Liverpool vs Toulouse match preview: team news, lineups, TV, kick-off time, referee & VAR

Liverpool are back in action mid-week, as they welcome French outfit Toulouse to Anfield in a bid to continue their 100% record in the Europa League.

It's certainly been a promising start to the 2023/24 season from a Reds perspective. Not only are Jurgen Klopp's side sat in third place in the Premier League, just one point from the top, but they have a perfect record so far in the cup competitions.

While the Reds were admittedly heavy favourites in Group E of the Europa League, they have already dispatched of LASK and Union Saint-Gilloise and, ultimately, you can only beat who is in front of you.

Next up are back-to-back games against Toulouse, and after the fantastic start to the campaign, Klopp will know that if his side beats the French club home and away, they will qualify for the knockout stages with two games to spare.

First up is the Anfield clash, and here's everything you need to know about the match.

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DATE, KICK-OFF, STADIUM, REFEREE & VAR

• Date: Thursday, 26 October 2023

• Kick-off time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT

• Stadium: Anfield

• Referee: TBC

• Assistants: TBC

• Fourth official: TBC

• VAR: TBC

• Assistant VAR: TBC

HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD

Unsurprisingly, Liverpool don't have the most illustrious of histories with Toulouse, but unlike previous opponents LASK and Union Saint-Gilloise, the Reds have faced off against the French League side before.

The only previous meetings between the two sides came during the 2007/08 Champions League group stage, in which Liverpool narrowly beat the French side 1-0 away from home, before thrashing them 4-0 at Anfield in the reverse fixture.

Safe to say Klopp would be happy to emulate those results this time round!

WHERE TO WATCH LIVERPOOL VS TOULOUSE ON TV

For UK viewers, the game will be shown as the early kick-off on TNT Sports 1 (formerly known as BT Sports)

European viewers can find the game on DAZN.

In the US, the game is available to view on Paramount+, ViX, TUDN, Fubo and DirecTV Stream.

LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS

By far the most damaging absentee for Liverpool going into the Europa League clash is Andy Robertson, who dislocated his shoulder on International duty for Scotland against Spain.

The full extent of his injury hasn't been confirmed, but due to the seriousness of the injury and the recovery time associated with it, is is thought that the full-back may not feature again until the new year, which would be a crippling blow to the squad.

Scotland teammate Ben Doak also sustained an injury during the International break, this time with the Scotland Under-21 side.

While Doak isn't exactly a stater for the Reds, he has been enjoying plenty go game time in the Europa League, so it will come as a massive disappointment to both the player and the fans that he is highly unlikely to feature on Thursday evening.

The expected return dates of both Stefan Bajcetic and Caoimhin Kelleher are currently unknown. The Spaniard suffered a setback in his recovery after several months on the sidelines and won't be rushed back, while Liverpool's number two goalkeeper required stitches just before the break and had to withdraw from the Republic of Ireland squad.

Thiago Alcantara could be nearing a return with Jurgen Klopp teasing the possibility of a post-break return for the veteran playmaker, but we've all heard that before. Meanwhile, Conor Bradley remains out.

There was hope that Cody Gakpo would have been fit enough to feature against Everton at the weekend after having the International break to recover from the injury he sustained against Tottenham.

However, the Dutchman failed to make the bench and it remains to be seen what part, if any, he could play against Toulouse.

In better news, Curtis Jones – suspended in the Premier League – will be available for selection.

TOULOUSE TEAM NEWS

Ahead of the clash at Anfield, Toulouse will be without Zakaria Aboukhlal, Oliver Zandén and Ibrahim Cissoko, with all three players set to return to action in November, which means they could be available to face the Reds in the reverse fixture next month.

Other than that, the French side have no further injuries or suspensions and manager Carles Novell has his full squad to pick from.

Toulouse have four points from Group E fixtures so far, after a creditable 1-1 draw away to Union Saint-Gilloise, before seeing off LASK 1-0.

In Ligue 1, however, they have struggled this season so far and sit in mid-table – with one win in their last six.

PREDICTED LINEUP

With the weekend game against Nottingham Forest taking place just three days after the mid-week European clash, Klopp will once again undoubtedly rotate his starting XI in order to prioritise the league fixture.

(4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Gomez, Tsimikas; Endo, Jones, Gravenberch; Elliott, Nuñez, Jota

PREDICTION

Liverpool have performed perfectly in the Europa League thus far, and they should have more than enough to get the three points against a Toulouse side currently sat in 10th in Ligue 1 with just two wins in nine games.

Three points will put the Reds within touching distance of the knockout rounds.

Liverpool 3-1 Toulouse