On Wednesday evening, Liverpool will meet a familiar face on the sidelines at the Chobani Stadium in Istanbul. Dirk Kuyt is set to lead Fenerbahce against his former club in the fourth round of the Champions League group stage.
Kuyt, who spent six years with the Merseyside club before moving to Turkey in 2012, was serving as an assistant to Ismail Kartal until the head coach resigned last week. The Dutchman has taken on the role of head coach for the team.
The upcoming match will be a very special occasion.
Fenerbahce is conducting its first full campaign in the Champions League since the 2008/09 season. However, the Turks have only managed to collect a few points, suffering a heavy defeat to Aston Villa in the second round. The club parted ways with Kartal following a 2-1 loss to Galatasaray. Under Kuyt, the team then lost to Göztepe and currently sits sixth in the Turkish Super League.
The hosts will aim to play on the painful memories of the Merseyside club from their recent visits to Istanbul. Last season, Liverpool lost twice at Rams Park. However, under the management of Andoni Iraola, similar failures seem unlikely, despite Sunday's defeat to Arsenal at Anfield. This setback in the Premier League served as a reminder to the Reds that the title race may be beyond their current capabilities.
In the Champions League, the English club has been performing excellently. In the European competition, the Reds have scored 12 goals in three matches, their best tally at this stage of the tournament since the 1980/81 season.
Probable line-ups and team news
Archie Brown of Fenerbahce has received a three-match domestic suspension for an altercation with a Galatasaray defender, but he is available for selection for the Champions League match. However, the hosts face serious injury problems. Nathan Ake, Marco Asensio, Kojo Peprah Oppong, Amara Diouf, and Jayden Oosterwolde will miss the game. Former Chelsea star N'Golo Kante is expected to feature in midfield.
Liverpool have Ryan Gravenberch injured. In his absence, Trey Nyoni may feature alongside Alexis Mac Allister in midfield. Dominik Szoboszlai is fully fit after returning to the pitch against the Gunners. Rio Ngumoha, Victor Munoz, and Alexander Isak are also anticipated to be on the field. Joe Gomez could play in defence, while Ronald Araujo will move centrally alongside Virgil van Dijk.
Match prediction: Liverpool to win 2-1.
Probable Fenerbahce line-up (4-2-3-1):
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Ederson |
| Defenders | Semedo, Skriniar, Demir, Merjan |
| Midfielders | Guendouzi, N'Golo Kante, Aydin, Greenwood, Akturkoglu |
| Forward | Lukaku |
Probable Liverpool line-up (4-2-3-1):
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Alisson |
| Defenders | Ronald Araujo, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Kostas Tsimikas |
| Midfielders | Alexis Mac Allister, Trey Nyoni |
| Forwards | Victor Munoz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Rio Ngumoha, Alexander Isak |
