield on Saturday, the striker will hope for more goals tonight to further energise his journey back to full match-fitness.

Previous three meetings...

Maribor 0 Liverpool 7 (Firmino x2, Coutinho, Salah x2, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexander-Arnold), Champions League, October 2017.

Form guide...

Liverpool: DDDWLW

Maribor: WLWDLL

Odds...

Liverpool: 1/33

Maribor: 50

Draw: 22

(Odds provided by 888 Sport)

[1 November 2017 19:22 · Liam Corless]

[1 November 2017 19:29 · Liam Corless]

Klopp: Ox is 'dynamite'

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has endured a slow start to his Liverpool career since his £40million summer switch from Arsenal.

However, he has been handed a start against Maribor tonight and earlier this week Reds boss Jurgen Klopp raved about the impact the England midfielder has had on the Anfield club.

"He has shown his class each and every time he has had the opportunity on the pitch and the weekend was another example of this," Klopp said.

"He is like dynamite when he comes on. Aggressive in the most positive way. Front foot always. Looking to attack and create.

"These performances come because of how good his attitude is in training at Melwood. He has the highest quality in everything he does; sometimes I think he is the last to realise this."

Quotes from This Is Anfield

[1 November 2017 19:33 · Liam Corless]

Pochettino: We must learn from United defeat

On his goals at Spurs: "To win some trophies would be fantastic. That is, of course, my target.

"You must work hard to make that happen and it will be difficult but the most important thing is belief and I believe we can achieve big things.

"Our challenge is to compete with the best teams in Europe. Today, for me, only the club can improve if we have good performances in the Champions League and the Premier League."

On bouncing back from Saturday's loss to Man United: "The defeat against Manchester United was very painful but of course we must keep going and learn from the mistakes. Now we have a massive game at Wembley against Real Madrid."

[1 November 2017 19:40 · Liam Corless]

Just over five minutes to go until kick-off in seven of today's eight Champions League matches.

[1 November 2017 19:43 · Liam Corless]

The players are out on the pitch at Wembley. The Champions League theme tune is being blasted out. Kick-off is just moments away!

[1 November 2017 19:45 · Liam Corless]

1' - We are underway at Wembley!

[1 November 2017 19:48 · Liam Corless]

3' - Isco lets fly from 20 yards with his left foot but the Spaniard's shot is straight at Hugo Lloris, who collects the ball at the second time of asking.

[1 November 2017 19:51 · Liam Corless]

5' - Sergio Ramos gets his head to an Isco corner but puts the ball well over the crossbar. Very good chance, that. 

Real Madrid have started really positively here. They've been slick in possession and Spurs haven't really had a sniff yet.

[1 November 2017 19:56 · Liam Corless]

10' - Close! Harry Kane dinks a lovely ball through to Christian Eriksen and Sergio Ramos has to make a last-ditch challenge to prevent the Dane from getting a shot away.

Spurs have grown into the game after a slow start and Real Madrid are looking seriously suspect defensively.

[1 November 2017 19:58 · Liam Corless]

11' - Dele Alli wins the ball back in a good position on the halfway line and immediately looks for Harry Kane. The Spurs striker manages to get on the end of the pass despite Nacho's attempted interception but his chipped effort doesn't have enough loft on it and Kiko Casilla catches the ball.