Girona v Liverpool: Champions League – live

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Mike’s in, and he’s fighting the power: “Liverpool bench light? Can’t be, I’ve not read countless comments about an injury crisis. Unlike Arsenal and Manchester City who never shut up about it and so get a sympathy note from pundits and presenters.”

Andrew Benton has gone there: “I always thought this song was called My Gerona - by the Knack, way back in the good old days.....”

Now, does anyone know any other songs by The Knack?

Jeremy Boyce gets in touch: “Looking forward to your great-looking MBM appetiser before the evening’s big one, I’m obviously talking about the major Championship mash up between high-flying Leeds and almost-as-high-flying CarrickBro. Girona are not obvious Champions League contenders, hence their results so far ? But it is a stunningly beautiful town once you make it in through the outskirts. Last time I was there we saw a film crew doing an episode of Game of Thrones. Really, THAT beautiful.

“It’s also just a mis-shapen/decorated stone’s throw away from the Costa Brava (Wild Coast), Salvador Dali and Gaudi-land, so Slot’s lot should expect some wild, surreal architectural positioning in how their opponents set up to deal with their attacking threat (Mo Salah). Girona have made the most of their Etihad sponduliks, and I’m sure it would go down well in Manchester if they could do one on the reds tonight. All the same, 1 - 3, eh ?”

I have been to the Costa Brava. Calella de la Costa. Watched the 1994 World Cup final there. Apart from our party of six lads from Cheshire everyone else there was German or Danish. The music was either Whigfield, Gabber techno or grunge metal. A fantastic fortnight. I have also been to Girona airport on a number of occasions. It’s about as near Barcelona as London Southend is from London.

Confirmed: Alisson is back

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Nunez. Subs: Kelleher, Jaros, Endo, Gakpo, Elliott, McConnell, Norris, Quansah.

Slot’s gone for it with his starting line-up. The bench looks a bit thin.

Tonight’s Champions League fixtures, UK times.

• Dinamo Zagreb v Celtic, 17:45

• Girona v Liverpool, 17:45

• Brest v PSV, 20:00

• Shakhtar Donetsk v Bayern Munich, 20:00

• Club Brugge v Sporting, 20:00

• RB Salzburg v PSG, 20:00

• RB Leipzig v Aston Villa, 20:00

• Bayer Leverkusen v Inter, 20:00

• Atalanta v Real Madrid, 20:00

Could this be the night Alisson returns? Last seen at Crystal Palace in October, and out for longer than expected. Caoimhin Kelleher has done just fine, though his error against Newcastle had Liverpool fans yearning for the Brazilian.

The Champions League has been rather different to what many expected. Has it actually been better? There’s a case for that. Perhaps it’s the novelty value.

Yet some voices within European football urge caution and believe bigger scores are a consequence, intended or not, of the expanded format’s rules. The argument is persuasive: with so many teams bunched together, and goal difference certain to be a deciding factor for key positions in the table, many have simply appreciated the benefits of turning the screw. It can effectively count for the extra point that separates success from early elimination. Previously, the restrictive head-to-head rule had been the tie-breaker for league‑phase deadlocks.

Preamble

Liverpool, Liverpool, top of the league. That’s the case at home and abroad. Can they take their perfect record beyond the Christmas break? In Girona, a team fighting to try and make the last 24, there are familiar foes. This is the club co-owned by the City Football Group and also Pere Guardiola, brother of, well, you know who. Among others. Liverpool may be well rested after last weekend’s postponement of the Mersey derby followed that 3-3 draw with Newcastle. Can Arne Slot keep the momentum going? A reshuffling of the pack is expected, though that weekend off may have changed thinking.

Kick-off is at 5.45pm UK time. Join me.