Liverpool travel to Salzburg on Tuesday needing to avoid defeat to the confident Austrian champions to guard against an embarrassing Champions League group stage exit for the holders.

Jurgen Klopp’s men are used to getting through to the knockout stages the hard way. In each of the past two seasons they have needed home wins to secure a place in the last 16 before going on to make the final.

However, the spectre of a free-scoring Salzburg, led by the Champions League’s top scorer in Erlin Braut Haaland spells trouble for an injury-hit Liverpool backline that has consistently leaked goals this season despite streaking clear at the top of the Premier League.

The Reds’ recorded a first clean sheet in 14 games in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Bournemouth, but lost another centre-back as Dejan Lovren limped off in the first half.

Should the Croatian miss the trip to Austria, Joe Gomez will be Klopp’s only fit partner for Virgil van Dijk in central defence.

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker also missed the first two months of the season due to a calf injury to further unsettle the backline.

The Brazilian is now back, but another injury to Fabinho has robbed the back four of the best player to protect them in the holding midfield role.

“I forgot how it feels, to be honest,” said Klopp on finally ending the long wait for a clean sheet at the weekend.

“It’s great, we should have them more often. It was the most-used word in the dressing room by the boys -- ‘clean sheet, clean sheet, clean sheet’.

“Obviously everybody was desperate for that, now we have it so let’s have it more often.

“The next game where a clean sheet would be useful is already around the corner, against Salzburg on Tuesday.”

That is easier said than done as Liverpool know from their first meeting with Jesse Marsch’s men in October.

The hosts seemed to be cruising to another Anfield win in the Champions League as they raced into a 3-0 lead, but Salzburg hit back to level at 3-3 before Mohamed Salah’s winner ensured Liverpool edged a seven-goal thriller.

Salzburg have scored 87 goals in 24 games in all competitions this season, 28 of which have come from Norwegian wonderkid Haaland in just 21 appearances.

“He’s not the only threat from Salzburg but he’s a proper one,” said Klopp of the danger posed by Haaland ahead of the sides’ first clash.

Salzburg need to win to make the last 16 on their first appearance in the group stage in 25 years.

A point would be enough for Liverpool to progress, but they need to win to secure top spot in Group E ahead of Napoli.

Meanwhile, Barcelona star Lionel Messi will not make the trip to the San Siro for Tuesday’s final Champions League group game, but Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte still expects a tough test as his side bids to reach the last 16.

Barcelona are already through to the knockout rounds after six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi scored in a convincing 3-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund last time out.

The Argentine has been left out of the 20-man squad along with midfielder Sergi Roberto. Coach Ernesto Valverde’s side will also be without injured the Ousmane Dembele, Jordi Alba, Nelson Semedo and Gerard Pique.

The Spaniards are assured of finishing top of Group F as they have 11 points from five games.

Inter are second, level on seven points with Borussia Dortmund who host Slavia Prague, but the Italians will qualify if the two clubs finish on the same number of points due to their superior head-to-head goal difference.

“We’re talking about Barcelona, one of the strongest teams in the world with a very strong squad of 20 to 22 players,” said Conte.

“Barcelona remain one of the four or five teams that every year sets out to win the competition.

“We have to give everything knowing that it might not be enough.”

Also, Frank Lampard has challenged his young Chelsea players to “make a mark” ahead of their crucial Champions League match against Lille on Tuesday after a series of poor results took the shine off their season.

Chelsea must beat the French side at Stamford Bridge to ensure safe passage to the knockout stages, with manager Lampard expecting far sharper focus than his players showed during the 3-1 weekend defeat to Everton.

He admitted Chelsea’s recent poor form -- just one win in five games -- was his first big challenge as Blues boss, and wants his players to embrace the pressure of this week’s must-win clash.

“It is a test for us and it was always going to come,” Lampard said during his pre-match press conference on Monday.

Agence France-Presse