Liverpool line-ups for Galatasaray as Florian Wirtz and Rio Ngumoha decisions made

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Echo or go back to LFC Live.

Liverpool take on Galatasaray in the last-16 of the Champions League on Tuesday evening Chief Liverpool FC Writer, Paul Gorst Liverpool FC correspondent and Mark Jones Liverpool Content Editor - Sport07:00, 10 Mar 2026After back-to-back trips to Wolverhampton Wanderers, there is another return for Liverpool on Tuesday evening as the Reds head back to Istanbul to face Galatasaray.While the city of course holds a special place in the annals of Reds Champions League history, they made a disappointing visit there earlier this season when they lost 1-0 in the league phase.Now in the last-16, Arne Slot will hope for better as his side face off against the Turkish outfit, who impressively dispatched Italian giants Juventus in the playoff round.How should Slot play it this evening though? He must go as strong as possible and that won’t be far off what could be termed Liverpool’s first choice team.With Alisson Becker absent, that means Giorgi Mamardashvili is in goal, with Jeremie Frimpong coming in at right-back and Milos Kerkez at left-back.

Ibrahima Konate partners skipper Virgil van Dijk at centre-back.In midfield, Ryan Gravenberch is alongside Alexis Mac Allister in the deeper roles with Dominik Szoboszlai returning to the number 10 role.And up top, Hugo Ekitike leads the line with Mohamed Salah on the right and Florian Wirtz coming in on the left.My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike.Paul GorstSo no Alisson Becker means Giorgi Mamardashvili steps into the void for the biggest game of his Liverpool career to date. The Georgia international eventually aims to succeed Alisson as the long-term No.1, so there's no harm in him learning on the job early.The issue, as always, is at right-back and I was slightly surprised when Arne Slot hinted during his Monday press conference that Dominik Szoboszlai might start there tonight.

Milos Kerkez returns for Andy Robertson, despite Robertson's excellent showing at Wolves.Szoboszlai starts in midfield alongside Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister gets the nod too. Since there aren't many attacking alternatives at present, Gakpo could be useful in that regard.Hugo Ekitike returns to lead the line and Mohamed Salah starts.My team (4-3-3): Mamardashvili; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Ekitike, Wirtz.Mark JonesGalatasaray took the home leg of their playoff round against Juventus away from the Italians in a half hour burst in the second half featuring three goals for the hosts and a red card for the visitors, and so the key to this one for the Reds will be control - both of the ball and their tempers.With that in mind I'm not against picking Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back as it will get more players who are comfortable in possession on the pitch, with the Hungarian moving forward to try and help pack out midfield too.Ahead of Giorgi Mamardashvili, Ibrahima Konate can return alongside Virgil van Dijk, and while Milos Kerkez has been very good of late I'll stick with Andy Robertson for this one after his display at Wolves.Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones then make up the midfield, with Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz in attack, the German taking the left side berth over Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha, who could be seen from the bench.My team (4-3-3): Mamardashvili; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Ekitike, Wirtz