Liverpool v Toulouse: Back dangerous Darwin to spark dominant home win

• Liverpool have won both games in the UEL

• Toulouse second in the group on four points

• Nunez can score in comfortable home win

Liverpool v Toulouse
Thursday 26 October, 20:00
Live on TNT Sports

Derby win keeps Reds on track

It wasn't pretty, it wasn't calm-inducing, but Saturday lunchtime's Merseyside derby win over Everton was hugely satisfying for Liverpool.

The Reds played against ten men for most of the match after Ashley Young's dismissal, and it didn't look as though they would find a way past determined opponents until Luis Diaz's left-wing cross struck Michael Keane on the hand, and Mohamed Salah blasted home the resultant spot-kick.

Salah added a second on the counter, taking his personal tally to eight goals in all competitions this term. The Egyptian superstar has also delivered four top-flight assists this term, powering a campaign that has looked very promising. Liverpool are just three points off top spot, with a highly controversial loss at Tottenham their only defeat.

Jürgen Klopp's men are yet to sparkle in the Europa League, and yet they have maximum points going into the third matchday. They came from behind to win 3-1 at LASK, and that was followed by a workmanlike 2-0 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise at Anfield.

Another win on Thursday night would put Liverpool within touching distance of qualification, and it would make them the favourites to clinch top spot and go straight through to the last 16.

Curtis Jones, suspended domestically after a debatable dismissal at Spurs, is expected to start, with the likes of Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez pushing for starts. Caoimhin Kelleher is expected to return in goal.

Anfield trip a reward for Toulouse's purple patch

When American outfit RedBird Partners bought Toulouse, the club had tumbled into the second tier, and there were fears they might fall even further down the French football pyramid. Former Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli took up a similar role, and has overseen a remarkable rise.

After a near-miss in the promotion playoffs, Les Violets won the Ligue 2 title, and remarkably last season they won the Coupe de France. A stunning 5-1 win over Nantes in the showpiece made jaws drop across France.

Despite the departure of inspirational coach Philippe Montanier (the club wanted him to agree a long-term deal, and he refused to commit), his replacement Carles Martinez Novell has done a fine job in Europe. Toulouse kicked off the group stage with a creditable 1-1 draw in Belgium against Union Saint-Gilloise, and then they edged out Austrian outfit LASK 1-0.

In Ligue 1 the picture has been a bit more mixed. Toulouse have won just two of their nine games in the top flight (one of them against a Nantes side who must be sick of the sight of them), but they have also lost just twice.

Dutch striker Thijs Dallinga is their dangerman, especially now that Moroccan winger Zakaria Aboukhlal is out injured, and French U21 keeper Guillaume Restes is a rising star at the age of 18.

Comolli's moneyball approach has brought some talented youngsters to the club, although the return of injury of the more experienced Dutch midfielder Stijn Spierings has been welcome.

Nunez to lead the charge

Darwin Nunez has been on super form for Uruguay, and he set up Salah's second goal against Everton. He's a force of nature, but also showed with his match-winning brace against Newcastle that he can also be a composed and deadly finisher. He's scored four goals in all competitions for Liverpool, and found the net in recent games for Uruguay against Brazil and Colombia.

Toulouse have done well in this competition so far, but this is their toughest test so far, and I'm happy to use the Sportsbook's Bet Builder to back Liverpool -1 on the Handicap and Nunez to score at 2.33133/100. Liverpool have won their last six home games in all competitions, and they have won all of them by at least two goals.