Liverpool vs Besiktas preview

Five time European champions Liverpool face Turkish club Besiktas at Anfield in a must win Group A game. The Reds are at the bottom of Group A with just a single point, having drawn with Porto and lost to Marseille and Besiktas. A loss here would almost certainly send them out of the competition, and the resulting financial losses could prove disastrous for the club.

Rafa Benitez does not have a full strength side to choose from. Torres and Alonso are injured, although the former may be recalled given the ineffectiveness of Liverpool’s current strike force. Dirk Kuyt was off colour in the Blackburn game. Peter Crouch could also be given a run, for he did look good as a substitute against Rovers. Daniel Agger is unavailable which means the pairing of Carragher and Hyypia in the centre will continue. Since the game in Istanbul two weeks ago, the Reds have won just one in four- that too a Carling Cup game against Cardiff City. Many fans might actually welcome an early exit from Europe since it will allow Rafa to focus on the Premiership. Pennant and Babel are expected to start on the wings, but Australian Harry Kewell might make a surprise appearance. Mascherano and Gerrard, who scored a spectacular headed goal in Istanbul, will play in the centre of the park.

Besiktas do not have any great history to speak of in Europe, but a win here will see them eliminate a team that won the competition in 2005 and reached the finals last time around. They come into this game on the back of a 1-2 derby loss to Fenerbahce. Defender Gokhan Zan will miss this game with a leg strain. So will Rodrigo Tello and Marco Nobre. They are on three points from as many games, and another three points will do their chances of qualification no harm at all. Besiktas were extremely disciplined at home two weeks ago, and they will need to put up a repeat of that at Anfield. That task is easier said than done, as Liverpool are in an effective do or die situation and have vociferous home support to back them up.

Not many teams have qualified for the knockout stages after taking just one point from the first three games. Both Arsenal and Newcastle have done so in the past, and Liverpool can take inspiration from them. A 2-1 to Liverpool with Torres, Gerrard and Ozkan on the scoresheet.