Our Liverpool vs Villarreal prediction is a home win at Anfield tonight. Andoni Iraola’s side have won both of their Champions League games so far and Ryan Gravenberch is back, while Villarreal have struggled for goals in La Liga and travel without two key attackers. We expect Liverpool to win, with goals at both ends a real possibility.
Key Facts
- Competition: UEFA Champions League, league phase Matchday 3
- Date: Tuesday 20 October 2026
- Kick-off: 22:00 EAT (21:00 CEST, 20:00 UK time)
- Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
- Liverpool UCL results: W 2-1 vs Atletico Madrid, W 6-3 at LASK
- Villarreal UCL results: L 3-2 at Borussia Dortmund, W 3-1 vs Napoli
- Managers: Andoni Iraola (Liverpool), Inigo Perez (Villarreal)
Liverpool Form: Bouncing Back After the City Defeat
Liverpool arrive in decent shape. They opened the league phase by coming from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 at Anfield, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister on the scoresheet, and then won a wild game 6-3 away at LASK last week. Six points from two matches has them fifth in the league phase table.
Domestically, the one real blemish was the 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City, a game in which Gravenberch was sent off. They responded on Saturday by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Brentford, with Alexander Isak grabbing the winner against a short-handed Brentford side.
That City loss is a reminder that Anfield is not automatically a fortress, so this is not a game Liverpool can take for granted, especially with a busy run of fixtures ahead.
Villarreal Form: Improving, but Shy in Front of Goal
Villarreal had a rough start to the campaign under Inigo Perez, and they are still searching for consistency.
In Europe they lost 3-2 at Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 1, conceding late after Santiago Mourino had levelled, but they bounced back with an impressive 3-1 win over Napoli last week. In La Liga they sit 12th with two wins, three draws and four defeats from nine games, and they were held 0-0 at home by Elche on Saturday.
The goalless draw with Elche summed up their domestic problem: Villarreal have found goals hard to come by in La Liga. The Napoli win showed what this group can do on a big European night, but they now face a much tougher test away from home.
Team News
Liverpool
Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong both went off with muscle problems at Brentford and miss out. Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley remain on the injury list. The good news is Gravenberch: his red card ban only covered the Premier League trip to Brentford, so he is available in Europe and should partner Mac Allister in midfield. Joe Gomez is fit and could fill in at right-back, while Cody Gakpo is pushing for minutes. Isak, fresh from his winner, should lead the line.
Villarreal
Tajon Buchanan and Nicolas Pepe are both ruled out, which is a blow to their wide threat. Georges Mikautadze is expected to lead the line, with Pape Gueye a key figure in midfield.
Head to Head
These sides have met four times in competitive football and Liverpool have won three. Villarreal’s only win came in the first leg of the 2016 Europa League semi-final in Spain, before Liverpool won the return 3-0 at Anfield. The last meeting was the 2021-22 Champions League semi-final, which Liverpool won 5-2 on aggregate.
Liverpool vs Villarreal Prediction
Liverpool have the stronger squad, home advantage and a striker in Isak who is finding his rhythm again. Losing Szoboszlai and Frimpong hurts, but Gravenberch’s return gives them control in midfield. Villarreal are improving and showed against Napoli that they can hurt good teams, yet they have struggled for goals in La Liga and they are without Pepe and Buchanan.
Liverpool’s defence has been leaky in Europe, conceding four goals in two games, so Villarreal could well find the net. We lean towards a Liverpool win with over 2.5 goals.
Our pick: Liverpool to win. Alternative: Liverpool win and over 2.5 goals. Correct score idea: Liverpool 3-1 Villarreal.
Check the latest odds on JetBet before kick-off, and for our full market breakdown see the Liverpool vs Villarreal prediction page. Fixtures and standings are on the official UEFA Champions League site.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is Liverpool vs Villarreal in Kenya?
The match kicks off at 22:00 EAT on Tuesday 20 October 2026 at Anfield.
Is Gravenberch available for Liverpool vs Villarreal?
Yes. His suspension from the red card against Manchester City applied only to the Premier League, and he served it against Brentford.
Who is injured for Liverpool vs Villarreal?
Liverpool are without Szoboszlai, Frimpong, Ekitike, Leoni and Bradley. Villarreal are missing Tajon Buchanan and Nicolas Pepe.
What is the best Liverpool vs Villarreal prediction?
We back a Liverpool win, with Liverpool to win and over 2.5 goals as a bigger-priced option. Always bet within your limits.
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