Warning from the English journalist to Galatasaray: If Liverpool find their rhythm...

Galatasaray, our representative in the Champions League, will face Liverpool at home in their second match. The Reds, who defeated Atletico Madrid 3-2 in their opening group game, most recently lost to Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

The match will be played tomorrow at Rams Park, kicking off at 22:00. Ahead of this crucial clash, we asked BBC’s Chris Coughlin a series of questions about the game. Here are his answers…

What is the atmosphere like at Liverpool right now?

I would say the atmosphere at Liverpool is still very good overall, but there is definitely a sense among the supporters that the level of performance needs to improve quickly. For all the drama and late winners this season, the team’s displays have lacked control and that sense of dominance we saw during last season’s title-winning campaign. There also seems to be a vulnerability in defense recently; they have only kept two clean sheets so far and Ibrahima Konaté, in particular, has been criticised for his performances. The French defender is in the final year of his contract and has not signed a new deal yet, with plenty of rumours circulating about Real Madrid’s interest. Big-money signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have yet to fully make their mark (Isak is still building up his match fitness), and Mohamed Salah’s contributions have been criticised, with the winger looking far off the standards he set during his record-breaking 24/25 season. Honestly, aside from Hugo Ekitike, who has made an impressive goalscoring start to life at Anfield, it’s hard to pick another summer signing who has had a significant impact so far this year. It might sound strange to highlight so many areas for improvement when Liverpool have won seven of their last eight matches in all competitions, but there is certainly still a lot to work on.

Liverpool will face Chelsea away just three days after the Galatasaray game. Will the Chelsea match cause Arne Slot to rotate his starting XI before facing Galatasaray?

“I expect some changes but not a full rotation. Arne Slot showed last season that he is not a manager who makes wholesale changes at crucial points of the season. However, this year he has more options available to him, which gives him the flexibility to rotate when needed. After the defeat to Crystal Palace, he will want to get back on track quickly, and his message will most likely be: ‘Go out there and put that performance right.’ Chelsea are also playing Benfica and José Mourinho on Tuesday, so neither side will have a major advantage in terms of recovery time ahead of Saturday’s clash at Stamford Bridge.”

What starting XI do you expect?

“The XI I expect is: Alisson, Szoboszlai, Konaté, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Jones, Wirtz, Salah, Ekitike, Gakpo. Cody Gakpo didn’t start in the defeat to Palace, so I expect him to return to the lineup. Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back might surprise some of your readers, but he’s been Liverpool’s best performer in that position so far this season as neither Conor Bradley nor Jeremie Frimpong have made that role their own. I’d pick Curtis Jones ahead of Alexis Mac Allister because the Argentine has struggled with fitness since the summer, and I’d choose Hugo Ekitike over Alexander Isak, who played 84 minutes on Saturday.”

What is Liverpool’s biggest weapon? What should Galatasaray be wary of?

Liverpool have several weapons and, when they click, they are one of the best attacking sides in world football. Last season, they were phenomenal and clinical on the counterattack. This season they’ve been a bit less sharp in that area, but it could be a key factor on Tuesday. Galatasaray, as the home side with huge support behind them, will want to attack, and Arne Slot will look to use that to Liverpool’s advantage by winning the ball and creating dangerous transitions. Virgil van Dijk is also a crucial weapon, especially from set pieces—he already proved that with his stoppage-time winner against Atletico Madrid at Anfield earlier in the competition. Liverpool haven’t fully clicked yet this season, but if they do midweek, this could be a much tougher test for Galatasaray than expected.

Which Galatasaray players do Liverpool fear the most?

“Victor Osimhen is a player any side would fear, and he will certainly be one to watch in Istanbul. I know he has struggled with injuries recently, so it remains to be seen how much he can feature, but he will definitely be a huge threat when on the pitch. Leroy Sané is another player who has caused Liverpool plenty of problems in the past and still possesses that incredible burst of pace that makes him such a dangerous attacking outlet. İlkay Gündoğan is also a familiar name for Liverpool fans from his Manchester City days. His ability to make late runs into the box and score goals is what makes him such a brilliant player, and given Liverpool’s defensive openness, this is surely an area Galatasaray will look to exploit. Galatasaray have become the dominant force in Turkish football and have threats all over the pitch that Liverpool must be aware of.”

Will the stadium atmosphere affect the score?

“Galatasaray’s atmosphere is one of the most intimidating in all of European football. Fortunately, this Liverpool squad is experienced in dealing with such environments. Last season they famously won away at PSG and at San Siro against AC Milan, so they definitely have the ability to silence the most passionate crowds. I was very surprised by Galatasaray’s heavy defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on matchday one, especially after taking the lead, and no doubt they will be determined to put that right against a team that many see as one of the favourites to win the competition.”

What is your score prediction?

“It will definitely be a difficult test for Liverpool, but I expect their quality to shine through in their first Champions League away match of the season. My prediction is a 3-1 win for Arne Slot’s side.”