Liverpool FC vs Blackpool FC Live
Liverpool are looking to turn around the tie against Benfica tomorrow with the 2nd leg at Anfield. After gaining only an away goal as a positive in the 2-1 defeat last Thursday we still have a great chance of going through to the semi finals of the competition. If we do manage to get through tomorrow evening we will be facing either Valencia or Athletico Madrid depending on the outcome of their own tie. The result from the first leg played at the Mestalla saw both teams score twice meaning the second leg is poised evenly. So for Liverpool it could quite easily be either of the two teams. Both of which would be interesting, Valencia obviously for players like David Villa and the huge link between the club and Rafa Benitez. Athletico with the ties between the club and ex captain Fernando Torres would also provide a good atmosphere. Benfica’s manager Jorge Jesus has again made all of his team available despite the fact that Weldon missed a training session due to a thigh injury. Liverpool are still without Skrtel, Kelly and Fabio Aurelio. Not only this but left back Emiliano Insua cannot feature tomorrow night after picking up another yellow card. This leaves us with a pretty big problem as we do not actually have any other titled left backs aside from Aurelio who is injured. Thus meaning that a make shift left back will have to be utilised. It is almost certain that the defence will consist of Johnson, Kyrgiakos, Agger and Carragher. The question is though in what order? A lot of people are suggesting that Agger at left back would be a good idea due to his ability to make strong forward runs from the centre of defence. Others suggest that it will probably be Jamie Carragher who although is not fond of being moved out of position will always offer his services. It’s all left to guess work until we see the line up tomorrow. Benfica have been in the competition from the start whereas we dropped out of the Champions League and into the competition. In our time so far we have scored 8 goals. Benfica have scored 23. In terms of average goals per game that reads 2.09 for Benfica and 1.33 for ourselves. Liverpool are fully capable of turning this tie around, European pressure has never phased the Reds so i doubt it will this time out. The problem could arise though from the unfamiliar set up of the back four and the possible lack in team moral/confidence after Sunday’s result against Birmingham. A trophy at the end of the season would ease some of the hurt should we not finish in fourth, although we all ideally should we of had a choice would have chosen to finish 4th. Fact is, doing both is still an option although as mentioned before, it will take some luck and a lot of hard work.
TEAM NEWS
Blackpool
The Seasiders have no fresh injury worries ahead of this game, but Elliot Grandin (hamstring), Malaury Martin (knee), Chris Basham (broken leg), Marlon Harewood (hamstring), Matt Gilks (knee) and Billy Clarke (knee) are all expected to remain sidelined.
Manager Ian Holloway fielded several fringe players during the recent defeat to Southampton and will likely revert to his preferred first-choice players once more.
Possible starting XI: Kingson; Eardley, Cathcart, Evatt, Crainey; Phillips, Adam, Vaughan; Taylor-Fletcher, Campbell, Varney
Liverpool
The club’s talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard is suspended for this game, as he saw red in the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.
Jamie Carragher (shoulder) and Jay Spearing (ankle) remain sidelined. The former will remain unavailable for some more time as he recovers from surgery, while the latter is back in training and still working on getting back to full fitness.
Possible starting XI: Reina; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Aurelio; Kuyt, Meireles, Lucas, Maxi; Babel, Torres
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