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#3 Liverpool
Last season’s winner, it seems likely that Liverpool will overcome the challenge of Red Bull Salzburg in their final group game to qualify for the knockout stages, and if they win that match they should also win their group and get that all important seeded spot for the Round of 16, guaranteeing them a slightly easier challenge.
But despite leading the Premier League by a clear margin right now – they haven’t lost a domestic game yet this season – the Reds haven’t quite been firing on all cylinders in Europe. A disappointing loss to Napoli got their campaign off with a whimper rather than a bang, and while they’ve scored plenty of goals, their defence hasn’t looked as imperious as it did last season, even against bottom-of-the-table Genk.
Jurgen Klopp can call upon one of the finest attacking trios in Europe in the form of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, and if last season’s Champions League is anything to judge by, Divock Origi is an able deputy should Klopp lose one of those three. Midfield however is another question entirely, and how Liverpool will deal without the injured Fabinho – who could be sidelined until the Champions League restarts in 2020 – is anyone’s guess.
The Reds have the attacking firepower to bother any team they come up against, and if their defence can regain its stature then they’re in with a shout, but it’s also incredibly difficult to retain the Champions League – only Real Madrid have done it in recent history – and a performance like last season’s 4-0 win over Barcelona will be hard to come by this time around.
Chances of winning: 3/5
