The Slovenian reigning champions will be hosting Liverpool at Ljudski Studion on Tuesday night in a game that the hosts need to win if they want to progress beyond group stages. The Purples of Slovenia are currently rocked at the bottom of Group E with only one point after playing two Champions League matches. Maribor will be going to this fixture after emerging victors over Rudar Velenje with a 2-1 away win on Friday.
Liverpool travels to Slovenian on the backdrop of failing to win three consecutive matches in all competitions. Jurgen Klopp's side is the only Premier League team that's finding it difficult to win games in the European elite competition.
The Reds head into this fixture after ensuring that Manchester United failed to score a goal for the first time this season after the game ended in the barren draw at Anfield.
Talking points
Liverpool is the third most colorful European club after winning five Champions League titles. Only AC Milan and Real Madrid are the only teams that have won the trophy more than Liverpool in the entire continent. The last time Liverpool won the prestigious title was in 2005 in which saw the Reds come from behind to record a dramatic victory over AC Milan in a penalty shoot-out after the game ended in a 3-3 draw in Istanbul.
The hosts have taken the domestic title 14 times but find it difficult to leave a mark in UEFA Champions League competition.
It's the third time in Maribor history to qualify for the elite European tournament, but the Slovenian side has been a regular participant in the Europa League. Maribor last made it to Champions League group stage in 2014 after eliminating Celtic in the playoffs only find Chelsea, Schalke, and Sporting CP in Group G.
Team news
Darko Milanic side will go into this fixture after failing to any of its last two fixtures in the Champions League matches. Maribor will be missing the services of Marko Suler and Denis Sme who will be both out with injuries. Dare Vrsic who missed the 3-0 defeat at Sevilla will be available for the hosts after coming in as a substitute in the Friday victory against Rudar Velenje.
Other than the two cases of injuries, Darko Milanic will have the rest of the squad to pick from in his pursuit to stun Liverpool with a victory at the backyard. The manager is expected to select Jasmin Handanovic to appear between the sticks while captain Marcos Tavares who has been the club's Player of the Year for five seasons in a row will start after only featuring as a late substitute in the Friday Match.
The fixture comes too soon for Liverpool's quartet of Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Lallana, Adam Bogdan and Sadio Mane. Dejan Lovren who suffered a minor injury while representing his national team was able to start against Manchester United in the 0-0 stalemate at Anfield on Saturday.
Predictions
Prva Liga made enough arrangement to ensure that the league's only representative went to the match against Liverpool while fresh by organizing for the game to be played on Friday. On the other hand, Liverpool played Manchester United on Saturday lunch-time fixture to give the two English teams a resting room before embarking on the European assignments. Ordinarily, in England, a match that features giants like Liverpool and Manchester United is being played on Sundays.
Liverpool remains a firm favorite to win the tie considering the talented, skillful and experienced players that Jurgen Klopp has at his disposal. The night could see Liverpool score many goals with Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge.
However, the hosts could stop the Merseyside club from registering its first clean sheet in the competition with a goal likely to come from the home team captain, Tavares.
Full-time prediction: Maribor 1-4 Liverpool
