Liverpool face Olympique Marseille in the penultimate round of fixtures in the Champions League league phase tonight, with the Reds looking to climb into the top eight with a win at the Stade Velodrome.
Arne Slot’s side started the week in ninth in the league phase table, before dropping to 11th following Tuesday night’s matches, but still just one point out of an automatic qualification top-eight spot.
But while the Reds are unbeaten in 11 matches, the performances have been far from convincing, and the pressure is on Slot to turn things around at Anfield with the club still in the fight in Europe and the FA Cup.
However, they face an in-form Marseille side in their penultimate game, with the French club looking to move level on points with the Reds ahead of a match against Club Brugge in the final round of fixtures.
Follow all the latest updates from the Stade Velodrome below:
Read MoreMohamed Salah back with Liverpool after AFCON duty ahead of Marseille trip
Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai wants to put ‘tough’ week behind him
Why Arne Slot’s stalling revival could hinge on Liverpool’s trip to Marseille
Marseille vs Liverpool live
- Marseille host Liverpool in the Champions League league phase | Live on TNT Sports, kick-off at 8pm
- Liverpool lie 11th in the competition's league phase after Tuesday's matches
- Marseille three points behind the Reds in 16th
- Mohamed Salah is in the Liverpool squad after returning from Afcon with Arne Slot facing a decision over whether to start him
- Liverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Gomez, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Salah, Mac Allister, Wirtz; Ekitike.
- Marseille XI: Rulli; Murillo, Balerdi, Medina; Weah, Kondogbia, Hojbjerg, Pavard; , Greenwood, Traore; Gouiri.
UCL table
19:25 , Chris WilsonLiverpool begin the day in 11th in the Champions League league phase table, though the Reds could potentially go as high as fourth with a win this evening (depending on results elsewhere).
Marseille are currently in 16th ahead of kick-off, though they could move as high as ninth with a win this evening.
Match stats
19:17 , Chris WilsonMarseille’s 2-1 win against Newcastle in November ended a 12-game winless run against English sides in all competitions (D3 L9).
The last time the French side beat two different Premier League clubs in the same European campaign was in 2003/04, when they beat Newcastle and Liverpool in the UEFA Cup.
Marseille are on a run of 30 UEFA Champions League games without a draw (W8 L22) while Liverpool haven’t drawn any of their last 27 (W19 L8). It’s the two longest runs without a draw in the competition’s history.
Why Arne Slot’s stalling revival could hinge on Liverpool’s trip to Marseille
19:10 , Chris WilsonTwelve-game unbeaten runs do not tend to be greeted by boos. The soundtrack on the final whistle at Anfield on Saturday, however, showed it is possible to be undefeated but unimpressive. Make it 13 at the Stade Velodrome and there will be greater reasons to argue a corner has been turned.
As it is, Liverpool have headed to Marseille with the jury out: on a revival that has seem to have stalled on Arne Slot. Social media polls and knee-jerk reactions are no reliable guide, and nor should they be the basis for sound decision-making, yet while Liverpool have plenty to play for in three competitions, the next few months are also significant for a sense of feeling: is the team headed in the right direction, the manager finding a formula that incorporates many of the arrivals in a record spending spree, or are Slot’s Liverpool going nowhere?
Why Arne Slot’s stalling revival could hinge on Liverpool’s trip to Marseille
Team news
19:02 , Chris WilsonRoberto de Zerbi has made two changes to the team that beat Angers 5-2 at the weekend. Benjamin Pavard replaces Emerson at left wingback, while Bilal Nadir drops out in favour of Geoffrey Kondogbia in midfield.
Team news
18:57 , Chris WilsonMohamed Salah returns for Liverpool as Arne Slot makes three changes to the side that drew to Burnley. Salah replaces Cody Gakpo on the wing, with Alexis Mac Allister coming in for Curtis Jones and Joe Gomez replacing Ibrahima Konate in defence.
Line-ups
18:52 , Chris WilsonMarseille XI: Rulli; Murillo, Balerdi, Medina, Pavard, Kondogbia, Hojbjerg, Weah, Greenwood, Traore, Gouiri.
Subs: De Lange, Van Neck, Egan-Riley, Gomes, Vermeeren, Nadir, Bakola, Doubal, O’Riley, Paixao, Mmadi, Aubameyang.
𝐋𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎’ 🤯
— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) January 21, 2026
Le 𝗫𝗜 𝗱𝗲 𝗱𝗲́𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 aligné par 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗲 𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗶 🇮🇹 pour affronter Liverpool ! ⚔️ #OMLFC pic.twitter.com/EndDALvXIC
Line-ups
18:47 , Chris WilsonLiverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Gomez, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Ekitike, Wirtz.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Endo, Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo, Robertson, Nyoni, Ngumoha.
The Reds to take on Marseille ✨ #UCL
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 21, 2026
Team news
18:40 , Chris WilsonThe starting line-ups will be released in the next five minutes, so here’s a reminder of the early team news...
Derek Cornelius and Ruben Blanco remain absent for Marseille, while this game will come too soon for Nayef Aguerd after his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final.
Mohamed Salah has been included in the Liverpool squad after returning from Afcon, but Ibrahima Konate has not travelled having returned to France for family reasons. Joe Gomez is likely to partner Virgil van Dijk.
Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai wants to put ‘tough’ week behind him
18:30 , Chris WilsonDominik Szoboszlai is determined to put the worst week of his Liverpool career behind him as the Champions League returns with a top-eight place at stake.
The Hungary captain hit the crossbar with a first-half penalty in the 1-1 draw against Burnley on Saturday, five days after he gifted Barnsley a goal with a backheel in his own six-yard box.
Szoboszlai still has a lot of credit in the bank – he began the FA Cup win over the Tykes with a brilliant 35-yard strike – as the team’s best player this season but he is determined to rediscover his high standards.
Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai wants to put ‘tough’ week behind him
Head-to-head
18:20 , Chris WilsonThese two sides have faced each other four times in this competition in the past, with Liverpool winning three and the French side winning the other.
All four meetings came within a two-year span too, with the first two arriving in the group stages in 2007/08. The French side won 1-0 away on matchday two but lost 4-0 at home on matchday six!
Both of the other meetings came at the same stage the next season, with the Reds winning both – 2-1 away on matchday one and 1-0 at home on matchday five.
Match stats
18:05 , Chris WilsonMarseille have lost their last three Champions League games against Liverpool, most recently in the 2008/09 group stage (1-2 home, 0-1 away).
Liverpool have won just one of their last six away games against French sides in all competitions (D2 L3), though it was a 1-0 win at PSG in their most recent visit in March 2025.
The transfer miscalculation that saw Liverpool lose Marc Guehi to Man City
17:58 , Chris WilsonNothing, it seemed, became Marc Guehi quite like his leaving. On the last day of August, he scored a stunning goal against Aston Villa. This, it seemed, was his parting gift to Crystal Palace. He was off to Liverpool.
Except he wasn’t. Four and a half months on, some 27 appearances later, with a different destination and a fee that is £15m less, his departure has caused ructions at Palace and may bring regret at Liverpool. Oliver Glasner’s evident unhappiness at the loss of his captain threatens to bring his reign to a premature end.
It was a sign that Palace’s glorious 2025 is giving way to a more uncertain 2026. A transfer triangle can at least offer a reminder of historic feats. Palace have won two major trophies in their history. Guehi lifted both, in the same summer, after Wembley triumphs over Manchester City and Liverpool. They became his two principal suitors; his destination was almost Anfield at the start of September, until Palace pulled the plug on the move. Now it is the Etihad Stadium instead.
The transfer miscalculation that saw Liverpool lose Marc Guehi to Man City
Mohamed Salah travels with Liverpool squad for Marseille clash
17:43 , Chris WilsonMohamed Salah could make his Liverpool return in Wednesday’s Champions League clash at Marseille.
The Egypt forward has been included in Arne Slot’s travelling squad after rejoining his team-mates for training on Tuesday following his exploits at the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, France centre-back Ibrahima Konate was absent from the lunchtime session and the squad list due to personal reasons and it is understood he is already back in his homeland.
Mohamed Salah travels with Liverpool squad for Marseille clash
When is Marseille vs Liverpool?
17:28 , Chris WilsonMarseille vs Liverpool is due to kick off at 8pm GMT on Wednesday 21 January at the Stade Velodrome.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage on the channel from 7pm GMT. A live stream will be available via discovery+.
Predicted line-ups
17:17 , Chris WilsonMarseille XI: Rulli; Murillo, Balerdi, Medina, Emerson; O'Riley, Hojbjerg; Weah, Greenwood, Paixao; Aubameyang.
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Gomez, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Jones, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Wirtz, Ekitike, Gakpo.
Team news
17:12 , Chris WilsonMohamed Salah has been included in the Liverpool squad after returning from Afcon, but Ibrahima Konate has not travelled having returned to France for family reasons. Joe Gomez is likely to partner Virgil van Dijk.
Team news
17:08 , Chris WilsonDerek Cornelius and Ruben Blanco remain absent for Marseille, while this game will come too soon for Nayef Aguerd after his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final.
Marseille vs Liverpool live
17:04 , Chris WilsonLiverpool return to Champions League action hoping that their European campaign again proves a welcome distraction from domestic struggles.
A 1-1 draw with Burnley prevented Arne Slot’s side from gaining on those above them with their hopes of a Premier League title defence seemingly long gone, and pressure has begun to build on the Dutchman.
Wins over Inter Milan and Real Madrid have previously come at the right time for Slot and his side, though, and they will hope for similar as they visit Marseille as the fight for top eight places intensifies.
Managed by Roberto De Zerbi, the French club would move level on points with their opponents with victory here and showed their forward threat by scoring five goals against Angers at the weekend.
Good evening
16:57 , Chris WilsonHello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of tonight’s Champions League fixture between Liverpool and Marseille.
The Reds come into their penultimate match of the league phase campaign hoping to take a step closer to the top eight and automatic qualification, having started the week in ninth on goal difference alone.
However, Arne Slot’s side are producing mixed performances and the pressure is on the Dutchman once again as they face a talented Marseille side at the Stade Velodrome.
And we’ll have all the latest team news and updates right here.
