Scout Notes – Champions League – Tuesday

Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah both score twice as Liverpool run riot in Slovenia. Man City hot properties Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus are in the goals again as they take huge step towards a place in the Champions League knockout stages. Meanwhile, Danny Rose makes his own progress, returning to action as Spurs draw in the Bernabeu.

Here’s the notes from Tuesday’s European ties…

Spurs hold firm in Madrid

Spurs sit top of Champions League Group H after battling to a draw in Madrid after being pegged back by Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty.

A Raphael Varane own goal had given Mauricio Pochettino’s the advantage, as the defender turned in Harry Kane’s flick from Serge Aurier’s cross.

Not surprisingly, Spurs were put under intense pressure with Hugo Lloris outstanding, though Kane could have easily won the game with second-half effort, only to be denied by a world-class stop from Keylor Navas.

But Pochettino’s line-up was of most interest to Fantasy managers.

It certainly sprung a surprise. With Dele Alli serving out his European suspension, the Spurs manager reshuffled to hand Fernando Llorente only the second start of his Spurs career.

He joined Kane in in a 5-3-2 set-up, with Eric Dier slotting alongside Toby Alderweireld and Davinson Sanchez in defence.

Harry Winks held a central role in midfield, flanked by Christian Eriksen and Moussa Sissoko.

The introduction of Danny Rose on 80 minutes was of great significance.

He swapped with Sissoko on the left of midfield but will now clearly challenge Ben Davies for pitch time at left-back.

The Welshman has been one of the stars of our season so far, and is backed by an ownership of 24.2% heading into Friday’s deadline.

But Davies has suffered losses as a result of missing out on the clean sheet against Bournemouth in Gameweek 8 – over 79,000 have shown him the exit.

With a stiffening schedule of fixtures (LIV mun CRY ars) and now Rose as a threat to his minutes, it’s difficult to make a case to counter that current market trend.

Spurs will host Real Madrid in their next Champions League tie, which follows the trip to Manchester United. That falls before the “home” Gameweek 11 fixture with Crystal Palace, making that fixture a clear hotspot for possible rest and rotation – perhaps a prime candidate for Rose to make his first Premier League start of the campaign.

Sterling on the mark as Aguero sits out

Man City’s two top Fantasy transfer targets delivered goals as Pep Guardiola’s side held on for a 2-1 victory over Napoli.

Raheem Sterling justified his current level of Fantasy investment with an eighth goal in 11 appearances for Man City this season. He slotted home after a Kyle Walker effort had been blocked.

Gabriel Jesus then followed up with a second, with Kevin De Bruyne – almost inevitably – the provider.

City sparkled again, with De Bruyne the key figure, though Napoli tested their resilience.

They arrived in Manchester having won all eight of their matches in the Italian top flight this season and could have got an early foothold via a Dries Mertens penalty which was saved by Ederson.

Another spot-kick, this time from Amadou Diawara, got them back into the game but Guardiola’s defence, with John Stones prominent, was impressive.

Guardiola has now named the same XI in each of City’s last three matches in all competitions, but with the schedule picking up pace, we can perhaps expect one or two changes against Burnley this weekend.

Replaced by Bernardo Silva on 70 minutes, Sterling’s Champions League pitch time was again managed – indeed, last night was his first start in the competition this season.

Yet Jesus owners will have concerns after he was afforded 87 minutes before being subbed off – particularly as Sergio Aguero warmed the bench from start to finish once again.

Aguero will surely be pushing for a return to the teamsheet against the Clarets, with the Argentine just one goal away from matching Eric Brook’s 78-year-old scoring record for the club.

It seems likely that Guardiola will at least attempt to manufacture a scenario where Aguero breaks the record in front of his own supporters. He certainly has that luxury given City’s form.

City’s next match against Napoli falls on November 1 – four days after their Gameweek 10 clash with West Brom and four days before a Gameweek 11 visit from Arsenal that precedes the next international break.

Last night’s win – their third successive Champions League victory – means they now need just one point in Italy to secure a place in the knockout stages.

Firmino leads Liverpool rout

After failing to find a way past Jose Mourinho’s parked bus at Anfield on Saturday, Liverpool took their frustrations out on Maribor to record an emphatic 7-0 win in Slovenia.

As you’d expected, the Reds’ front three were instrumental.

Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah both supplied two goals and an assist apiece, while Philippe Coutinho chipped in with a goal and two assists as the visitors raced to a 5-0 lead by 54 minutes.

This allowed manager Jurgen Klopp to replace Salah and Firmino on 57 minutes and 68 minutes respectively ahead of Sunday’s trip to Spurs.

Second-half substitutes Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (goal) and Daniel Sturridge (assist) also contributed to the rout, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and James Milner – two of three changes to the XI – profited from starts to deliver a goal and assist respectively. Alberto Moreno also claimed an assist.

Milner’s performance – in an attacking central midfield role in place of Jordan Henderson – drew the plaudits and it will be interesting to see if that triggers more opportunities. Milner is, of course, classified as a defender in FPL this season.

Meanwhile, the goals form Salah and Firmino arrive at a time where many owners are having second thoughts ahead of the Spurs encounter – they’ve been sold by 54,000 and 48,000 already this week.

Yet the fixtures from Gameweek 10 onwards – Huddersfield, West Ham, Southampton, Stoke, Brighton, Everton, West Brom and Bournemouth in eight of the subsequent nine – looks highly conducive to Fantasy investment.

The Reds’ early exit from the Carabao Cup affords them next midweek off at a time when many of their rivals are set to feature and surely lessens the likelihood of rest and rotation ahead of their trip to Wembley.

The return match with Maribor occurs four days after Huddersfield and three before West Ham in Gameweeks 10 and 11, though with his side just one point ahead of third-placed Sevilla in Group E, Klopp seems likely to unleash the big guns again as he looks to climb clear at the summit.