MEET THE TEAM
LIVERPOOL FC
BECKER
13
ALISSON
Goalkeeper
POSITION
D.O.B
02/10/1992
NATIONALITY
24/0
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Brazilian
ALL-TIME
2018/19
12/0
Boasts five clean sheets in this season's competition, second only to Marc-André ter Stegen (six).
VAN DIJK
4
VIRGIL
Defender
POSITION
D.O.B
08/07/1991
NATIONALITY
23/2
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Dutch
ALL-TIME
2018/19
11/2
The Reds' defensive leader averages eight ball recoveries and over four clearances per game.
MORENO
18
ALBERTO
Defender
POSITION
D.O.B
05/07/1992
NATIONALITY
14/0
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Spanish
ALL-TIME
2018/19
1/0
Over 140 appearances for Liverpool since leaving Sevilla a UEFA Europa League winner in 2014.
ALEXANDER-ARNOLD
66
TRENT
Defender
POSITION
D.O.B
07/10/1998
NATIONALITY
20/1
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
English
ALL-TIME
2018/19
10/0
The foraging full-back leads the way for liverpool with four assiss in Europe this term.
MILNER
7
JAMES
Midfielder
POSITION
D.O.B
04/11/1986
NATIONALITY
42/4
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
English
ALL-TIME
2018/19
11/2
The tireless midfielder has contributed two assists and two goals — both against Paris from the penalty spot.
LALLANA
20
ADAM
Midfielder
POSITION
D.O.B
10/05/1988
NATIONALITY
9/0
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
English
ALL-TIME
2018/19
3/0
Injury has restricted him to just one start this season, but he contested 60 minutes of the 2018 final.
WOODBURN
58
BEN
Midfielder
POSITION
D.O.B
15/10/1999
NATIONALITY
0/0
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Welsh
ALL-TIME
2018/19
0/0
The second youngest player to score for Wales after registering on his debut aged 17 in 2017.
SALAH
11
MOHAMED
Forward
POSITION
D.O.B
15/06/1992
NATIONALITY
39/17
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Egyptian
ALL-TIME
2018/19
11/4
The Liverpool linchpin has had a hand in six goals (four strikes, two assists), more than any team-mate.
ORIGI
27
DIVOCK
Forward
POSITION
D.O.B
18/04/1995
NATIONALITY
7/2
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Belgian
ALL-TIME
2018/19
7/2
Possessing a knack for crucial goals, his double against Barcelona was his first in European competition.
MIGNOLET
22
SIMON
Goalkeeper
POSITION
D.O.B
06/03/1988
NATIONALITY
6/0
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Belgian
ALL-TIME
2018/19
0/0
The Belgian international has kept seven clean sheets in his 25 European games for Liverpool.
LOVREN
6
DEJAN
Defender
POSITION
D.O.B
05/07/1989
NATIONALITY
31/1
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Croatian
ALL-TIME
2018/19
3/0
Liverpool's most accurate passer (94%) among players to have contested at least one full match this season.
ROBERTSON
26
ANDY
Defender
POSITION
D.O.B
11/03/1994
NATIONALITY
17/0
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Scottish
ALL-TIME
2018/19
11/0
The Scotland captain served up two assists in Liverpool's first three matches on the road to Madrid.
FABINHO
3
Midfielder
POSITION
D.O.B
23/10/1993
NATIONALITY
35/2
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Brazilian
ALL-TIME
2018/19
10/0
The former Monaco mainstay has weighed in with a club-best 26 tackles in the heart of midfield.
KEÏTA
8
NABY
Midfielder
POSITION
D.O.B
10/02/1995
NATIONALITY
11/3
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Guinean
ALL-TIME
2018/19
6/1
Sidelined with a thigh injury after scoring his first ever knockout stage goal against Porto.
OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN
21
ALEX
Midfielder
POSITION
D.O.B
15/08/1993
NATIONALITY
36/6
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
English
ALL-TIME
2018/19
0/0
Absent all season due to a knee ligament injury until his Premier League return in April.
FIRMINO
9
ROBERTO
Forward
POSITION
D.O.B
02/10/1991
NATIONALITY
24/14
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Brazilian
ALL-TIME
2018/19
11/4
The only Liverpool player to score with his right foot, left foot and head in Europe this season.
STURRIDGE
15
DANIEL
Forward
POSITION
D.O.B
01/09/1989
NATIONALITY
28/4
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
English
ALL-TIME
2018/19
7/1
Scored the first goal of Liverpool's campaign in the September win against Paris Saint-Germain.
KELLEHER
62
CAOIMHIN
Goalkeeper
POSITION
D.O.B
23/11/1998
NATIONALITY
0/0
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Irish
ALL-TIME
2018/19
0/0
Started out as a prolific forward in his native Cork before donning the gloves aged 14.
GOMEZ
12
JOE
Defender
POSITION
D.O.B
23/05/1997
NATIONALITY
13/0
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
English
ALL-TIME
2018/19
8/0
Has featured at right-back and centre-back this term and signed a new long-term deal in December.
MATIP
32
JOËL
Defender
POSITION
D.O.B
08/08/1991
NATIONALITY
39/2
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Cameroonian
ALL-TIME
2018/19
7/0
Has played more minutes in this season's competition (630) than in any of his five previous campaigns.
WIJNALDUM
5
GEORGINIO
Midfielder
POSITION
D.O.B
11/11/1990
NATIONALITY
23/3
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Dutch
ALL-TIME
2018/19
11/2
The versatile midfielder's quickfire double against Barcelona was his first two-goal haul for liverpool.
HENDERSON
14
JORDAN
Midfielder
POSITION
D.O.B
17/06/1990
NATIONALITY
25/1
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
English
ALL-TIME
2018/19
10/0
The dynamic Reds captain has recovered 57 balls and provided a career-high two assists.
SHAQIRI
23
XHERDAN
Midfielder
POSITION
D.O.B
10/10/1991
NATIONALITY
30/3
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Swiss
ALL-TIME
2018/19
4/0
Made his first start since January at home against Barcelona and crossed for Wijnaldum's second goal.
MANÉ
10
SADIO
Forward
POSITION
D.O.B
10/04/1992
NATIONALITY
23/14
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
Senegalese
ALL-TIME
2018/19
12/4
Has covered more distance this season (125.6km) than any player except Ajax's Dušan Tadić and Donny van de Beek.
BREWSTER
24
RHIAN
Forward
POSITION
D.O.B
01/04/2000
NATIONALITY
0/0
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPS/ GOALS
English
ALL-TIME
2018/19
0/0
Top scorer at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, his eight strikes helping England lift the trophy.
WINNING FORMULA
The power of the press and greater defensive solidity have raised the Reds' game
When Jürgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund team reached the UEFA Champions League final in 2013, it was the culmination of five years’ drilling, his team rarely straying from a 4-2-3-1 formation. Klopp studied the Premier League and realised he had to find a different way to push Liverpool forward. Since arriving at
Anfield in 2015, he has typically deployed a 4-3-3, with Liverpool’s narrow forwards piling pressure on opposition defences, allowing the full-backs to spill forward and create width.
Between them in this season’s Premier League, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson have assisted 23 goals. Alexander-Arnold’s haul of 12 is the most for a defender in the competition’s history, and it was the 20-year-old who supplied Divock Origi’s tie-winning strike in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals via his quick-thinking corner.
With as many as six Liverpool players filling the attacking third at any one time, Klopp has recognised the need for industrious midfield players who can contribute creatively and also have the energy to plug the gaps left by the full-backs. Fabinho, who has emerged as the central figure in midfield since the turn of the year, is asked by Klopp not to slip into defence as other players performing his role might. Instead, he is often the highest-pressing midfielder, helping Liverpool to overwhelm their rivals. Fabinho’s presence, meanwhile, has allowed Jordan Henderson to take on a more creative role to his right.
Since Virgil van Dijk’s arrival in January 2018, Liverpool are less susceptible to counters thanks to the Dutchman’s pace and awareness, which allows him to cover large areas of the pitch. Meanwhile, Alisson Becker has proved a calming presence in goal. More than just a gifted shot-stopper, he offers uncommon technique on the ball and accurate distribution, all of which have spread a new confidence throughout the defence.
