Rubin Kazan v Liverpool

Posted Thursday, November 05, 2015 by Foxsports.com

Liverpool will be eyeing their first win in the Europa League this season when they make the long journey to Rubin Kazan this week.

Liverpool will be eyeing their first win in the Europa League this season when they make the long journey to Rubin Kazan this week.

The Reds have picked up three draws in the group phase thus far to sit four points behind leaders FC Sion in second place at the halfway stage.

Jurgen Klopp's side were held 1-1 by the Tatars in the reverse fixture at Anfield a fortnight ago and the German picked up his first win in the Premier League on Saturday when they beat Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.

Klopp and his players will take confidence from a dominant display in London at the weekend as they came from an early goal down to record a comfortable victory in the end, and they go up against a Rubin team that is winless in the competition after three matchdays.

Valeriy Chaly's men are bottom of Group B after losing their opener to FC Sion before claiming back-to-back draws. They haven't fared much better in the Russian Premier League, with the Tatarstan outfit perched just above the relegation zone after winning just four of their 14 top-flight matches this term.

Klopp's squad jetted off to Russia without midfielder Jordan Henderson and striker Daniel Sturridge, with the duo on the road to recovery from their respective injuries.

Those are the only two absentees for the Merseysiders, who travelled with an otherwise fully-fit squad for their clash at the Kazan Arena on Thursday night.

The hosts are minus their skipper, Oleg Kuzmin, who is serving a suspension following his red card against Liverpool last time out.