Preview: Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven - prediction, team news, lineups

Liverpool’s historical edge against PSV Eindhoven may count for little on Wednesday, when the unrecognisable Reds host the table-topping Eredivisie side in matchday five of the Champions League.

The defending Premier League champions have won all three previous encounters against the visitors at Anfield, but they have arguably never faced the Peasants in such dismal form, giving Peter Bosz’s team hope ahead of an eighth European contest with the Merseyside club.

Match preview

Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest on Saturday was the perfect representation of “hold my beer”; the Reds surely would not suffer another humiliation a fortnight after losing 3-0 against Manchester City, especially against a Forest side that beat them 1-0 last season.

If anyone thought it would not get any worse after losing at the Etihad Stadium before November’s hiatus, it got worse for Arne Slot’s team, whose miserable form plunged to new depths against Sean Dyche’s men, leaving them 12th in the Premier League table after 12 rounds.

Worse still is how Slot’s team appear dysfunctional in every area: Alisson Becker’s return could not prevent them from shipping three goals in consecutive league games for the first time since April 1965, the Virgil van Dijk-led defence comprises Ibrahima Konate — whose head seems elsewhere as talk of his contract winding down in 2026 rumbles on — Milos Kerkez, whom the shirt looks too big for, and a gaping Trent Alexander-Arnold hole, following the right-back’s departure to Real Madrid.

Dominik Szoboszlai, one of the team’s better players this term, has been forced to play at right-back on occasion, leaving the easy-to-play-through Merseyside giants’ midfield without their best performer this season, and the less said about the Reds’ forwards, the better.

In attack, Mohamed Salah is a shadow of the player who finished fourth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting, Alexander Isak’s arrival has so far done more harm than good, as Slot struggles to pair the erstwhile Newcastle United man with Hugo Ekitike up top, and Florian Wirtz has yet to find his feet in English football.

The upshot of the surfeit of issues plaguing this Liverpool team is another failed title defence, barring a miraculous turn of events, and arguably a fight to even compete in Europe’s premier club competition next season unless they win this year’s crown.

They have hitherto fared well in the Champions League, in contrast to their domestic form, winning three of four matches to leave them occupying the eighth and final spot that guarantees automatic qualification to the round of 16.

Facing PSV has historically been favourable to the Reds, evidenced by five wins in seven previous meetings, including three victories at Anfield, but that winning streak against the Eindhoven club on Merseyside faces possibly its toughest challenge on Wednesday.

Bosz’s troops will be aware of the Reds’ historically strong form against Dutch teams at Anfield — seven wins, two draws in the last nine — and the home side's 16-match winning streak in group-stage or league-phase European games at Anfield; however, the Premier League club have rarely been so vulnerable.

Unbeaten in 11 games across all competitions, the defending Dutch champions have had a mixed start to this season’s European campaign, winning one, drawing two and losing one in the first four matchdays.

Immediately noticeable are two stats: nine goals scored and seven conceded, undeniably reflecting the club’s all-or-nothing approach under Bosz.

PSV have responded commendably to a shock 3-1 defeat by Union Saint-Gilloise on the opening matchday to notch two away 1-1 draws against Bayer Leverkusen and Olympiacos, either side of a 6-2 beatdown of Antonio Conte’s Napoli, placing them 18th in the 36-team league phase.

That position in the top 24 guarantees participation in the knockout phase playoffs, but Boeren could easily slip outside those places, considering the plethora of teams between 25th and 28th on three points: Marseille, Juventus, Athletic Club and Union SG.

Travelling fans may head to Anfield with mixed expectations: on the one hand, they should be aware of their club winning just one of the last 14 encounters against English clubs on the continent; however, on the other hand, Slot’s Reds are there for the taking, and Bosz’s team will back themselves to inflict further misery on a rudderless Liverpool.

Liverpool Champions League form:

Liverpool form (all competitions):

PSV Eindhoven Champions League form:

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

Team News

While Wirtz’s involvement remains uncertain, Liverpool are expected to be without long-term absentee Giovanni Leoni, as well as right-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley.

The right-back issues mean that Szoboszlai could continue as a makeshift defender, while Andrew Robertson should replace Kerkez on the other flank.

Further forward, Salah, who has not netted in three consecutive matches in all competitions for the Reds, aims to become the first African player to reach a half-century of Champions League goals by scoring twice.

The Reds legend should start alongside Ekitike, who may replace Isak in the starting XI, and Cody Gakpo, formerly of PSV, who scored 55 goals in 159 appearances for the Dutch giants.

Bosz’s team suffered no apparent injuries in their league victory over NAC Breda on Saturday, meaning the Eindhoven-based club’s only absentees are Ruben van Bommel and Alassane Plea.

Guus Til should continue as PSV’s makeshift No. 9, aiming to maintain an impressive run of form that has produced six goal involvements in his last five appearances (five goals, one assist).

Til is tied with Ismael Saibari on 10 goal contributions in the Eredivisie, one behind Joey Veerman on 11; he leads for assists in Europe (two) but trails Ricardo Pepi (three) for overall involvements.

Pepi has found the net in three of his most recent four games in Europe's premier club competition, including his goal on matchday eight against Liverpool last season.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Ekitike, Gakpo

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Kovar; Dest, Gasiorowski, Schouten, Salah-Eddine; Junior, Veerman; Man, Saibari, Perisic; Til

We say: Liverpool 2-2 PSV Eindhoven

While the safe bet might be backing Liverpool to respond with a commanding performance against PSV, the concerning decline in confidence means a reaction is not guaranteed.

Instead, Bosz’s attacking approach could cause even more issues for the Reds, who might have to settle for a draw at Anfield on Wednesday.

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