Liverpool - Porto: team news and starting XIs

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“It’s not about revenge,” Porto manager Sérgio Conceição has been keen to stress as his title-chasing side go into their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, with the first leg at Anfield on 9 April (kick-off at 21:00). And it’s fair to say it’s not: it’s about reaching the next round. If it comes at the expense of a team who knocked five past Porto in the last 16 in the same competition a year ago, it could be considered a bonus.

Last year’s beaten finalists are heavy favourites to progress to the next round but the 2003-04 champions are in rude health, winning each of their last four league games and knocking Braga out of the Taça de Portugal to set up a final against Sporting. They will also be buoyed by dumping Roma out in sensational circumstances in the previous round having gone into the tie as underdogs.

Jürgen Klopp’s side have been gritty rather than glorious of late as they battle Manchester City for the Premier League title but possess a front three who can put any side to the sword. Having dispatched Bayern Munich in the previous round, Liverpool like Porto do not have the luxury of only one competition to concentrate on and face Chelsea on Sunday, their toughest domestic assignment as Klopp attempts to keep Pep Guardiola’s side, who are two points behind with a game in hand, at arm’s length.

Liverpool team vs Porto

Starting XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Milner, Fabinho, Henderson, Keita, Salah, Mané, Firmino.

Subs: Mignolet, Matip, Gomez, Wijnaldum, Sturridge, Shaqiri, Origi.

Porto team vs Liverpool

Starting XI: Casillas, Maxi, Felipe, Militão, Telles, Corona, Danilo, Óliver, Otávio, Marega, Soares.

Subs: Vaná, Hernâni, Brahimi, A. Pereira, Andrade, Leite, Costa.

Liverpool vs Porto, Champions League: injuries and suspensions

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Klopp is forced to field James Milner at left back in the absence of Andrew Robertson, who is suspended after picking up a third yellow in the 90th minute of the second leg against Bayern. Joe Gomez, who has been kept out by injury since December, is back on the bench.

Porto forward Vincent Aboubakar remains out for the visitors, who will also be without hugely influential due Pepe and Héctor Herrera through suspension. Alex Telles, who buried the decisive penalty against Roma in the previous round, was a doubt with bursitis but starts.

Liverpool vs Porto: what the managers said

Jürgen Klopp: "After the Bayern game everyone spoke about the 0-0 here and everyone said that wasn't enough. It was clear we had a chance in Munich and we used it. Now we have to face Porto with the same respect. We're on fire at the moment, you see it in training. We want to write a few proper things in this season's book... it'll be a tough one but that's how it should be."

Sérgio Conceição: "What happened last year was last year, end of story. We didn't do things that we wanted to do, and the opponent was very clinical in what they did. The attacking side of things of the opponent, it was a game that what happened, happened. Nothing to do with revenge, we look at Liverpool as a very strong team.