Benfica winger Everton hoping homework on Liverpool ‘weak points’ pays off

Benfica winger Everton hopes to exploit the weaknesses of Liverpool defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate after doing specific analysis on their performances.

Konate, in particular, was targeted by the Portuguese side in the first leg with 29-goal striker Darwin Nunez trying to isolate the Reds’ third-choice centre-back in the Estadio da Luz in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final last week.

The left-sided Everton will be mainly up against Alexander-Arnold at Anfield in the second leg, in which they trail 3-1, but he has done his research on all of the right side of Liverpool’s defence, with Konate expected to again replace Joel Matip.

“I’ve been trying to study the opponent after the first game, looking to better analyse the individual qualities of Alexander-Arnold and Konate,” he told a press conference.

“I have tried to see where they have difficulties, the weak point, so that I can exploit and have a happy night, to give joy to the fans.”

Benfica will be without right-winger Rafa Silva, who has been ruled out with injury having missed training on Tuesday.

Caretaker coach Nelson Verissimo believes they have good enough options to take his place, however.

“We all know the importance he has in our team: he has different characteristics and we have to make up for his absence, but we have solutions that will give a positive response,” he said.

“We are sorry for his absence but we have a lot of confidence in the rest of the squad.

“We go (to Anfield) with the natural ambition of someone who believes a lot in what he is doing.

“We know that we are two goals down but we believe that things can change, especially if we score a goal first.

“We’re going with that ambition, despite having lost the