Champions League Preview: Inter Milan vs. LiverpooL

Liverpool’s margin of victory and clean sheet in the first leg at Anfield took many by surprise. As a result, we have a clear favourite going into the rematch. Can Inter overcome the odds?

The 2-0 defeat suffered at Liverpool leaves Inter with a mountain to climb. But in a way, the pressure is now off them for this game.

Naturally, fans are disappointed – in some cases even angry – that the Nerazzurri look likely to fall short in Europe once again, despite their intimidating form in Serie A. Nobody has given up hope yet, but given the circumstances it would hardly be a surprise should Tuesday prove to be Inter’s final European night for this season.

As such it could be said that Roberto Mancini’s said have a lot more to gain from this second leg than they have to lose. Even if they do eventually go out, a battling performance and narrow aggregate defeat would still afford them some credit. A complete turnaround, meanwhile, would truly elevate these players into Inter folklore – it would be a game discussed for years to come, just as the comeback of 1965 against Liverpool is today.

The harsh dismissal of Marco Materazzi after just half an hour of the first leg was always going to put Inter at a disadvantage, but they had also been on the defensive prior to the sending off, and really disappointed in midfield and going forward.

The defence performed heroics, with Cordoba in particular a sensation prior to his exit through injury, and this must be the case again on Tuesday. A better team than Reggina would have punished some sloppy errors made on Saturday - to concede an away goal on Tuesday would leave Inter needing four. Not that that is out of the question, but those who so often thrill in Serie A must prove they can deliver on the big European stage.

An early strike would certainly help – the longer the Nerazzurri go without netting the more hurried and frustrated their play is likely to become. Mancini’s side must attack Liverpool relentlessly from the first whistle and not allow the Reds to gain any composure.

Liverpool are extremely confident heading into the second leg, and so they should be. They struggled to break down a stubborn Inter defence for most of the Anfield encounter but Dirk Kuyt’s deflected effort and Steven Gerrard’s superbly placed daisy-cutter brought two goals that Reds fans no doubt will consider well deserved.

Fernando Torres was largely kept under wraps by Inter’s makeshift defensive set-up, but Rafa Benítez will have no doubt observed the troubles the Italian champions experienced dealing with Peter Crouch (and not just in the air). But as thrilling as that 2-0 scoreline was, Liverpool will be more than aware of the challenge that awaits them at San Siro.

After all, this is a game that Inter must chase and an encounter from which Liverpool have little to gain and much to lose. Qualification for the quarters is expected by the fans, assumed by others – it will not be a mere formality. Discipline and concentration will be key as the Reds prepare to deal with heavy bombardment from an Inter side with a phenomenal home record.

The positives for Liverpool, however, are many: firstly their league form since the first leg has been exceptional. Four consecutive wins and thirteen goals scored have built a side brimming with confidence. Fernando Torres is hitting the back of the net with regularity; Xabi Alonso appears to have recaptured the form he showed last season and is linking well with Mascherano; Steven Gerrard is once again the menace we all know he can be – along with Dirk Kuyt he has become revitalised in the 4-2-3-1 system.

Secondly, this is Europe. Unlike Inter, these Liverpool players know what it is to excel in the Champions League, as does their manager. An away win at Camp Nou last season demonstrated that it’s not only at Anfield that Benítez’ side are a force to be reckoned with.

And let’s not forget 2005, when Liverpool travelled to Italy holding a more precarious first-leg lead than this one and – contrary to all expectations – secured a 0-0 draw in Turin that knocked Juventus out.


FORM GUIDE

Inter

Inter Milan - Reggina 2 - 0 08/03/2008 SERIE A
Napoli - Inter Milan 1 - 0 02/03/2008 SERIE A
Inter Milan - Roma 1 - 1 27/02/2008 SERIE A
Sampdoria - Inter Milan 1 - 1 24/02/2008 SERIE A
Liverpool - Inter Milan 2 - 0 19/02/2008 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Inter Milan - Livorno 2 - 0 16/02/2008 SERIE A

Liverpool

Liverpool - Newcastle 3 - 0 08/03/2008 PREMIER LEAGUE
Liverpool - West Ham 4 - 0 05/03/2008 PREMIER LEAGUE
Bolton - Liverpool 1 - 3 02/03/2008 PREMIER LEAGUE
Liverpool - Middlesbrough 3 - 2 23/02/2008 PREMIER LEAGUE
Liverpool - Inter Milan 2 - 0 19/02/2008 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Liverpool - Barnsley 1 - 2 16/02/2008 FA CUP



TEAM NEWS

Inter

Marco Materazzi is suspended following his dismissal at Anfield. Cordoba hasn’t featured since being stretchered off in the first leg but the Nerazzurri are confident that Cristian Chivu (shoulder) will be fit enough to face Liverpool. Luis Figo is in contention for a recall on the right of midfield while Julio Cruz will probably replace Hernan Crespo up front. Zlatan Ibrahimović came through the weekend’s game unscathed.

Likely XI (4-4-2): Julio Cruz – Maicon, Chivu, Burdisso, Zanetti – Figo, Vieira, Cambiasso, Stankovic – Ibrahimović, Cruz

Liverpool

Xabi Alonso stayed in Liverpool to attend the birth of his child and Rafa Benítez has removed him from the squad. Lucas will fill in. Steve Finnan will miss the game with an ankle problem so Alvaro Arbeloa will continue at right-back. Javier Mascherano is in the squad having missed the Newcastle game and should start. Hyypia, Aurélio, Babel and Kuyt – all rested at the weekend – are pushing for recalls but Jermaine Pennant impressed and could be in with a shout down the right. Agger and Voronin are still unavailable.

Likely XI (4-2-3-1): Reina – Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Aurélio – Mascherano, Lucas – Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel – Torres




PLAYERS TO WATCH

Inter – Zlatan Ibrahimović

The Swedish international is celebrated in Italy as one of the very best strikers around, but he appears to have developed a habit of not delivering in the big games, especially in Europe. With Inter 2-0 down and chasing the tie there has never been a more important time for Ibracadabra to conjure up some goals.

Liverpool – Jamie Carragher

The defender will make his 100th European appearance at the San Siro on Tuesday – all have been for Liverpool, of course. Carragher has put in some monumental performances in crunch Champions League ties in recent years and he’s likely to be called on again in this match. If Carragher and the rest of the back line are on form and can bat away everything Inter throw at them then make no mistake: the Nerazzurri will be crashing out.

Jermaine Pennant Refuses To Let Dubai Rumblings Distract Liverpool Players

Jermaine Pennant wants Liverpool to follow one of his former clubs Arsenal into the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Gunners qualified for the last eight along with Manchester United and Chelsea last week.

Now tonight Pennant hopes to be a key member of Liverpool’s side aiming to become the fourth English side to make the quarter-finals when they take on Inter Milan.

Liverpool are 2-0 ahead from the first-leg, and Pennant said: “It was a great result and performance from Arsenal last week to get to the quarter-finals, and I hope that Liverpool can do the same.

“This is a huge game for us, a very tough test. Inter are a quality team and we will have to be at our best.”

Arsenal beat AC Milan last week in this same San Siro stadium, and Pennant wants Liverpool to follow suit.

He said: “It shows how strong the Premier League is. We see top world stars performing in it every week, they are all very good players with great teams. I am not surprised the English top four have done so well.”

Boss Rafael Benitez was more careful with his words, saying: “I would rather not talk about such a situation until after our game with Inter.

“We are confident and in Fernando Torres we have a player who does not seem to be able to stop scoring. He is just the right sort of player for a game like this.

“He and Steven Gerrard are on fire at the moment, and I have a lot of confidence that both of them will be the key to this match for us.”

Benitez has Jamie Carragher playing his 100th European game for the club while Javier Mascherano is fit again after a groin injury.

But Liverpool will be without midfielder Xabi Alonso, who stayed behind on Merseyside to be with his girlfriend, who had gone into labour.

Benitez said: “Xabi wanted to stay behind. He had said he would come if things were okay, but we couldn’t wait, wait, wait, and I now have to use my squad.”

Benitez also wants to make sure that the latest twist in the club’s takeover saga -with co-owner Tom Hicks breaking off talks with Dubai International Capital - does not affect his players on the brink of their most important game of the season.

He said: “My reaction to this news is to concentrate on my side scoring goals to beat Inter Milan.

“We are thinking only about the game. The aim is to do what we have been doing before against Inter, and we know that if we score then we win the tie.”

Rafa Benitez: Liverpool Team Don't Care What Is Happening In Dubai Or Dallas

Rafael Benitez insisted tonight he would not allow the latest twist in the club’s takeover saga to affect preperation for their bid to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Liverpool manager already had enough on his plate as his team flew out from a stormy Merseyside in the hope of completing victory over Inter Milan, with the decision to leave midfielder Xabi Alonso behind to be with his girlfriend, who had gone into labour.

But such is the amazing soap opera that has overwhelmed Liverpool this season, Benitez and his squad had barely touched down before co-owner Tom Hicks was announcing on the club’s own website he was breaking off negotiations with Dubai International Capital over the sale of a majority share of the club.

So when Benitez reached the San Siro for his press conference, the question was more about keeping his players’ concentration on the match rather than what might be happening to their employers in Dallas, Dubai or London.

With Liverpool 2-0 ahead from the first leg and on the brink of making it four Barclays Premier League clubs in the last eight, Benitez was very clear in his objectives.

He said: “My reaction to this news is to concentrate on my side scoring goals to beat Inter Milan.

“We are thinking only about the game. The aim is to do what we have been doing before against Inter, and we know that if we score then we win the tie.”

On the late decision of Alonso to stay behind in Liverpool with his girlfriend, Benitez said: “Xabi wanted to stay behind. He had said he would come if things were okay, but we couldn’t wait, wait, wait, and I now have to use my squad.”

Benitez was able to confirm Javier Mascherano’s appearance in the squad after he recovered from a groin injury, and the Argentinian is clearly most welcome in the camp under the circumstances.

He will slot straight back into the side, with the prospect of Lucas Leiva also keeping his place in midfield.

Benitez is also considering using Peter Crouch in attack, saying: “He is a player that Inter are not used to facing.”

But whatever side the Spaniard puts out, the keys to success here are surely Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, who have hit 44 goals between them this term and who their manager describes as “both being on fire”.

The Italians are clearly concerned about the prolific partnership, having seen on TV a catalogue of goals from the pair over the weekend. Their questions were all about Liverpool’s star players.

Maybe it is good the worrying debate over Liverpool’s future seems to go over the heads of the Milan media.

And Benitez is just concentrating on taking Liverpool into the European Cup last eight for the 12th time in their history.

He said: “We have great confidence. When we played Inter in the first game we had just been beaten by Barnsley. Now we face them after five successive victories.

“We are playing well, and we will not just be defending. It it is impossible for us to defend for a long time against such a great team.

“We will be looking to score, to hit on the break. I believe that Torres is the ideal player for this, if we score one then we will surely be through.”

And Benitez knows at the back he has 30 year-old Jamie Carragher, who will be setting a club record of 100 European appearances for Liverpool.

Benitez said of his best defender: “He has the right mentality for this type of game. He has been a very important player for us in the past and will continue to do so in the future.”

Rafa Promises To Attack

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is confident his in-form side can reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League by knocking Internazionale out of the competition.

The Reds lead the last 16 tie 2-0 after the first leg at Anfield three weeks ago and travel to the San Siro for the second encounter in an upbeat mood after securing five successive victories.

Benitez said: "We are playing well and we have great confidence.

"When we played Inter in the first game we had just been beaten by Barnsley in the FA Cup. Now we face them after five successive victories.

"We will not just be defending. It is impossible for us to defend for a long time against such a great team.

"We will be looking to score, to hit on the break. I believe that Fernando Torres is the ideal player for this. If we score one then we will surely be through."

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard also believes Torres could be the Merseysiders' key man in the second leg.

He said: "We'll be looking to hit them on the counter-attack, and Torres plays that game better than anyone.

"Not only can you stick the ball over the top and let him chase it, but he can make things happen himself like he did against Marseille earlier in the tournament.

"He's brilliant, fantastic. I wouldn't swap him for any other striker anywhere.

"He's been massive for us and gives us so many different options up front. He's banging them in and always looks a threat every time he plays.

"You can play him on his own or with a partner and he just adapts perfectly.

"When you look at the impact he's made in just seven months here, it means that no-one now can make excuses about needing time to settle.

"I feel England suits him even better than Spain. He suits the constant flow and the rough and tumble of the Premier League better than the stop-start technical La Liga."

DIC Keen To Revive Lverpool Deal

Dubai's ruling family have not given up hope of buying a stake in Liverpool despite the club's co-owner Tom Hicks breaking off negotiations.

The Texan threw the future of the club back into turmoil after he terminated discussions with Dubai International Capital (DIC) on Monday.

Hicks said he was not prepared to manage the club jointly with DIC "by committee" and vetoed their proposal to buy out 49% of co-owner George Gillett's 50% stake.

DIC said they had no comment to make, but sources close to the deal say the company, the investment arm of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, are keen to revive a deal.

Hicks' statement read: "I have decided to terminate any further discussions with DIC regarding their possible purchase of a minority stake in Kop (Holdings) and, in turn, in the club.

"DIC made it clear that if they invested in the club, they would want it to be managed by committee.

"Based on my 13 years of successful experience as an owner of professional sports teams, and based in particular on the situation at Liverpool Football Club over the past year, it is clear to me that such a committee approach would not be in the best interest of Kop, of the club or of the club's loyal and passionate supporters.

"Accordingly, I have decided to exercise my right under the Kop Football (Holdings) Limited partnership agreement to veto any sale of any portion of Kop and the club to DIC."

As far as Liverpool are concerned, it is now back to square one with Hicks and Gillett at loggerheads - even more so now the Texan has vetoed the sale - and there are only 17 months until the £350million loan the Americans took out in January has to be refinanced again.

Furthermore, another loan of around £300million will have to be taken out to finance the building of the new stadium at Stanley Park.

Xabi Alonso To Miss Inter Clash After Row With Rafael Benitez

Liverpool's Champions League plans were in turmoil last night after Rafa Benitez banned Xabi Alonso from the side to face Inter Milan.

Alonso's Anfield future is in serious doubt after their falling-out overshadowed Liverpool's build-up to this evening's big game.

The Spaniard wanted to be with his girlfriend Nagore for the birth of his first child before travelling to Italy on a later flight than his team-mates for the crunch encounter at the San Siro.

But Benitez, frustrated and angry, ruled out the prospect of Alonso making the trip, and insisted he was ready to go with the players who travelled.

Steven Gerrard: Torres Can End Inter's Hopes

When John Toshack and Kevin Keegan led Liverpool's attack, their understanding was so sure that they were asked to take a scientific test to prove if they were, in fact, telepathic. Should Keegan study a video of Liverpool's demolition of the Newcastle side he now manages, he might demand the same tests for Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

The way Gerrard, with one glance, saw and made a geometrically perfect pass that split two Newcastle defenders and allowed Torres to score Liverpool's second last Saturday was sublime. And if they can re-create something similar at the San Siro tonight, Inter Milan, already trailing 2-0 from the first leg on Merseyside, will be making another premature exit from the European Cup.

Yesterday, Torres remarked that his captain was probably the best player on the planet and the admiration is mutual. "I wouldn't swap him for any other striker in the world at the moment," Gerrard said. "He gives us so many different things up front. He looks a threat everywhere he plays. You can play him on his own or with a partner and he just adapts perfectly.

"He has made life tough for the foreign boys who come over to England. When you look at the impact he has had in the last seven months, nobody can make excuses about being given time to settle."

Rafael Benitez's decision to play Torres as a lone striker with Gerrard in support just behind him, is surely one of the significant factors behind a dramatic revival which since the humiliating FA Cup defeat by Barnsley - a match neither man started - has produced five successive wins. Liverpool scored 15 times in those fixtures and Gerrard and Torres scored 10 of the goals.

"We will be looking to play on the counter-attack in Italy and Torres plays that game better than anyone around," said Gerrard. "Not only can you stick the ball over the top and let him chase it but, if you look at the Marseille game [in December], he can make things happen by himself.

"He roasted Marco Materazzi in the first game [against Inter]. Materazzi might think he was hard done by to get sent off but he could have been booked for a bad tackle before he had been shown one yellow, never mind two.

"It just shows how easily Torres' pace and strength unsettled a World Cup winner. The lad who comes in for Materazzi won't be looking forward to his 90 minutes against Fernando."

The Inter Milan manager, Roberto Mancini, was correct to say that, to make the quarter-finals, his team would have to play "a perfect game". Unless they plan to overcome Liverpool in a penalty shoot-out, Inter will have to score three times without reply; a strategy that contains no margin for error.

"We can defend all night if we have to," said Gerrard. "But we believe we will worry the hell out of them. There will be a reluctance from Inter to over-commit against us because they got nothing at Anfield - no change from the defence; no possession and no time to settle. We'll be going for them again because we know that one goal can kill the tie.

"I am relishing playing in the San Siro because I have never done it before and it's going to be another one off my list. I want to play in the cathedrals of Europe. If we get our attitude right, take our chances and believe in ourselves, it will be another night to remember."

Gerrard Demands Consistency

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard told LiverpoolFC.tv about his side's recent renaissance, stating that it must continue until the season's end.

The skipper puts much of the Reds' recent success down to Fernando Torres, the on-form striker.

"It's easy to play with Fernando," noted the midfielder. "He makes good runs and stretches defenses, and this makes space for me.

"It's working at the moment but we've got to continue this as a team until the end of the season because there's a big race on for the Champions League places.

"We were disappointed to lose against Barnsley but since then there's been a reaction from the players and that's shown in our performances."

Most recently, the Reds picked up a 3-0 win over Newcastle.

"It was a comfortable win," continued the England international.

The lads at the back did their job with the clean sheet, and the lads up front got the goals, but credit has to go to the team because it was a team display.

"It's easy to let your mind wander ahead of the Milan game but it was important we stayed focused. It could have affected the performance, so credit to the boys for being very professional and doing the job right.

"Now we can focus on Inter Milan. It will be a very difficult game but we're confident we can qualify.

"We'll show them a lot of respect but, like I said, we're confident, we're playing well and we got a fantastic result against them at home. Now we need to go finish the job off."

As for Newcastle, he concluded, "I'm sure they'll turn it around because they've got good players, good coaching staff and a good manager.

"They just need that all-important win to build that bit of confidence. They've got fantastic support, so it's only a matter of time."

Fan vs Fan: Inter - Liverpool

Question: Let us start with your thoughts about your team's performance during the first leg? What emotions did it evoke?

Chris Simmons (Liverpool): I was ecstatic. I know Europe’s different to domestic football but I really thought we were going to be picked apart after the shambles against Barnsley. But we were fantastic right from the start, got a great win and didn’t concede!

Martino Olmeda (Inter): I think it’s difficult to judge the team effectively, as the game was clearly influenced by Marco Materazzi’s undeserved sending off in the first half. Both yellow cards were flukes. It was obvious that Liverpool would have the upper hand after that. But before the goal, which came only ten minutes before the end thanks to a lucky deflection, they hadn’t created much real danger and we defended very well.

Still, we were a little too cautious at the start of the game and we looked nervous. In the end, I felt the 2-0 defeat was too harsh and Steven Gerrard’s (brilliant) second goal was a really hard blow. With 1-0 we would have all to play for, but now it’s very very tough.

Question: Were you lucky, or did you deserve more from the game?

CS: No, we definitely deserved that win, no doubt. The goals were late but I think we merited them. We could have had a penalty for handball, too, but I think the ref was trying to even things out after the harsh red card.

MO: I think a 1-0 defeat would have been more right. The second goal was simply a great individual effort by Gerrard - there was no team merit. We were definitely unlucky on the night, even though our approach to the match was a little too cautious and timid.

Question: Where does that result leave you heading into the second leg? Any reason to lose sleep?

CS: We’re firmly in the driving seat: the only thing I fear is our own complacency. Against Barcelona last year we won the first leg but rather sat back at Anfield and let them take a 1-0 lead – we were really hanging on at the end. I hope this time we make it easier on ourselves.

MO: It will take a monumental performance for us to qualify. But remember, we already managed a similar feat against Liverpool in 1965, the year we won our last European Cup. We lost 3-1 at Anfield, but beat them 3-0 at San Siro. That exact same result would be enough to put us through again this time. It would be a really amazing thing if we could repeat that kind of result just days after our centenary. It would also prove that, in football, history has a way of repeating itself.

Question: What about your opponents? What did you think about their performance?

CS: Pleasantly disappointing. I’m sure they’ll blame the ref for the Materazzi incident but in truth they never looked like scoring even with 11 men. They defended very well, considering, but none of the big attacking threats showed up.

MO: I think Liverpool are overrated. They work very hard and are defensively very strong, but without Gerrard, their only world-class player, I think they would lose 50% of their strength. They did not impress me in the first leg either. With ten men we kept them at bay quite easily before Dirk Kuyt’s lucky opening goal, which came in the 83rd minute I think. In the 2005 final Milan gave them a football lesson and showed the world that Liverpool are no great shakes. I hope we can do a similar thing on Tuesday night.

Question: How has your opinion of them changed after the game, if at all?

CS: Not much. You can’t judge any team on one game and their Serie A record speaks for itself. They’ll be tougher to play against at San Siro.

MO: See my last answer. I watched the game, so I don’t judge just the result, and my opinion of them as an average, hard working team that depends on one player hasn’t changed.

Question: Coming ahead to the second leg, where do you think it will be won or lost now?

CS: We need to be calm and not let the atmosphere in Milan get to us. If we concede early we could be in trouble so we need to soak up the pressure and try and nab an away goal. I think how our centre-halves handle Ibrahimovic and Cruz will be key.

MO: Definitely in defence. If we concede a goal, it’s practically over (although, even if we did, I would still not give up hope). Meanwhile, we’ll have to hope their defence will be slightly complacent or distracted, although it’s unlikely, because we need to score at least twice to take the game into extra time, and then anything can happen. Unfortunately, Liverpool’s biggest strength usually is in the defensive side of the game.

Question: Did you see any weakness in your opponents that your team can exploit better?

CS: Materazzi’s suspended, obviously, and apart from him Inter aren’t very tall at the back. Their defence didn’t know what to do with Crouch when he came off the bench at Anfield so maybe he should start the second leg. Nobody will get near him at corners or free-kicks.

MO: They are not that impressive going forward, especially if we manage to contain Gerrard effectively. Fernando Torres may be in form, but if he doesn’t receive good service he is lost.

Question: Which opposition player did your team struggle against the most? How can you do better against him?

CS: Julio Cesar – the guy is immense and it took a deflection off Kuyt’s shot and a very special Gerrard strike to beat him. I guess it’s just a case of picking the spots he can’t reach. We’ve hit 13 goals in four games since the first leg, though, so our confidence is high.

MO: Obviously Gerrard, who is almost like what Maradona was for Napoli. Especially now that he’s playing as a ‘trequartista’, or playmaker behind the striker, he is lethal and showed that in the first leg, too. There’s not an attacking move by Liverpool that he wasn’t involved in. The only way to stop him could be to man-mark him, but I don’t think any team in the world does that anymore. But we will definitely keep a close eye on him.

Question: Any other areas you need to polish up?

CS: We’ve had a few lapses in concentration at the back in recent weeks, especially against Middlesbrough. We can’t afford to gift Inter anything so everyone needs to stay alert at set pieces.

MO: Definitely we were very poor going forward, I think their goalkeeper didn’t even make a save and we had one corner throughout the whole game. But now at San Siro with a big crowd cheering us on, I’m sure we will do much better in that area.

Question: Who from your team do we keep an eye on here?

CS: Obviously Gerrard and Torres are the two big stars, but I expect us to be on the back foot for large parts of the second leg and a top performance from Jamie Carragher will be crucial. And if he makes it Javier Mascherano will also be important.

MO: Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a good game against Reggina this weekend on his return from injury, and I think he will definitely cause some trouble for the Liverpool defence. In the first leg he was invisible, but he knows that if he steps up to the challenge in this game and manages to score a couple of goals or give some crucial assists, people’s opinion of him will improve hugely. Internationally, he is not as appreciated as he is in Italy as he often screws up in big games, so I hope he is eager to change that.

Question: Going back to your opponents, anyone from their team you would want on your side in the future, based on what you saw?

CS: Julio Cesar is an excellent keeper but I’m more than happy with Reina, thanks. I was impressed by Ivan Cordoba – he’d fit in well at Liverpool I’m sure, but he's 31 and we should be looking towards the future.

MO: The only player of theirs I would like at Inter is Gerrard, but he is a one club man like Francesco Totti or Alex Del Piero I think. I don’t think he will ever leave Liverpool.

Question: Anything particular lingering on from the the first leg which could affect the upcoming clash?

CS: Not from our side but I’m sure they’ll feel they have a few scores to settle. We have to make sure we don’t let ourselves get dragged into arguments and scuffles.

MO: Obviously Materazzi will be suspended, which is a big loss, and also Ivan Cordoba got injured during that game. I think especially Materazzi’s absence will be strongly felt. Say what you will of him, but he is a towering presence in defence and one of the best central defenders in Serie A. He is also one of the team’s leaders and he always adds that extra bit of determination and sharpness to the team in difficult moments.

Question: What could be the ramifications for your club should you fail to go through?

CS: Pretty big, I’d say. Because the last 16 isn’t even close to winning it and we won’t be lifting any other trophies this season, for sure. I think the ramifications are also a lot worse for us than for Inter simply because we’re already 2-0 up and a lot of people have already written them off. Throwing away a lead of that size would really damage confidence.

MO: Certainly it will be no surprise to anyone if we don’t qualify, so I don’t believe it will affect the Scudetto race. With all the help we’ve been getting from referees, deliberate or not, if we don’t win the league we should only bury ourselves in the ground. But if I were Massimo Moratti, I would think about Roberto Mancini’s position. We know that this Inter side are the best in Italy at the moment, so winning the Scudetto and exiting the Champions League before the quarter finals is not enough anymore (although he isn’t quite sure of winning this year yet...).

The coach’s tendency to get nervous and start conducting strange experiments in big games is really worrying. In the Liverpool game, he should definitely have brought in David Suazo, who’s excellent in the counterattack and scored two goals the previous weekend. And in the recent league game against Roma, he played with just one striker, and made all his substitutions in the first 15 minutes of the second half, leaving us with ten men after Maxwell was injured. Only a lucky late goal by our captain Javier Zanetti rescued a point for us, but Mancini has a really irritating tendency to lose his cool in big games which cannot be ignored.

Question: What do you think the result of this game will be, and how will it affect your week?

CS: I can’t see us winning the match but we’re definitely capable of getting a draw and I’m pretty confident we’ll go through. Hopefully a nice early away goal will extinguish the atmosphere and alleviate the pressure on us. I’ll say 2-1 to them. How will it affect my week? Well like I said most people expect us to go through so the high of going through wouldn’t be anywhere near as big as the low if we went out. But I’d be thrilled if we could match Arsenal by winning at San Siro.

MO: To be honest, I don’t expect us to go through, and it would be a near miracle if we manage it. Still, this team is also known for its unpredictability and there are a number of factors which could work in our favor. As I mentioned before, there is a legendary precedent in our last game against Liverpool in 1965, which happens to be the last time we won the European Cup. Also, we celebrated our centenary only a few days ago and there are bound to be a number of Inter legends watching this game from the stands. This could also potentially be the night where we finally amaze the world and make that leap forward on the international stage as well.

We have shown before we are able to produce spectacular comebacks. It is not that unusual for us to come back from two goals down and win. If Liverpool have even the slightest bit of complacency, and if we manage to score early, the momentum will be with us and anything could happen. So I’m going to be optimistic and say we will win 3-0, with Ibrahimovic scoring from the spot, from a direct free kick, and Hernan Crespo scoring in between too.

Torres: We Will Counterattack Inter

Ahead of the final knockout game in the last 16 of the Champions League, Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has said he is confident of his side progressing past Italian champions Internazionale, revealing that his side will play deep and hit on the counterattack.

It was a curious night at Anfield two weeks ago when, while Liverpool were dominating, they failed to break down a resilient Inter defensive line, with the Italian side looking to take what they could from the first leg on the counterattack back to the San Siro.

However, the game took a dramatic turn for the worst as far as Nerazzurri fans were concerned when Marco Materazzi was sent off for two dubious yellow cards in the first half — both alleged fouls on Torres, who was all too willing to go to ground on the night.

Little in the game changed until fellow star defender Ivan Cordoba — who had a particularly star-worthy performance on the night — went off with an injury which has subsequently ended the Colombian's season.

It was then — and Liverpool still left it very, very late — that the deadlock was broken, with Dirk Kuyt's deflected shot and Steve Gerrard's drilled beauty almost certainly put the tie beyond doubt, to the delight of the capacity Anfield crowd who have thus far endured a miserable season on all other fronts.

That victory has galvanised Rafael Benitez's side and they have now won six on the bounce, with Torres in particular hitting devastating form with two hat-tricks in his past three games.

That won't be on his agenda on Tuesday, however, as the Spanish star has openly admitted that, perhaps understandably, his side will be looking to play deep against Inter and look to not conceding as more of a priority than scoring themselves, knowing a 1-0 or 3-1 loss would still see them through to the quarterfinals.

"Now we can look to the Inter Milan game with confidence," he declared. "It is a very important game for us, and we must keep this form going.

"We are confident of progressing in the competition in the San Siro. We had an excellent victory against Inter at Anfield, and we know if we score one goal in Milan it makes it very difficult for them, already 2-0 behind.

"They are one of the best teams in Europe at the moment, but we are confident.

"We expect to play deep and try for the counter-attack, and although we know Inter are a good team the first goal is very important.

"If we score first it will be difficult for them to score four times."

If Liverpool do qualify as is expected, they will make up a full complement of English teams, with all four that entered the competition making it to the last eight, with no other country occupying more than one place. The usually successful Spain and Italy have just Barcelona and Roma, whereas Schalke represent Germany and Fenerbache represent Turkey amongst the rest.

Fifa President Backs Liverpool FC Fans Over Ownership

President of FIFA Sepp Blatter yesterday said the Liverpool FC ownership saga should stand as a warning to other clubs considering selling out, and backed the fans’ right to protest.

Bought little more than a year ago by Tom Hicks and George Gillett, Liverpool are currently in the throes of seeing Dubai International Capital (DIC) attempt to become a shareholder.

As the Daily Post exclusively revealed on Saturday, Gillett has agreed to sell 49% of his stake to DIC and allow Hicks to buy his other 1%.

However, the prospects of sealing the deal were thrown into doubt after Hicks’s fury at DIC’s chief negotiator Amanda Staveley, whom he alleged had leaked a private letter detailing the deal.

Hicks’s representatives are still likely to meet DIC executives in the Middle Eastern state this week to discuss how the two might work together in a joint ownership.

Sources said Hicks’s anger had not ended the possibility of a deal, but admitted last night there was likely to be little movement this week.

The agreement would see Gillett walk away with £40m profit in cash and up to £40m in the future, dependent on the success of Liverpool.

Hicks would pay £500,000 for Gillett’s 1% share, to become a majority shareholder in the club.

A statement from Hicks said: “DIC is one of several potential minority investors we are or will be talking to.

“As for Amanda Staveley, who has a reputation for being pretty smart, she should know better than to publicly put words in my mouth – particularly words that she knows or should know perfectly well aren’t true.

“She should also know better than to release actual copies of my private correspondence to the press.”

But a source close to DIC said: “This letter has not been leaked by DIC or any of our negotiating team to the media.

“We do not expect any problems with the meetings next week, and we expect the deal to buy George Gillett’s stake to go through.”

Hicks is clearly upset that there are suggestions that although he will buy 1% of Gillett’s stake, that is the beginning of a process which will see DIC eventually buy out the Texan.

He remains adamant he has a veto over who Gillett sells to, and which, contrary to reports, is not time-limited.

Yesterday, Blatter was asked whether Liverpool’s situation should be a warning to other clubs.

He said: “Yes, definitely.

“You get investors, because a club is a good investment – and they come and if the results are not as such as they have expected, they go away.

“This is definitely a risk in all the clubs. But, as long as they have so many investors, and specifically in the English Premier League, it is a fashion to buy a football club.

“At a certain time, they wanted to have a Formula One team or they had a personal golf course or they had horses – and now it is football. That’s good for football, but the community of football should pay attention to such a situation.”

Blatter can understand Liv- erpool fans mounting pro- tests: “I like it. They did the same at Old Trafford two years ago, but they are still going to the stadium to watch the matches,” he said.

“We have to take care first of the game, but it can only be done with the understanding of everybody.

“Concerning the big clubs and the money, this is a problem which has nothing to do with sport; this is econ- omic mechanism and activities, where we have very little to say.”

Fernando Torres Revelling With Steven Gerrard As His Liverpool Partner

Fernando Torres believes his goalscoring run has been made easier by his partnership with Steven Gerrard.

The Spaniard netted his seventh goal in his last four games during Liverpool’s comfortable 3-0 home win over Newcastle United on Saturday.

Torres now has 25 in 34 games this season, with 19 coming in the Premier League.

Between them, Gerrard and Torres have scored 44 times this campaign, 10 of which have come during the last five games where the skipper has been employed in an advanced midfield role in support of his Spanish team-mate.

And Torres said: “When you play alongside a player like Stevie, it is easy to score like I have been. I am very comfortable with the partnership I have with Stevie and he is comfortable with me. We now must play like this for a long time together.

“We know where each other is running, where we are. I score, Stevie scores, and the team is winning. That is the most important thing.

“We both do our jobs and the team is winning. That is all we are trying to do.”

Torres, whose goal on the stroke of half-time was created by a fine Gerrard pass, returned the compliment in the second half after Jermaine Pennant had inadvertently given Liverpool the lead in the 43rd minute.

Rafael Benitez’s side have won their last five games, and Torres added: “Now we can look to the Inter Milan game with confidence, it is a very important game for us, and we must keep this form going.

“We are confident of progressing in the competition in the San Siro. We had an excellent victory against Inter at Anfield, and we know if we score one goal in Milan it makes it very difficult for them, already 2-0 behind.

“They are one of the best teams in Europe at the moment, but we are confident.

“We expect to play deep and try for the counter-attack, and although we know Inter are a good team the first goal is very important.

“If we score first it will be difficult for them to score four times.”

Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan was hugely impressed by the combination between Torres and Gerrard.

“You are only seeing the start of it at the moment, but what you are seeing if you are Rafa Benitez or a Liverpool fan is something that makes you go ‘wow’,” he said.

“It’s not what it is now but what it could be in the future that must frighten teams.

“Liverpool have the players who can really hurt you and, in Gerrard and Torres, they certainly had that. They are building a good partnership, realising the strengths of each other, and they are exploiting that on the pitch.

“The partnership with Gerrard is a combination that can only get better.”

Benitez Praises Liverpool's 'Perfect' Victory

Rafa Benitez hailed a "perfect" victory over Newcastle which sees Liverpool travel to Inter Milan in the Champions League highly confident of finishing the job they started at Anfield three weeks ago.

Another inspirational Fernando Torres performance propelled Benitez's side to a comfortable 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Newcastle at Anfield on Saturday.

The Spain striker scored one and was involved in the other two as Liverpool clocked up a fifth successive wins. They are now just two points behind third-placed Chelsea in the Premier League, although the London club does have two games in hand.

More importantly they head for Milan to defend a 2-0 first leg lead playing their best football of the season.

"We needed to win against Newcastle," said Benitez. "We scored three goals, conceded none and I was able to rest some players ahead of our Champions League game. Everything was perfect."

Torres now has 25 goals since joining from Atletico Madrid for 26.5 million pounds in pre-season. And his understanding with captain Steven Gerrard is beginning to prove fruitful for Benitez.

The duo have scored 29 of Liverpool's 53 league goals between them this season and Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan, an Anfield legend in his playing days, believes the duo can bring the glory days back to the club.

"I think Gerrard and Torres is a combination that can only get better. I think they will get even better," said Keegan.

"If you're spending 20 million pounds on a striker then I don't think it's a gamble. It's not like my situation when they spent 30,000-pounds to bring me from Scunthorpe."

Newcastle remain three points above the relegation zone but they have now played a game more than third-from-bottom Bolton. Defeat in their next game against fellow strugglers Birmingham could see them slip into the bottom three.

"I've told my players that I didn't think our performance was quite good enough," added Keegan.

"It's important we get to 40 points but we're still four wins away from that with nine games remaining."

Newcastle can feel hard done by after falling behind to a bizarre goal. But they can have no complaints about the other two goals and they were thoroughly defeated in the end.

There had been little to choose between the two sides before a huge slice of luck allowed Jermaine Pennant to give Liverpool a 43rd minute lead.

There appeared little danger when Jose Enrique cut out Torres' ball into the Newcastle penalty area, but the Spanish defender's attempted clearance cannoned off Pennant before looping over keeper Steve Harper into the net.

Liverpool fans were still celebrating when Torres made it 2-0. A defence-splitting pass by the impressive Gerrard found Torres with time and space to fire home his seventh goal in three Anfield appearances.

Newcastle were completely deflated and within six minutes of the second half they were 3-0 behind.

Torres was once again involved but this time he turned provider as he teed-up Gerrard to hammer home his 19th of the season and kill the game.

To their credit, the visitors continued to plug away and they were unfortunate not to score a consolation in the 70th minute through substitute Obafemi Martins.

The powerful striker showed great initiative with a stunning shot-on-the-turn from 30-yards which cannoned off Jose Reina's crossbar and away to safety.

Carragher Would Rather Win Champions League Than Premier

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher claims that their Champions League conquest in 2005 was worth more than any Premiership title could ever mean.

The Reds were crowned kings of Europe for the first time since the glory days of the 80's courtesy of an epic comeback victory against Milan, which Carragher reckons earned the 04/05 squad a place in Liverpool folklore.

"I'm desperate to win the league but the European Cup is bigger," he said. "I wouldn't swap Istanbul for a league title. People will talk about that match in 50 years' time, like they talk about Real Madrid beating Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3.

"Whatever has happened in the league, winning the Champions League again would make it an unbelievable season."

Liverpool, who only have fourth place to play for domestically, are in good stead to at least make it into the last eight of the competition, as they travel to Milan next week holding a two goal advantage over Inter.

Anfield In Dirty Tricks Uproar: Liverpool Owner Accuses Dubai As £500m Takeover Turns Nasty

The £500million battle for Liverpool descended into a bitter war of words last night as American co-owner Tom Hicks accused Dubai International Capital of resorting to dirty tricks in their bid to buy the club.

Despite a 3-0 victory over Newcastle delighting Anfield yesterday as Liverpool battled for the final Champions League place, the famous club's future was mired in controversy behind the scenes.

The woman at the centre of the row is Prince Andrew's former girlfriend, Amanda Staveley, who has been negotiating the deal on behalf of DIC.

A furious Hicks accused her of leaking a private email from the head of his sports company and warned that her allegedly aggressive tactics risked scuppering the Arabs' hope of buying into Liverpool.

"DIC is one of several potential minority investors we are or will be talking to," said the 61-year-old Texan multimillionaire.

"As for Amanda Staveley, who has a reputation for being pretty smart, she should know better than to publicly put words in my mouth, particularly words that she knows or should know perfectly well aren't true. She should also know better than to release actual copies of my private correspondence to the Press. If she thinks that is an appropriate way to acquire a stake in Liverpool FC, she'd better think again."

DIC and 34-year-old Staveley, who works for PCP Capital Partners, deny leaking the email and were bemused last night by the latest outburst from Hicks.

They remain confident there is nothing he can do to stop co-owner George Gillett selling his share of the club to them and are determined that they will have a significant say in how Liverpool is run, rather than be sleeping partners — the only situation Hicks says he will accept.

One or two DIC representatives, perhaps including Staveley, are set for seats on the board if Gillett Jnr completes the sale of his stake which was agreed late last week — 49 per cent of the club to the Arabs and one per cent to Hicks.

There will be a DIC presence among the travelling Liverpool fans at Tuesday's Champions League match against Internazionale.

The provisional deal struck with Gillett values Liverpool at £500m, including £350m of debts, leaving Gillett to walk away with a profit of £75m.

Assuming Hicks and DIC can strike an uneasy truce, the new partnership should not only guarantee a generous summer transfer kitty but also lead to the long-awaited start on a new stadium.

The recent refinancing of debts the Americans ran up in buying and running Liverpool left the club facing a £30m annual interest bill, which would have crippled manager Rafa Benitez in the transfer market even if the team succeeded in qualifying for next season's Champions League.

Yet even though Hicks would retain control by holding 51 per cent to DIC's 49 per cent, the involvement of the investment arm of the Middle East state all but ensures a healthy warchest.

Match Review: LiverpooL 3 - 0 Newcastle United

Kevin Keegan's Newcastle misery deepened on the ground where he is rightly still remembered as a playing legend in the heady days under Bill Shankly.

As a manager, Keegan has inherited a feeble, spineless Newcastle outfit who have now gone 12 Barclays Premier League games without a victory.

Liverpool cruised to their fourth successive league win, the first time they have achieved that measure of consistency for 13 months, and they will head off to their Champions League night of destiny against Inter Milan next week high on confidence.

This was Liverpool's 300th Premier League victory, and they now have a firm grip on that elusive fourth spot.

It was again their scoring double act of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres who put victory beyond doubt before the captain was withdrawn on the hour to protect him for Tuesday's date in the San Siro.

Ten minutes later Torres was also withdrawn, the Spaniard - now with 25 goals in 34 games, 13 in his last 12 - certainly could not be risked any longer with Inter next up.

Jermaine Pennant, very fortunately, deflected in the first goal while Torres and Gerrard created goals for each other.

Michael Owen, on his 250th Premier League appearance, was a pale shadow of the player who once electrified Anfield. Now Torres has taken that mantle.

Liverpool were without injured pair Javier Mascherano and Steve Finnan, while Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel started on the bench - with Yossi Benayoun, Pennant and Lucas coming into the side.

Newcastle were without Joey Barton, with Charles N'Zogbia the only change from the side which lost at home to Blackburn last weekend.

There was a show of strength from the Americans, with Liverpool moving towards shared ownership if Dubai International Capital complete their buy out of George Gillett next week,

A clutch of them were in the directors' box, including another of Tom Hicks' sons, Mike.

But Liverpool fans paid more attention to Kevin Keegan, a Kop legend, who spent 20 minutes before the game signing countless autographs as his team warmed up.

The Newcastle manager did not look like he had a care in the world - and his team started confidently, with Alan Smith seeing a seventh-minute header from a corner deflected wide from a corner.

At the other end Fernando Torres - the Barclays player of the month - took on Abdoulaye Faye on the right and fired in a cross-shot which Steve Harper turned away.

John Arne Riise was booked for a high challenge on James Milner but Newcastle were still more than holding their own - until the freak 43rd-minute incident which took the game away from them.

Jose Enrique's attempted clearance cannoned back off Pennant and into the net, giving Liverpool the lead and Pennant only his second goal in 71 games for the club.

Seconds before the break Torres rubbed salt into visiting wounds when he rounded Harper and coolly netted following an outstanding ball from Gerrard.

Newcastle, who had replaced Milner with Geremi just before the break, fell three goals behind in the 51st minute, with Enrique again the man to suffer.

The Magpies defender failed to confront Torres, opting to back away as the Spaniard took possession. That invited Liverpool forward, and Torres sent Gerrard away down the middle to neatly chip Harper for the third.

Newcastle were now a shambles at the back, with Torres and Gerrard combining with ease before the latter saw a shot saved excellently by Harper.

Keegan sent on Obafemi Martins for the ineffective Damien Duff, before Liverpool replaced Gerrard on the hour.

Martins hit the bar with a fierce left-footed effort in the 68th minutes, before Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch formed the home strike partnership.

Sami Hyypia came on after 78 minutes - replacing Pennant - as Liverpool utilised a three-man central defence which could operate against Inter on Tuesday.

Harper saved well from a Kuyt flick and then got down to block a Riise drive, before Benayoun saw a diving header deflected just wide. as the Reds finished in confident fashion against a team who are heading in the wrong direction.

Le Tallec Reveals Reds Regret

Anthony Le Tallec believes he made his 'biggest mistake' by handing in a loan request at Liverpool.

Le Tallec was brought to Anfield from Le Havre in 2002 by former Reds manager Gerard Houllier.

The 23-year-old made a number of appearances under Houllier, however he has barely featured since Rafa Benitez took over as manager in 2004.

Le Tallec has had loan spells at St Etienne, Sunderland and Sochaux before joining Le Mans last summer on a season-long loan.

And the former France Under 21 international has explained that he regrets asking Benitez for a loan move so soon after the Spaniard arrived on Merseyside.

"I left France when I was 18-years-old," he told L'Equipe. "There were 10 big clubs following me, but I preferred Liverpool.

"Gerard Houllier, with his French players - I believed it would be easier for me to adapt.

"I signed a five-year contract with an option to extend it for a further year. I am still under contract with Liverpool.

"My first season was very good, and I started to make a name for myself when Houllier left.

"The only regret I have is when I met with Benitez and asked to be loaned out.

"In my mind, I thought he was going to bring in Spanish players, and I was afraid I would not play anymore.

"It is my biggest mistake."

DIC And Hicks Reach Power Sharing Deal For Liverpool

Liverpool were last night preparing to enter an uncertain period of coalition ownership after Dubai International Capital (DIC) agreed a deal to buy 49 per cent of the club, with Tom Hicks securing the additional 1 per cent that he needs to earn majority control.

George Gillett Jr, who bought Liverpool with Hicks just 13 months ago, has agreed to sell his 50 per cent share in the club, but, rather than sell the entire stake to DIC, he will sell 1 per cent of the company to Hicks. The deal allows Hicks to assume majority control, although DIC, the private-equity investment arm of the Dubai Government, remains confident that it will ultimately buy him out.

The compromise agreement, which will be finalised at a meeting in Dubai next week, was accepted by DIC last night after talks between Amanda Staveley, its representative in London, and lawyers for both Hicks and Gillett. In a statement last night Staveley said: “Subject to renegotiation of a partnership agreement and subject to the stringent minority shareholder protection rights we would be prepared to accept a 49 per cent shareholding in Liverpool FC. This arrangement provides the best possible solution to the situation and would be in the best interests of the club and their loyal fans.”

Liverpool’s supporters are likely to have mixed feelings about the partnership, which some Anfield officials had described as a “nightmare scenario”. In theory it means that Hicks will call the shots in the boardroom, but DIC is determined to exert its influence, having indicated that it will conduct a review of all aspects of the club. Staveley, a senior partner of the PCP private equity firm, and Sameer al-Ansari, the chief executive, are expected to be among those joining the board, with Gillett and his son, Foster, likely to depart.

Liverpool attempt to focus on on-field matters this afternoon against Newcastle United in the Barclays Premier League and, with Michael Owen returning to Anfield as captain of the visiting side, it is hard to say which he will find most unsettling: the admission from Rafael Benítez yesterday that he was on a list of potential signings last summer or the uncomfortable knowledge that the Liverpool manager was right to go with his instincts and opt for Fernando Torres instead.

“We know that Michael is a brilliant finisher, but we were looking for a player with the conditions of Torres, a player with pace and power,” Benítez said. “We had a list of ten strikers and he [Owen] was one of the names we had. Afterwards we decided that Torres was the No 1 priority. It is obvious we are happy with Torres.”

Dalglish: Torres Is The Buy Of The Season

Fernando Torres will lead Liverpool into their European night of destiny at the San Siro with the ringing endorsement of Kenny Dalglish.

The Spanish striker, with 24 goals in 33 matches since his £20million-plus move from Atletico Madrid last summer, will strike fear into the hearts of Inter Milan as Liverpool seek to clinch a Champions League quarter final place.

The 23-year-old has embarked on a scoring spree featuring two hat-tricks since the club's met in the first leg at Anfield three weeks ago when Liverpool built a 2-0 lead.

Dalglish, voted recently as Liverpool's greatest-ever player, said of Torres: "Torres just oozes class in attack. For me the kid is the best buy anywhere in Europe this season.

"The worrying thing for everyone else is the fact that I can only see him getting better and better as the season continues."

Liverpool are 2-0 ahead from the first leg of their Champions League showdown and on the brink of being the fourth English side to reach the quarter-finals -following Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea's progress this week.

Dalglish was hugely impressed with Liverpool's display in the first leg and they will go to the San Siro with confidence high.

Dalglish said: "In the first leg, Liverpool showed what they are truly capable of. We all felt they had it in them, but we have only seen it in flashes this season.

"To a man Liverpool were excellent, but I was expecting more from Inter.

"They put out a team that lacked pace of any description. They looked like they had come for a clean sheet and maybe hit Liverpool on the break to nick something.

"They will say that we benefited from them having Marco Materazzi sent-off, but they had been made to look ordinary long before his second yellow card.

"Having 10 men did not mean they had to change their game plan much, and they have plenty of practice playing with a man down over in Italy.

"They looked stunned and shell-shocked by the way Liverpool played and they couldn't do the simple things like keeping possession. Those are basics for Italian teams."

For Inter Milan this second-leg comes at a key moment in their history as they celebrate their centenary this weekend.

Up until they played Liverpool, Inter had been a massive, dominant force in Serie A this season, unbeaten and miles ahead at the top of the table.

But things have changed since then, and Inter have lost their unbeaten league record, going down to defeat away to Napoli last weekend.

Second-placed Roma have closed the gap at the top and are six points behind with 12 games remaining.

Inter have been boosted by the return to training of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has been out with a knee problem. Also close to a return is another striker, Julio Cruz, who has been struggling with a muscle problem.

Materazzi is suspended for the return leg, but club president Massimo Moratti said: "I would have never imagined that we would lose our first league game of the season just before our celebrations.

"Nor that we would face such a perilous position in the Champions League days later.

"The best present we could give would be to beat Liverpool. I have great confidence in the players that coach Roberto Mancini will choose, because they have the quality to play a game showing the heroic character that we will need to progress."

Premier League Preview: LiverpooL vs. Newcastle United

Kevin Keegan returns to Anfield having endured a torrid start to his second coming at St. James’ Park. His first spell holders fonder memories: Keegan was the manager of Newcastle when his side succumbed to a last minute Stan Collymore goal in a 4-3 defeat that is possibly still the most entertaining Premier League game ever.

That Newcastle team had flair - Ginola, Beardsley and Asprilla, as well as the goals of Les Ferdinand, and they went so close to winning the championship under Keegan’s guidance. This time, it's been different: sections of the Toon Army were delighted when Keegan returned but, to be honest, Keegan could not have imagined such a dreadful sequence of results in his darkest nightmares.

Newcastle are sliding slowly towards the bottom three with a squad of ageing and unmotivated players who are underperforming massively. Having not won in 11 league games, Newcastle now face the daunting prospect of a trip to Anfield, a side that have already beaten them 3-0 this season.

Newcastle concede goals far too readily and Liverpool’s in-form Fernando Torres will fancy his chances of scoring a third consecutive hat-trick at Anfield here. Rafa Benitez, in fact, has seen his side finally start to play like a top four club in recent weeks, winning four on the spin and scoring plenty of goals on the process.

With a solid defensive midfield duo of Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso dictating play, Benitez has released Steven Gerrard to support the scintillating Fernando Torres and it has worked well. Dirk Kuyt has found some form playing wide where he is not expected to score goals, and Ryan Babel’s pace on the opposite flank stretches teams creating space for Torres and Gerrard to exploit.

Benitez has not rotated as much since that shocking Cup defeat at the hands of Barnsley, and so long as he continues to do this The Red’s can expect an excellent end to the season. A victory on Saturday looks like a formality, but Newcastle have to win sometime and what better ground to win on than Anfield where manager Keegan and captain Owen enjoyed so many glorious games in the colours of Liverpool.



FORM GUIDE

Liverpool

05 Mar v West Ham (h) WON 4-0 (Prem)

02 Mar v Bolton (a) WON 3-1 (Prem)

23 Feb v Middlesbrough (h) WON 3-2 (Prem)

19 Feb v Internazionale (h) WON 2-0 (CL)

16 Feb v Barnsley (h) LOST 1-2 (FA Cup)

10 Feb v Chelsea (a) DREW 0-0 (Prem)



Newcastle

01 Mar v Blackburn (h) LOST 0-1 (Prem)

23 Feb v Manchester United (h) LOST 1-5 (Prem)

09 Feb v Aston Villa (a) LOST 1-4 (Prem)

03 Feb v Middlesbrough (h) DREW 1-1 (Prem)

29 Jan v Arsenal (a) LOST 0-3 (Prem)

26 Jan v Arsenal (a) LOST 0-3 (FA Cup)



TEAM NEWS

Liverpool

Rafa is becoming more consistent with his team selections in recent weeks, and probably won’’t tinker much with the side that thrashed West Ham in midweek. Steve Finnan and Andriy Voronin (ankle) will miss out, but Daniel Agger is back in contention after getting some action in the reserves on Tuesday night.

Newcastle

King Kev has not had any luck since returning to Newcastle and that has continued with Shay Given sidelined. Elsewhere, Stephen Carr, Mark Viduka, Peter Ramage and Emre are missing, as is Joey Barton who is not allowed to play in Liverpool due to the terms of his bail. Expect a central midfield role Charles N’Zogbia.



PLAYERS TO WATCH

Liverpool - Fernando Torres has scored hat-tricks in his last two home games, and the former Atletico Madrid forward will be rubbing his hands at the prospect of another against a confidence stricken Newcastle on Saturday. Torres ripped Newcastle to pieces at St. James’ Park earlier in the campaign, yet somehow failed to convert any of the chances he created for himself. Do not expect the best striker in the country to be as forgiving this weekend.

Newcastle - Michael Owen returns to Anfield as captain of a Newcastle side that find themselves in freefall. Owen rose to prominence after coming through the Liverpool youth ranks, and many Koppites were angered when Benitez chose not to bring back the England man from Real Madrid. Owen has lost some pace due to injuries but he is still a predator, and if Newcastle can supply him with decent chances, it is only a matter of time before he starts hitting the net again.