The second week of the Champions League begins on Tuesday, with all English teams having taken the weekend off to pay their respects to and mourn the passing of Queen Elizabeth II last week.
Tuesday's action sees Liverpool host Ajax less than a week after their shambolic 4-1 defeat by Napoli, and Tottenham travel to Lisbon to face Sporting having beaten Marseille 2-0 last Wednesday.
Chris Sutton takes a look the two Champions League match-ups and predicts the outcome.
Liverpool v Ajax
I kept thinking because of what Liverpool have achieved in previous seasons that it was only a blip they were in.
But with the way Napoli won 4-1 and made Liverpool’s defence look like tourists on an Italian holiday, it has become more than that. Something’s amiss there.
From Virgil van Dijk at the back to Mohamed Salah up front, they’ve not been clicking.
Liverpool’s players lapped up the praise when they were on song. Now we need to see how they respond when they’re hitting bum notes. Ajax will have a go.
They’re fearless and beat Rangers 4-0 last week. There’s no time to waste for Liverpool to get their season back on track, but I fear Ajax will take something away from Anfield.
Score prediction: 2-2 draw
Sporting Lisbon v Tottenham
Antonio Conte doesn’t boast the greatest Champions League record. Not with Juventus, Chelsea or Inter Milan. You wondered whether he was getting his excuses in early when complaining about Tottenham’s fixture congestion before last week’s opening group game.
Yet Spurs got off to a flyer against Marseille, an emotional Richarlison scoring twice as he continues to show why he was worth their £60million investment.
Sporting are at home in Lisbon so I expect they’ll take the game to Tottenham, but that will suit Conte’s counter-attacking style. They have got the flying arrows who can hurt Sporting and make it two wins from two in their group.
Score prediction: 2-1 to Tottenham
truthisbitter
0
tactics bro so shut tf up
shut up? against anti football? better speak out cos that tactics is boring and outdated,they even flopped against their own style!
truthisbitter
0
thats a tactics bro
which tactics, boring and outdated football, meanwhile flopped against their own tactics!
26133839(deleted)
0
Bottlers
cooclmrsyz
1
Totteham is a bus parking club,they literally walk on the pitch and defend with their asses,the moment they sense tiredness on the opposition,they counterattack ferociously!
go and cry
chenak
1
Totteham is a bus parking club,they literally walk on the pitch and defend with their asses,the moment they sense tiredness on the opposition,they counterattack ferociously!
thats a tactics bro
dekainryz
1
In Antonio Conte we trust... Glory Glory to Spure...
bonclmnruz
0
Let’s see how Ajax get a point out of this game as u predict
cj1738
2
Totteham is a bus parking club,they literally walk on the pitch and defend with their asses,the moment they sense tiredness on the opposition,they counterattack ferociously!
tactics bro so shut tf up
truthisbitter
1
Totteham is a bus parking club,they literally walk on the pitch and defend with their asses,the moment they sense tiredness on the opposition,they counterattack ferociously!