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UEFA Champions League: Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen
Kickoff Time: 2024-11-06 04:00(HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Molly Darlington
Liverpool came from behind to defeat Brighton 2-1 at home in the league over the weekend, extending their unbeaten streak to 11 matches across all competitions, showcasing a strong form. This season, under the guidance of Arne Slot, Liverpool has become more composed, able to control the ball, dictate the pace, and calmly suppress their opponents. The team’s tactics have shifted from the direct approach seen during Jurgen Klopp’s era to a more structured possession-based style, which has strengthened their defense. Statistically, Liverpool has scored 23 goals and conceded eight in their last 10 matches, maintaining their attacking sharpness while significantly improving their defensive performance. Additionally, Liverpool has achieved three consecutive victories in the first three rounds of the Champions League group stage, demonstrating excellent form even while competing on multiple tournaments.
Bayer Leverkusen drew 0-0 at home against Stuttgart in their league match last weekend, managing only one win and three draws in their last four matches, indicating a mediocre overall performance. Compared to last season, Leverkusen’s performance has somewhat declined this season. After nine rounds in the Bundesliga, Leverkusen sits in fourth place with a record of four wins, four draws, and one loss, trailing leaders Bayern Munich by seven points. Furthermore, Leverkusen has conceded 15 goals so far in the league, whereas they only conceded 24 goals in the entire 34 rounds last season, indicating a significant drop in defensive solidity. The team has struggled to find solutions against tight defenses and has been lackluster in attack, which accurately reflects Leverkusen’s current situation. Xabi Alonso needs to quickly adjust the team’s tactics and mentality; otherwise, Leverkusen’s path ahead will become increasingly difficult.
Comparing the overall strength and recent performances of both teams, Liverpool is clearly superior to Bayer Leverkusen. Leverkusen is evidently not as strong as last season, while Liverpool continues to demonstrate formidable competitiveness. Especially at home, Liverpool is on a five-match winning streak, showcasing a strong home advantage. In contrast, Leverkusen has drawn three consecutive matches away from home, indicating a persistent decline in their away performance. Therefore, it would be reasonable to expect the hot-form Liverpool to continue their strong run and secure all three points in this match.
Liverpool’s Last 5 Games: WWDWW
24-11-02 Liverpool 2-1 Brighton
24-10-31 Brighton 2-3 Liverpool
24-10-28 Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool
24-10-24 RB Leipzig 0-1 Liverpool
24-10-20 Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Bayer Leverkusen’s Last 5 Games: DWDDW
24-11-02 Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 VfB Stuttgart
24-10-30 Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Elversberg
24-10-27 Werder Bremen 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen
24-10-24 Brest 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen
24-10-19 Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Head To Head Record:
12-08-12 Liverpool 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen
05-03-10 Bayer Leverkusen 1-3 Liverpool
05-02-23 Liverpool 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen
02-04-10 Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 Liverpool
02-04-04 Liverpool 1-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Prediction: Liverpool to win