Liverpool vs Galatasaray Prediction: Van Dijk leaning on Anfield aura as Reds eye onslaught

Mario Lemina's seventh-minute strike proved decisive as Galatasaray beat Liverpool 1-0 at Rams Park in the first leg of their Uefa Champions League last-16 tie last week. The Reds must beat the Lions by a single goal in Wednesday's first leg at Anfield (20:00 GMT, TNT Sports 1) just to force extra time, while the visitors head to England knowing that anything but a defeat will see them progress to the quarter-finals for the first time sine 2013.

Below are my Liverpool vs Galatasaray predictions, alongside all the latest team news and match odds.

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Team News

Alexander Isak (leg), Wataru Endo (foot), Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley (both knee) are all still sidelined for Liverpool.

Arne Slot started Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield with Ibrahima Konate, Milos Kerkez, Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike on the bench; all three are expected to return to the Dutchman's starting XI on Wednesday, with Joe Gomez, Andy Robertson, Rio Ngumoha and potentially Alexis Mac Allister making way for the trio.

Football Odds

Arda Unyay (unspecified) and Enes Buyuk (shoulder) are out injured for Galatasaray, who will also be without key central defender Davinson Sanchez, who is serving a one-game suspension after receiving his third yellow card of the Champions League campaign in last week's first leg.

Like his opposite number, Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk made changes to his starting XI for the last league game against Istanbul Basaksehir on Saturday. Mario Lemina and Ismail Jakobs were unused substitutes in that 3-0 victory, but the duo are likely to be restored to the starting lineup at Anfield.

Liverpool vs Galatasaray Odds

Liverpool are 2/7 to win in regulation time on Wednesday, implying an 81.8% probability of success, while Galatasaray are 17/2, or a 10.5% chance, to beat Slot's side for the third time this season in 90 minutes, with the draw offered at 5/1.

The Reds are 4/11 to win the tie by any means, with the Lions 2/1 in the same market.

Betfred's Price Boosts include Victor Osimhen To Score 2+ Goals at 12/1 (was 10/1).

Red Card Yes/No - Yes @ 3/1

Both head-to-heads between the two teams this season have been feisty, with eight yellows dished out in the first encounter - five for Galastasaray, three for Liverpool - and five handed out last week - one for the hosts, and four for the visitors.

Neither meeting saw a red card produced, but Wednesday's second leg is the real crunch clash, where the pressure really comes to the fore.

Today's Football Fixtures

Five of Galatasaray's last nine matches, including both legs of their last-16 tie with Juventus, have featured a red card, with only one shown in their direction.

There hasn't been a dismissal in any of Liverpool's last eight games, but Dominik Szoboszlai was handed his marching orders in the Reds' last 'big' contest there against Manchester City on February 8.

Bet Builder - Virgil van Dijk (LIV) 2+ Shots & Milos Kerkez (LIV) 2+ Tackles @ 10/3

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk has shot 16 times across nine Champions League appearances this season, averaging 1.8 per 90 minutes; only Ekitike (28), Szoboszlai (23) and Salah (18) have recorded more attempts among his teammates.

The 34-year-old didn't manage a single effort in last week's first leg, which was the second time this season that he had failed to take a shot at Rams Park, following the Reds' 1-0 defeat there in the league phase last September.

However, that was in keeping with the campaign, as just two of his 16 shots in the competition have come away from home.

In contrast, the Netherlands international has racked up 14 attempts at Anfield against Atletico Madrid (three), Real Madrid (two), PSV Eindhoven (five) and Qarabag (four). As you can see, Van Dijk has registered at least two shots in all four home appearances, and with his side chasing goals on Wednesday, it's not difficult to imagine him getting a head or foot to a couple of crosses and directing them goalward, which would tick off the first selection of this Bet Builder.

The second and final leg centres around Liverpool left-back Kerkez, who I am backing to record at least two tackles.

The 22-year-old failed to register a single tackle in Istanbul last week, instead committing two fouls and earning a yellow card before being hooked for Robertson on the hour mark.

Despite that failure, the Hungary international's tackles per game average in the Champions League this season sits at 2.2, despite two of his other five outings coming as a substitute.

Kerkez managed at least two tackles in his first three competition starts against Galatasaray (two), PSV (eight) and Olympique Marseille (three), and the second of those was his only one at Anfield.

It would seem the roar of a home crowd gets Kerkez going, as he has recorded just a single tackle across his last two Premier League away games against Nottingham Forest (one) and Wolves (zero), compared to five across his last two at home against Manchester City (two) and West Ham United (three).

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