Diogo Jota’s a doubt but Cody Gakpo can lead latest show of strength as Liverpool power into Champions League last 16

Results similar Liverpool’s 2-0 triumph astatine Brentford connected Saturday, acknowledgment to 91st and 93rd-minute goals from Darwin Nunez, are they benignant that triumph titles – particularly erstwhile Arsenal past threw distant 2 points astatine location to Aston Villa aboriginal successful the day. 

It’s progressively looking arsenic though the Premier League title is Liverpool’s to suffer portion the play turnarounds besides springiness the Reds a invited assistance successful assurance heading into their penultimate Champions League radical lucifer astatine location to Lille.

Had Nunez not handed maximum points to Arne Slot’s table-toppers successful westbound London the spotlight would person been connected Liverpool’s lone triumph successful their past 5 matches being a 4-0 occurrence against Accrington Stanley successful the FA Cup pursuing draws against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest successful the league and a 1-0 decision against Tottenham successful the archetypal limb of the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Now the position is that they are backmost connected way and successful a beardown position, six points wide of the Gunners and Nottingham Forest with a crippled successful hand.

They are besides apical of the Champions League radical standings and tin punch their summons straight to the knockout stages with triumph against Lille successful beforehand of the Kop, though a constituent would beryllium enough.

The Reds person won each six matches successful Europe this play and their defence, which has lone been breached erstwhile successful that superb streak, should person capable astir them to support the visitors, who inhabit the last automatic spot into the circular of 16, astatine bay.

Third successful Ligue 1, Lille person not mislaid immoderate of their past 21 matches but person drawn 10 of them and, though they are unbeaten successful their past 11 matches distant from home, everyone knows Anfield connected a European nighttime is simply a antithetic kettle of fish.

Canadian striker Jonathan David, who continues to beryllium linked with a determination to aggregate clubs successful England, volition beryllium a fistful but helium tin beryllium kept quiescent by the hosts who are 5/6 with William Hill to triumph by much than 1 goal.

Liverpool’s superior spot successful extent has been illustrated successful caller days, with substitute Diogo Jota nabbing a constituent astatine Forest earlier Nunez came disconnected the seat astatine Brentford to triumph the game.

Jota missed the Brentford triumph with a insignificant wounded and was not seen astatine grooming connected Monday, but this clip Cody Gakpo tin beryllium the antheral to radiance and the Dutch guardant is 11/2 with each the large bookies to unfastened the scoring and 13/8 with bet365 and Sky Bet to find the nett astatine immoderate clip portion a 2-0 location triumph is 13/2 with Hills, bet365 and galore others.

• Aston Villa’s 2-2 gully astatine Arsenal aft trailing by a mates of goals is the latest motion that Unai Emery’s broadside are returning to signifier aft a dodgy streak successful the build-up to Christmas. The deserved gully follows wins astatine location to Leicester and West Ham and distant to Everton and they should person capable astir them to instrumentality their Champions League radical lucifer astatine faltering Monaco, who haven’t won successful 4 games this year.

Just 3 points separates the 2 sides with an automatic summons to the knockout stages astatine stake, but fifth-placed Villa tin determination further wide of their rivals with triumph connected the French Riviera astatine 9/5 with Betfair. Ollie Watkins bagged the equaliser astatine the Emirates Stadium and is 11/2 with Betfair, Sky Bet, Paddy Power and BoyleSports to nett the archetypal extremity of the crippled and 9/5 with Betfair and Paddy Power to people astatine immoderate time.

• Blackburn, QPR, Sheffield United and Wigan signifier Tuesday’s Football League acca.

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