Liverpool

For the first time since he joined the club in 2017, Mo Salah hasn't been named in Liverpool's starting XI for two consecutive Champions League games.

Chelsea are the only Premier League club in the bottom half - despite beating Jose Mourinho's Benfica last time out in the competition.

A reminder the top-eight teams advance to the round of 16. Teams that finish between 9th and 16th after eight games are seeded in the knockout phase play-offs. Teams finishing between 17th and 24th are unseeded in the knockout phase play-offs.

Those that finish 25th or lower in the 36-team table are eliminated.

Five of the six Premier League teams in the league phase are in the top half of table.

Arsenal are third with a 100% winning record after three games, Manchester City fifth, Newcastle seventh, Tottenham 12th and Liverpool 17th.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Monaco

Spurs head coach Thomas Frank has made three changes from the side that started the home defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday

Richarlison returns up front for Mathys Tel, while Archie Gray returns at left-back with Djed Spence dropping to the bench. Lucas Bergvall starts, with Xavi Simons one of the substitutes.

Tottenham XI: Vicario, Pedro Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Gray, Bentancur, Palhinha, Bergvall, Kudus, Richarlison, Odobert.

Subs: Kinsky, Austin, Spence, Byfield, Sarr, Olusesi, Xavi, Williams-Barnett, Johnson, Kolo Muani, Scarlett.

Image source, Getty Images

Galatasaray face Norway's Bodo/Glimt in another early kick off this evening, with the Turkish champions taking a comfortable lead at the break.

Victor Osimhen bagged both goals for the hosts, and his side look to be on track to earn their second win of this season's Champions League.

Bodo/Glimt came close just before the break with an effort from outside the box striking the post, so there could still be some twists and turns in this fixture.

Chris Sutton
Former Premier League Striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

The right-back situation at Liverpool is a mess. Dominik Szoboszlai has been their best midfielder, so playing him there kills him. And Jeremie Frimpong, I don't care what anyone says, how can you spend that money on a right-back who can't really play there? It's bonkers.

Striker Hugo Ekitike starts for Liverpool against his former club as Mohamed Salah drops to the bench.

In total there are five changes by Arne Slot, with Jeremie Frimpong, Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones and Florian Wirtz also starting.

Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili, Van Dijk, Konate, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Isak, Jones, Gakpo, Ekitike, Robertson, Frimpong.

Subs: Woodman, Misciur, Gomez, Endo, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Salah, Bradley, Chiesa, Ngumoha.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

Chelsea make 10 changes for Ajax's visit to Stamford Bridge, including the recall of Enzo Fernandez and Wesley Fofana as they return from injury.

The only Blues player to retain his place from the 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest is Romeo Lavia, who played just 45 minutes at the City Ground.

Meanwhile, a struggling Ajax team includes Liverpool loanee James McConnell.

Chelsea XI: Jorgensen, Caicedo, Fofana, Adarabioyo, Hato, Lavia, Fernandez, Estevao, Buonanotte, Gittens, Guiu.

Subs: Sanchez, Merrick, James, Acheampong, Chalobah, Cucurella, Walsh, Andrey Santos, Neto, Garnacho, Kavuma-McQueen, George.

Ajax XI: Pasveer, Lucas Rosa, Itakura, Sutalo, Baas, McConnell, Gloukh, Taylor, Moro, Weghorst, Godts.

Subs: Jaros, Heerkens, Gaaei, Regeer, Edvardsen, Klaasen, Konadu, Mokio, Fitz-Jim, Alders, Bounida

Image source, Getty Images

So, a huge night for Hugo Ekitike who returns to Deutsche Bank Park with Liverpool to face his old club just three months after leaving Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial £69m.

Ekitike initially arrived at Eintracht Frankfurt on loan for the second half of the 2023-24 season after struggling for minutes at Paris St-Germain, who he had joined 18 months earlier from Reims.

His move to Frankfurt was soon made permanent and the French forward racked up 15 goals and eight assists in the Bundesliga last term, the fourth-most goal involvements among players aged 23 or under in Europe's top five leagues.

Read more: How Frankfurt turned Ekitike into £69m star

Hugo Ekitike starts for Liverpool against his old club - one of five changes to the side that started the defeat to Manchester United.

Mo Salah is on the bench. Full team news to follow.

Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili, Van Dijk, Konate, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Isak, Jones, Gakpo, Ekitike, Robertson, Frimpong.

Image source, Getty Images

Spanish side Athletic Club host Qarabag in one of two early kick offs this evening, with the game currently 1-1 at half time.

Qarabag, who have won their opening two Champions League fixtures this season, scored after just 48 seconds through Leandro Andrade.

Athletic Club held the majority of possession throughout the first half, and were rewarded for their efforts just before the break with Gorka Guruzeta finding an equaliser.

Athletic Club look to be the stronger side heading into the second half, but can Qarabag maintain their undefeated Champions League record?

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Monaco

Just spotted former Scotland captain John Collins outside the stadium. He is back on familiar territory having had a successful two-year period here between 1996 and 1998, winning the French title then reaching the Champions League semi-final.

Tottenham Hotspur

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank welcomes the chance to put the weekend’s 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa behind them.

"That's a good thing with playing games so shortly after each other," he said.

"So, you just progress and move on to the next one. The good thing with the Villa game was overall a very good performance.

"Also, when we look back, I'm pleased with a lot of things there. Now we just need to take a lot of the bits into the game against Monaco."

Jim: Slot must give Mohamed Salah a rest and start Federico Chiesa, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike. They made massive differences against Manchester United but they were not given enough time.

Image source, PA Media

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter at Stamford Bridge

Image source, Getty Images

Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, 16, is expected to make Chelsea's first-team squad for the first time against Ajax tonight.

The winger missed the afternoon Uefa Youth League match at Cobham and joined the senior players for their pre-match preparations before the match at Stamford Bridge.

It remains to be seen what involvement manager Enzo Maresca will give him, but if he does come onto the pitch, he will be among the 10 youngest players ever to play for Chelsea.

Liverpool

It's fair to say Mo Salah is having a crisis in confidence. That miss in front of the Kop against Manchester United...wow!

Here's a question that would have seemed ludicrous to ask not that long ago: Is it time for Arne Slot to drop Salah?

HIT THE THUMBS

Hello!

After 43 goals, five reds and six penalties on Tuesday, another nine matches featuring three Premier League clubs.

After Arsenal, Newcastle United and Manchester City all triumphed on Tuesday, will Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham make it a clean sweep of English wins in Europe's most prestigious competition?

Read more: 43 goals, five reds, six penalties - one blockbuster evening.

It's 72 years since Liverpool lost five games in a row.

After successive defeats to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, Chelsea and Manchester United, will Arne Slot's side turn it around against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League?

Or will the Reds equal that awful unwanted run from 1953?

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images