Pre Match: Udinese v Liverpool (Europa League, 6/12/12 6pm GMT)

vs.

ITV 4 - Coverage starts at 5.30pm

After 5 topsy-turvy games which included a super away performance in Bern, shocking defending at home and a Stewart Downing stunner it all comes down to one game in Italy to decide our fate.

No complicated maths involved here - we simply need to match Young Boys' result against Anzhi.

Udinese are struggling in the league but they did secure a 4-1 win against Cagliari at the weekend. They are already out so that could work in our favour. To go with that, they haven't won at home in the two games before Thursday and have also failed to keep a clean sheet during the entire group stage.

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Suarez a certainty to start with his suspension coming up, will be interesting to see how much rotating we do. Think Sterling could do with a rest.

If we stay solid at the back, I can see us just about squeezing through.

Pepe

Wisdom
Coates
Carra
Johnson

Henderson
Shelvey
Gerrard

Assaidi
Suarez
Suso

                                                      Pepe

                               Skrtel              Coates          Agger


                    Johnson                      Allen                             Enrique


                                    Shelvey                         Suso


                                             Gerrard

                                                            Suarez


Bench: Carra, Henderson, Sahin, Jones, Assadi, Wisdom, Morgan/Yesil
                                                       

After 5 topsy-turvy games which included a super away performance in Bern, shocking defending at home and a Stewart Downing stunner it all comes down to one game in Italy to decide our fate.

No complicated maths involved here - we simply need to match Young Boys' result against Anzhi.

Udinese are struggling in the league. They are already out so that could work in our favour. To go with that, they haven't won at home in the two games before Thursday and have also failed to keep a clean sheet during the entire group stage.

The performance in Bern was far from super. We were losing with half an hour to go, and the defending was atrocious. Ultimately the win we got there will decide the spot, if we win in Italy. And I think we're going to have to.

We know from the home game against Udinese what they're about. They almost made the CL, only eliminated on penalties by Braga. There's no penalties on Thursday night though. It will probably be either win or bust.

KO: 18:00 GMT/19:00 Local.

Very tough game this one. However I think the hostile atmosphere will be somewhat milder than it usually is due to the fact of them having nothing to play for. I hope Brendan fields a strongish team, it will be great to get into the knockouts. A bonus of Luis getting booked vs Southampton is that we can afford to play him.

So my team would look like this:

Jones

Carragher
Skrtel
Agger
Wisdom

Shelvey
Henderson
Sahin

Assaidi
Suarez
Suso

I.B.W.T.

Tough night ahead of us but I think our class will show in the end and we'll get a narrow win.

My first game seing migty Reds live so we gonna win big time. See ya all there!!! Can´t wait, wish the game is tomorrow...

The performance in Bern was far from super. We were losing with half an hour to go, and the defending was atrocious. Ultimately the win we got there will decide the spot, if we win in Italy. And I think we're going to have to.

We know from the home game against Udinese what they're about. They almost made the CL, only eliminated on penalties by Braga. There's no penalties on Thursday night though. It will probably be either win or bust.

KO: 18:00 GMT/19:00 Local.

I consider an away win in Europe whilst scoring five goals, with a bunch of kids/fringe players super to be honest.

I see this as a must win match if we have any ambitions to proceed. Strongest side to statr for me. and rest a few if we get comfortably ahead, which I don't think will happen incidently, Ahead yes, but comfortably no. Think this is gonna be a tough match and we will need to be on top of our game to win this. Think it will be close, 1-2 to the red men.

Reina; Wisdom, Carra, Coates, Johnson; Sahin, Henderson, Suso; Assaidi, Suarez, Enrique.

3-1 cagey win.

Well this is a bit of a tough one, isn't it? With both Udinese and Anzhi already knowing their respective fates, it'll be a big guess as to what kind of teams they'll put out. My guess is Anzhi goes understrength vs Young Boys, while Udinese will try to beat us and play spoiler. We should have never lost to them at Anfield, so they are there for the taking if we play smart and get the job.

For the lineup, I just don't know. Luis is going to play IMO. Why not, as he'll get the weekend off due to his ban. But I think we'll see Gerrard kept on the bench available for emergency. The bigger question is Lucas. I'd love him to play, but fear over-using him. Would prefer to just keep him for the league.

So, I'm going to go with this. Part guess, part what Brendan typically plays in the Europa League.

Jones
Skrtel        Coates
Wisdom                Downing
Allen     Sahin
Shelvey
Suso                      Assaidi
Suarez

Bench: Reina; Carragher, Enrique; Gerrard, Lucas, Sterling; Yesil


No Carragher to start for me, despite his wealth of experience. Would much rather see Coates get some time as he's shown he can play in big games and not be phased (Copa America, vs Man City, etc). I'd play Skrtel to mop things up, but not Agger because of that knee fracture he's been playing with this season.

Well this is a bit of a tough one, isn't it? With both Udinese and Anzhi already knowing their respective fates, it'll be a big guess as to what kind of teams they'll put out. My guess is Anzhi goes understrength vs Young Boys, while Udinese will try to beat us and play spoiler. We should have never lost to them at Anfield, so they are there for the taking if we play smart and get the job.

For the lineup, I just don't know. Luis is going to play IMO. Why not, as he'll get the weekend off due to his ban. But I think we'll see Gerrard kept on the bench available for emergency. The bigger question is Lucas. I'd love him to play, but fear over-using him. Would prefer to just keep him for the league.

So, I'm going to go with this. Part guess, part what Brendan typically plays in the Europa League.

Jones
Skrtel        Coates
Wisdom                Downing
Allen     Sahin
Shelvey
Suso                      Assaidi
Suarez

Bench: Reina; Carragher, Enrique; Gerrard, Lucas, Sterling; Yesil


No Carragher to start for me, despite his wealth of experience. Would much rather see Coates get some time as he's shown he can play in big games and not be phased (Copa America, vs Man City, etc). I'd play Skrtel to mop things up, but not Agger because of that knee fracture he's been playing with this season.

u serious? 

I consider an away win in Europe whilst scoring five goals, with a bunch of kids/fringe players super to be honest.

As do most of us I'd imagine Chats.

To be honest I don't know how seriously we'll be taking this game (It's been a sort of "Will we? Won't we?" scenario all along) so I'm not expecting too strong a team selection... but.

Having said that; Udinese haven't (apart from beating us) set the competition on fire either so there's always hope.

Having said that; Udinese haven't (apart from beating us) set the competition on fire either so there's always hope.

Udinese will be bang up for it though, should they be playing Young Boys in their last game having not qualified then they would probably just go through the motions... But they will want to beat "famous Liverpool"...

To win this we will need to take it very seriously. Hopefully we will

For me:
                                        Reina
Wisdom           Carragher         Skrtel          Enrique
                                     Allen
                        Sahin           Gerrard
Shelvey                                                     Suso
                                 Suarez

Re: Downing at LB

u serious? 

So, I'm going to go with this. Part guess, part what Brendan typically plays in the Europa League.

Surprised with some of the selections. We screwed up against Young Boys, now we need a good performance to ensure we don't go out. WE need a strong team.


                          Reina
  Johnson  Coates        Agger    Enrique
                        Lucas
              Sahin        Suso
     Gerrard                  Sterling
                    Suarez

I would bench Agger and Allen, not because they are not playing well.

0-4 Suarez (2), Gerrard & Sahin.
Comfortable, easy, no problems.

Another tough game ahead of Liverpool! Udinese will definitely go for a win! Liverpool can be very confident, at the same time being chaotic in their own penalty box... their motivation for a win will be mainly influenced by the events on the pitch!

As much as I would love the starting eleven to be identical to what we put vs Southampton, most likely some players will be rested!

Reina; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique; Allen, Sahin, Shelvey; Suso, Suarez, Gerrard.

Need to put out a strong team if we want to progress IMO

Hopefully we see Coates in this game. It's been a bit baffling that he hasn't played more this season in all honesty.