Liverpool vs Besiktas- Minute by Minute

1-Besikta's out with force with a lot of quick passing prompting Liverpool to press high

2- FOUL- Ballotelli is brought down as the referee waits a long time to blow his whistle

3-Kolo Toure tries to dribble the ball out of defence but his pass leaders to knowhere

3- Besiktas retain possession but is quickly regained by Liverpool  in Emre Can who passes long to Ballotelli

4-FOUL - Ballotelli is deemed to have fouled the Besiktas defender

4-Possession is regained by Liverpool as the atmosphere at the ground becomes very hostile towards the Merseyside club

5-Liverpool are heckled whenever they retain possession, Liverpool being patiently on the ball

6- FOUL-Ballotelli with a blatant push on Besiktas midfilder

7- Raheem Sterling is closed down by two Besiktas players very quickly, Liverpool given little time on the play and becoming more sloppy as a result

8-Besiktas attack fizzles out as Sterling and Ibe linked up on the right hand side as Ibe looks to pass to Ballotelli but a defender intercepts

9-Joe Allen Intercepts well and threads the ball to Ballotelli who back heels the ball for a one two but is quickly out muscled and loses possesion

10-Ballotelli tries to dribble the ball out of a dangerous position

10-Ballotelli fouls Besiktas midfielder after aiming to win back possession

11-Besiktas have majority of posession as they look to work their way through the Liverpool half

12- Raheem Sterling intercepts but his flash attempts at a Maradona style clearance fail.

13-Cross from Besiktas is put left by the Liverpool defence for a Mignolet goal kick

13- Besiktas quickly retain possession, Liverpool look to be struggling

Besiktas has not conceded a goal at home this season to an English team

15- Sturridge offside and a quickly taken free-kick for Besiktas

15- Beskitas look to play the ball out-wide results in a Liverpool throw

16- Ballotelli utilizes his strength well to win another throw in for Liverpool

16- Jordon Ibe looks to work his way through the Besiktas defence but gets caught as he cuts inside

17- Besiktas play some great football in a one-two ball is played in along the floor to the box cleared by Skrtel for a corner

17-Corner comes in and is dealt with efficiently as Liverpool watch the ball go out for a goal Kick after an ambitious shot from outside the box

19-Flashy pass by the Besiktas right midfielder looks embarressing and goes out for a throw in

19-Lovely play by Ballotelli who flicks the ball outwide to Moreno who closes down the Besiktas defender to allow Sterling to get a shot off from outside the box, well saved by the keeper who dramatically dives to his left

21- Ballotelli Looking alot fitter and closes down well

21-Great ball forward by Moreno allows Sturridge to have half a chance but quickly runs out of steam

22-Awful ball by Lovren leads to another ambitious shot by a Besiktas midfielder which rolls into Mignolets arms

22- Foul- Emre Can is penalised for a foul

23-Through ball is Intercepted by Moreno who releases the ball to Can, can attempts an ambitious 60 yard pass which is left for the Besiktas defence

24-Jordon Ibe ball forward to Sturridge allows Raheem Sterling to be played in who struggles to get into a strong position and makes little of a pass to Sturridge

25-Ballotelli offside- nice to see the Italian working hard

25- Sturridge tries to do to much and is caught, looking far too greedy for my liking

26-FOUL- Emre Can is penalized for a foul which looked moderately liked a shoulder barge

27-Pitch is starting to live up to reputation as Sturridge failed to gain control while on the attack

28- Long ball by Moreno found Sturridge who holds up to lay off Sterling whose shot  deflects of Besiktas defender

29- corner by Joe Allen good delivery but Skrtel heads over the bar and had no clear opportunity

30- Ballotelli running the risk of the referee here as he dubiously wins a foul in the middle of midfield

31- Ballotelli is quickly becoming the central figure of this match as he is again thrown to the ground winning a free kick in Besiktas' half

32-Ballotelli clips Besiktas midfielder who trips and stumbles on the bobbly surface, Mario threads it through to Sturridge who takes far too long to get his shot off and Besiktas retain possession

33- Free kick to Besiktas in a dangerous position forces Mignolet to come and claim the ball. The Belgian looks a great deal more calm than 3 months ago

34- Sturridge and Moreno combine well but Moreno's weak effort is easily collected by the keeper

36- Foul on Ballotelli as he gets up and laughs it off. Ballotelli's fancy maneuver results in good fortune

Liverpool have already achieved more shots on target than they managed in the previous fixture.

37-Ballotelli again gets a foul as he jumps up for a header and collides with the Besiktas midfielder

38- Besiktas Midfielder becoming a repeat offender, totaling 4 fouls in my book

39- Ballotelli stands over the free kick. Sturridge not complaining this time. Great Free kick but no challenge

39-Hand ball by Besiktas attacker results in Liverpool Free kick who are becoming much more assertive in the fixture.

40-Crowd have been silenced partly by Liverpool but are quickly roaring again as the Besiktas forward cuts inside and forces a save from Mignolet

42- Jordan Ibe wins the ball with a bit of luck and plays it to Ballotelli who attempts an outrageous strike from distance which hits row Z

43- Lovely footwork from Demba Ba who plays a long ball out wide to the right

44- Liverpool looking on the back-foot now and look to be chasing Besiktas who still cannot find a way through the Liverpool defence who have been been strong this first half.

45- The bobbly pitch does Joe Allen who is quickly chased down by Demba Ba

45- Emre Can takes it cooly past three players to win a throw in in the far right hand corner.

45- Liverpool Offside. That's the first half finished with Liverpool still leading on Aggregate.

Liverpool have looked the stronger team this half despite having less possession, the link up play of Ballotelli, Sturridge and Sterling has been magnificent and seems to suggest that it's just a matter of time before Liverpool score. The midfield has looked marvelous applying plenty of pressure, the only worry is that Ballotelli is running the risk of a second yellow card, having picked up an early one he will have to be much more careful next half.

45- Besiktas with possession playing it out from the goalkeepers, Liverpool retain possession briefly but Besiktas win it back quickly

46- Ball is crossed into the box but shows no danger and simply rolls out for a goal kick for Liverpool

47- Besiktas playing the ball nicely in a one two on their hand side as Demba Ba crosses but the ball goes behind the Liverpool goal

48-Ballotelli penalized for his strength as discussion over his possible substitution arises

49- Liverpool happy for Besiktas to maintain possession  as they are confident in their strong back 3/5

50- Besiktas look danger as the ball comes into the box, the ball falls to Demba Ba who layed it off for a shot but the ball deflects out wide to Besiktas midfielder who strikes from distance and forces Mignolet to stretch but je keeps hold of it

52- Jordon Ibe heads the ball away as pressure mounts from the Turkish 13 team league champions

52- Liverpool fail to close down again as Besiktas have a striker from outside the ball as Mignolet is forced to save once more

53-Ballotelli and Joe Allen's fancy footwork fails to get rid of the ball and nearly causes danger for the Liverpool back four

54- Ballotelli shoulders the ball from Kavlak. Kavlak falls down hinting at suggestion of a flailing elbow.

54- Throw in to Liverpool. Ballotelli wins a corner for the reds.

55-Corner delivered, too deep and Emre Can's well placed header is easily caught by the Besiktas shot stopper

56- Skrtel has to deal with a ball from Kavlak as Demba Ba lingers behind.

57-Besiktas maintain possession on the edge of the Liverpool box as Jordon Ibe struggles to clear the ball from pressure from the Besiktas players.

58- Ballotelli goes down holding his face after a collision. Besiktas player brings studs down on Ballotelli's heel.

59-Substitute for Besiktas. Arslan coming on

60-Liverpool play with the ball deep in their half. Liverpool lose the ball and its played over the top to Demba Ba who was ruled offside, Liverpool defence looked stable and ready to clear regardless.

62- Emre Can applies pressure deep into the Besiktas half but it penalized for a light foul.

62-The Besiktas number 7 applying lots of danger to the Liverpool back four cutting inside and unleashing an effort just over the bar

63- Ballotelli goes down in an exaggerated manor. Looks as if he is trying to get his marker sent off. Besiktas fans becoming louder and louder currently.

64- Ball passed into the box is cleared by Toure as Jordon Ibe carries it away

65- Liverpool turn back towards their goal and maintain possession rather than attacking.

66- The Besiktas number 7 terrorising the Liverpool defence once more and plays a low ball into the box that Skrtel has to deal with.

68- Alberto Moreno with a great interception to stop a very dangerous opportunity

68- Liverpool fail to truly clear and Skrtel has to block the ball. Moreno tries to clear but is caught and puts it out for a throw in

69- Arslan the substitute shoots from distance misses by inches as Mignolet looked unconvincing that he would save it. Besiktas clearly on top at the moment.

71- Liverpool keep playing the ball back to their defence and send the ball long giving the ball straight back to Besiktas after Sturridge is penalised 

72- GOAL! Liverpool concede after great link up play by the Number 7, Demba Ba and Arslan the substitute scores with a beautiful strike on the edge of the box beating Mignolet.

73- Liverpool look  to be on the backfoot once more as Besiktas maintain possession

74- Ballotelli needlessly gives the ball away with a wayward pass to nobody. Ball is played forward and Besiktas continue their attack

75- Liverpool look to attack now as Sterling tries to play Sturridge through but too much weight on the pass

76- SUBSTITUTE- Jordan Ibe is replaced by Spaniard Manquillo

76- Besiktas Right winger wins a corner after battling with Moreno. Corner presents little danger but the ball played back in has to be dealt with by Skrtel

77- Manquillo hesitantly heads the ball out for a Besiktas Corner with no pressure coming onto him.

78- Poor corner from Besiktas as the low cross is dribbled out by Sterling who falls over and recieves a free kick.

79- Pressure is clearly getting to the Merseyside club as they realise they are far from home. Cross into the Liverpool box is met by Mignolet who comes out of the box to give it to Manquillo

80- Emre Can with a lovely bit of skill to get the ball away from the pressure. Sturridge has struggled to make any impact in this game and has just shown this as he makes no attempt to move for the ball 

81- SUBSTITUTION- Ballotelli comes of the pitch and is replaced by Adam Lallana. Ballotelli did not look best pleased.

82- More and more problems created by Besiktas who float the ball long to Demba Ba and forces Skrtel to head away

82- Sturridge with a very poor weak pass to Manquillo resulting in a Besiktas free kick

83- Liverpool are just not physical enough in this game being out battled constantly 

84- Liverpool have no urgency to play the ball forward and look for a crucial away goal. They play the ball from the back and midfield, as Heckles ring loud from the Home team

85- Lallana looking lively making a direct run and linking up with Moreno on the left side diving deep into the Besiktas half but stops the ball going out for a goalkick and puts it out for a throw in

86- Liverpool showing glimpses of their previous form, but fail to find a major way through the Besiktas defence

86- Demba Ba makes space for himself and attempts an ambitious shot from a long away out but drags it wide of the goal

87- Emre Can cleverly wins the ball back but the attack from Liverpool quickly fizzles out as Moreno misplaces a pass

88- Besiktas resorting to Long ball tactics with Demba Ba looking very tired.

89-Clever play from Liverpool get the ball out of danger. Emre Can gives it Manquillo who plays it back for long ball over the top for Sturridge to chase but too heavy.

90-3 Minutes stoppage time. 

90- Arslan walks past the Liverpool defence to get a cross in which is blocked by Skrtel to produce a corner for Besiktas, squeaky bum time!

91- Corner comes in the box and confusion leads to Demba Ba getting a clear striker on goal but comes off the crossbar and its still rattling

92- Liverpool defence looks really shaky as they struggle to clear the ball. With Besiktas looking to take advantage of their vulnerability and play crosses into the box

93- Full time with extra time to play!

91- Liverpool looking more dangerous and with a more attacking mindset. Pressing quicker

91- Teamwork by Skrtel and Lovren. Skrtel chests the ball down and allows Lovren to turn away and give the ball to Moreno

92- Liverpool struggling to maintain possession

92- Ball from Sturridge to Raheem Sterling, poor cross from Sterling and the keeper collects with no challenges

94- The little Besiktas number 7 again causing problems with a floating cross that Mignolet collects

94- Daniel Sturridge penalized for a foul from a slight nudge.

95- Long bobbling shot from Besiktas goes just wide

95- Liverpool looking to maintain more possession and create more but still slightly careless in final attempts.

96- Great closing down by Besiktas forces Joe Allen to give away a throw in

96- Liverpool are lookign to attack more in this first half of extra time but are severely backing in movement. Adam Lallana the only player making himself available.

97- Goalkick to Besiktas, headed forward by Emre Can. Played out from the back by the Besiktas centre backs

98- Liverpool dealing with pressure well but still look under pressure as Demba Ba gets himself in a offside position

99- Demba Ba gets himself onside this time and forces a save from mignolet 12 yards out on the right hand side.

100- Demba taking advantage of another slip by Emre Can, plays it to the wirey number 7 who has a weak shot saved by Mignolet.

101- Emre Can down with what appears to be cramp caused by Kavlok stamping on his camp accidentally.

102- Besiktas give possession back to Liverpool. The crowd are still as loud as ever.

102- Emre Can booked for simulation as he goes down very easily under a weak coming together after skipping past another player.

104- Liverpool on the counter attack but make little opportunity as Sturridge is wasteful once more. Liverpool get another chance after pressure from Lallana but make little of it again

105- 1 minute added time. Liverpool just about ontop at this stage as they force Besiktas to give the ball away under pressure.

Half Time whistle- straight turn around. A Liverpool goal would mean they are effectively through as Besiktas would need two goals due to away goals. Totenham have already been eliminated as Fiorentina won 2-1 on aggregate.

105- Sturridge rightfully replaced by Rickie Lambert. Sturridge has been very poor this match.

105-Lovren dived in there on the Besiktas number 7 risking a foul in a dangerous area. 

106- Strong tackle on Emre Can is cheered by the crowd.  Besiktas player offside.

107- Ball played forward to Sterling who is bumbled over and wins a free kick on the edge of the box, very good position.

108- Lallana stands over the free kick, as the big players jostle for position. Long free kick aimed at Liverpool who fails to win the header against Demba Ba

109- Liverpool get the ball on the edge of the box. Lovren crosses embarrassingly far too high and wide. Goalkick for Besiktas.

110-Sterling sprinting back to his half to close down the Besiktas right back. Besiktas maintain control of possession playing it around the midfield and back four calmly. 

111- The Besiktas left full back ghosts past Emre Can and Toure. Crosses the ball but Manquillo blocks well and it deflects out off Opare.

112- Kolo Toure blocks the ball from coming into the box, as they apply more pressure to Liverpool

113- Corner to Besiktas. Cleared by Liverpool who look to break with Rickie Lambert who turns back and places Lovren under pressure with a poor placed pass.

114- Liverpool severely lacking creativity as Besiktas break with Demba Ba who blazes his shot way over the cross bar.

115- Goalkick gives possession straight back to Besiktas who look extremely likely to score at the moment. Demba Ba clearly demonstrating his fitness ability tonight looking a constant threat.

116- Ball to Raheem Sterling easily picked away from him.

116- Sterling wins a free kick on the left hand side in a dangerous position. Delivery has to be better though

117-Emre Can with a very poor delivery not even beating the first man 

118- Emre Can easily shouldered off the ball. a faulty error in the Besiktas area caused little danger to Liverpool who have looked nonthreatening for a majority of the night

119- Liverpool applying more pressure but it does little to effect the outcome as the referee blows the final whistle. We are heading to Penalties!

Liverpool have competed in 3 penalty shoot outs in Europe and have won them all, with the result be the same tonight?

Penalty Shoot Out

Demba Ba steps up, Demba Ba SCORES!! Mignolet dives the wrong way

Liverpool first penalty taker, Rickie Lambert and he SCORES! Superb penalty there from the Liverpool born striker

SCORES! Mignolet gets very close but too much height, Tore with a great penalty

Lallana with a very simple penalty, SCORES, sends the keeper the wrong way!

Kavlak SCORES with a great penalty, well placed 

Cool Emre Can Steps up and SCORES with an amazingly placed penalty in the bottom right hand corner!

SCORES! Fantastic penalty by Hutchinson, In the top right hand corner, Mignolet had no chance!

Joe Allen steps up and SCORES! Cooly in the top left hand corner so well placed from the Welshman

Arslan who has been superb since his introduction SCORES with a simple finish in the bottom right hand corner too powerful for Mignolet!

Lovren has to score to keep Liverpool in it and he MISSES!!! Liverpool are out!!

Liverpool vs Besiktas- Match Preview

England's most successful European team Liverpool look to Thursday evening where they will face second in the Turkish Super Lig Besiktas  whose highest European achievement points to their Champions league quarter final in 1987 and UEFA league quarter final in 2003.

Liverpool hold a 1-0 lead following on from the first leg at Anfield where Mr controversy Mario Ballotelli secured the lead with a penalty in the 85th minute coming off the bench. The penalty created a small degree of anarchy for the Liverpool team with Sturridge and Henderson confronting Ballotelli who was not the designated penalty taker.  The two teams differ in form with Liverpool losing just twice in all competitions since December 2nd, while the
Turkish outfit have lost 3 of their past 6 fixtures.

Besiktas striker Demba Ba is currently the Turkish side's top scorer in European competitions with 5 goals in 5 games while Liverpool have struggled to score in European competition with Gerrard the top scorer on 2 in 6 games. However the former Chelsea man who scored the infamous goal that remains in Liverpool fans hearts as their Captain slipped may not be a worry. Twitter was a rife with rumours circulating that he has been ruled out due to a calf injury although nothing has been confirmed yet. Besiktas recent lack of form means they look likely to miss out on a 14th Turkish title to current leaders Galatasary who have overtaken Besiktas and remain at the top of the league by one point. Still compared to the Merseyside club they are fairly successful as Liverpool remain in 6th place two points away from a champions league place and 15 points off top spot.
With Besitkas without Motta and centre back Gulum, Beskitas look a troubled team. but the Attaturk where the second leg will be played has seen famous comebacks before..

Liverpool cruised past Southampton 2-0 on Sunday despite looking shaky for periods of the match,
Phillipe Coutinho again demonstrated his shooting ability after firing Liverpool ahead in the opening 5 minutes with a 30 yard strike that flew past Frazer Forster. Liverpool seemed happy to continue the rest of the game banking on the one nil lead but it become a solid strategy as defensive error by Southampton allowed for Raheem Sterling to strike home to secure the win. Liverpool look the stronger party heading into the fixture with the Merseyside club the most inform team in English football currently.

A different focus on the style of football has innovated the Liverpool team who overall look a solid formidable outfit from the back significantly down to the introduction of Emre Can to both defence and midfield as well as Mignolet looking much more assertive after his removal from the first team. Liverpool will be without Steven Gerrard who is still recovering from a hamstring injury, Henderson will remain captain. Glen Johnson and Lucas are also out with injury. Ballotelli is rumoured to be rewarded with his recent improvement with a rare start possibly partnering Daniel Sturridge which fans have been crying out for since Sturridge's return to fitness.

Predicted Line Up
                 Mignolet
          Sakho Can Skrtel
 Sterling Henderson Allen Moreno
                  Coutinho
           Sturridge Ballotelli

Predicted Score line- Liverpool 2-2 Besiktas

Match Preview- Crystal Palace

With Liverpool facing one of their most daunting fixtures of recent seasons a prayer should be said for Liverpool in the hope that the past does not affect this future. With Steven Gerrard ruled out as well as Raheem Sterling paired with doubts over Phillipe Coutinho's fitness Alan Pardews Crystal Palace may be a stumbling block too far for the Merseyside club.

Liverpool have changed miraculously since the 3-1 mauling at Selhurst park back in November. The new look reds side have been reborn again since the change in formation to 343 with Emre Cans performance claiming a significant amount of that praise. Last fixture Crystal Palace came from one nil down thanks to a Rickie Lambert striker to win 3-1 mainly down to a magnificent performance from winger Victor Bolasie. (Glen Johnson was given a torrid time and was converted to a medical research centre due to his constant nightmares of Bolasie running past him). Liverpool now look a team capable of a top four finish especially since now they have a recognised striker in Daniel Sturridge who after completing his first start in the league since September will look to put his injury problems behind him. Mario Ballotelli is rumoured to have also earned himself a rare start after his match winning goal against Totenham Hotspur on Tuesday. With Liverpool no becoming a more fearful outfit they will hope their commendable form continues in the FA cup with the dream of 'Gerrard to Wembley' still alive.

Captain fantastic himself however will be watching from home as he is out for a number of weeks with a hamstring problem. The skipper may not be Liverpool's main concern; Lucas Leiva a man who has been instrumental in centre midfield is out for an extended period of time, this has left Brendan Rodgers with a dilemma over Can and whether to replace him with Lovren and move him further up the field in his natural position. However having more options will suit the Welshman as his strength in depth seems to be working.

Crystal Palace under Alan Pardew seem a more rounded team, with their main threat being the lower league 14 year old in disguise Dwight Gayle who has made a habit of scoring past Liverpool in his last three fixtures.
 Under Alan Pardew Crystal Palace have neither excelled nor have they de-excelled they have remained consistent. Pardew will look to utilize Gayle and Bolasie and unleash them on the newly unified defence. With Crystal Palace averaging a goal (1.08) a game, coinciding with Liverpool's conceding rate of 1.16 per game it looks likely that Palace will edge a goal somewhere in the fixture. Crystal Palace have scored the most past the Merseyside club this season 6 in total in their last two fixtures with one in particular costing Liverpool any hope of reaching Premier league glory.
But with Crystal Palace gaining momentum in their late push for a top ten finish, their attention in the FA cup may be harmed, this is in comparison to Liverpool's eye for fourth also. 'League form goes out of the window in the cup' is the old saying, with these two teams having Wembley in their sights, Steven Gerrard's farewell trophy versus Pardew's desire of a parting shot at Newcastle, this fixture is sure to create friction and be a fiesty affair.

Both teams have clear positives, Liverpool's resurgence in their new formation to Crystal Palace being the underdogs who Liverpool have underestimated time and time again. Despite Liverpool's injury woes it's hard not to envisage a win for Liverpool.

Through all the fight Crystal Palace will show it SHOULD not be enough, Liverpool SHOULD be able to palm palace away. The confidence their league form will bring coinciding with Daniel Sturridge's hunger for goals and Brendan Rodger's desire to win a trophy in his third season points to a Liverpool win. I expect Emre Can to partner Jordan Henderson in midfield with Lovren taking his place at Centre back with Skrtel and Lovren as his defensive partners. Markovic and Ibe should be either side of the midfielders with Coutinho Ballotelli and Sturridge as the front three.

Match Prediction 3-0 Liverpool. Sturridge, Sturridge, Can.
Leave me your comments and let me know your predictions!

Liverpool vs West Ham preview

Crashing out of the Capital One cup doesn't exactly seem like an ideal preparation, on paper. Liverpool's competitiveness and ability to match Chelsea demonstrated a collective team performance combined with fluid counter attacks and stable defending. West Ham are unbeaten in their last 3 premier league fixtures plus they are riding high into the next round of the FA cup, the Hammers show no sign of fading out yet.

The remarkable start to the season was memorable for both clubs, West Ham having one of their best starts to the season for 20 years while Liverpool suffered one of their worst, despite spending a fortune of over £100 million. The last time this mega money was spent was when seen two significant purchases who now feature regularly in claret and blue £35 million on Andy Carroll and £20 million on Stewart Downing.

The main target men that are a constant threat for West Ham are Diafra Sakho, Stewart Downing, Alex Song and Andy Carroll. These four players along with defensive stalwart Winston Reid have been instrumental in boss Sam Allardyce's resurgence of the club.

Allardyce was favourite for the chop last season but with his team still vying for the top four, David Gold's choice to stick by big Sam looks to be an inspired one. The tally of goals scored by the Hammers is 35, superior to Liverpool's 31. The creativity and attacking drive that has become an expected formality with West Ham this season is down to the four attacking players mentioned above, Sakho a summer purchase from Ligue 2 club Metz has been a focal point of West Ham's new look play, the Ligue 2 player of the year last year has scored 8 goals in the process. The pair of Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing  two purchases from Liverpool have regained exceptional form that has seen Downing called up for England twice, although he did not feature through injury. The freedom and build up play is a stark comparison to the style of football seen at Upton park last season, with fans openly booing Sam Allardyce for his 'boring style of football'. This however looks to be a thing of the past, special recognition can be given to on loan Barcelona star Alex Song who is looking to rebuild his career after a £14 million move from Arsenal in 2012.

Song was a target for Liverpool in the summer however negotiations fizzled out and the in form nucleus of West Ham will be looking to replicate the result of their last fixture with Liverpool a 3-1 dominance at Upton Park. Song's career at the Catalan club seems determined to fade away, Upton Park seems a much more comfortable home for him and his style of play is much more physical and accustomed to the Premier league. Once you give the ball away in La Liga especially at Barcelona it is constantly talked about however in the premier                                                                                             league it is more forgiveable.

Liverpool suffering at the hands of Chelsea on Tuesday may be a blessing in disguise, the merseyside club who are one of the favourites left in the FA cup as well as the upcoming Europa league, may feel they have a real opening to focus on getting back into the top four.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 6 premier league features, with only Southampton more in form that them. A extra significance to this fixture is the rumoured return of English supremo Daniel Sturridge, the Liverpool hit man has been without an appearance for five months, Sturridge was quoted as feeling 'anxious' about his return to football, but everyone at Liverpool football club will be delighted especially considering their distinct lack of finishing ability in his absence. The team of Liverpool as a whole seem to be a lot more stable with them finding their feet and showing glimpses of the form last year that saw them take Manchester City to the final day.

Mignolet, a player who seemed to have been shown the door by the club has shown compelling performances as of late, notably against Chelsea in a match which was dominated by outrageous goalkeeping saves, Mignolet has kept 8 clean sheets this season, an underestimated statistic given the 'crisis' that was described at the club just three months ago. Liverpool will look to bounce back against West Ham in a fixture that could see them overtake the London club for the first time since August. Mignolet seems to have taken notice of the third placed Ballon D'or nominee, Manuel Neur, Mignolet has shown glimpses of taking the ball out of the box and then setting his team on the way to an attack. This is a welcoming sight for Liverpool fans who often viewed the Belgian as vulnerable with a sheer lack of confidence, however Mignolet still has a lot to learn but at just 26, shows positive signs of a successful career.

The match will be a highly competitive spectacle, with both teams focusing on attack. The midfield dynamo Alex Song will be a danger man any time the ball is at his feet, Henderson and Lucas, the predicted midfield duo will look to stop his movements and reduce his play to a minimum, Lucas has been a revalation in his defensive midfield role, with him there it allows Gerrard to drive at the opposition more and if he does make a mistake he has Henderson alongside him as cover.

Markovic if plays as expected will have a lot more room and freedom to play in than he did against Chelsea were his defensive skills were put to the test a lot. The return of Daniel Sturridge is an extreme boost to Liverpool who have looked vulnerable in attack, Raheem Sterling has often been inconsistent with his finishing and Mario Ballotelli has been inconsistent with every aspect of his play. Sturridge is a player who knows how to put the ball in the back of the net and as he finished last season as second top goalscorer the pressure on his shoulders to perform will be a massive task, as long as Sturridge is on that football pitch even as a substitute will be a preferred place to be for Sturridge who as the camera panned to him watching from his executive box every week showed him as a shadow.

Predicted Line up: Mignolet, 

                        Lovren, Skrtel, Can

Markovic, Henderson (C), Lucas, Moreno

              Sterling Coutinho

                    Sturridge

(If Sturridge does not start, Sterling will be striker and Gerrard will take his role)

Chelsea Preview -2nd leg

Looking ahead to the daunting prospect of a revenge seeking Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool's prospects of a cup this season are shrinking due to the lack of ability in putting the ball in the back of net. The lack of chances taken at key moments in matches this season is one of the most significant reasons that

Liverpool have failed to reproduce the same level of flair and attacking ability that was such a driving force in Liverpool's run in for the premier league title. The removal of the Uruguayan superstar Luis Suarez was a devastating blow to Liverpool considering his 31 goals during last season, along with the repetitive injuries suffered by Daniel Sturridge.



The first fixture saw Liverpool go 1-0 down to a penalty taken expertly by Eden Hazard. This however was the only time Liverpool were in significant danger as the form they showed after conceding was valiant beyond the majority of fixtures shown from the club this season.

The form going into the second leg is worrying for both teams, Chelsea suffered an embarrassing defeat to low league side Bradford city, after going 2-0 to lose 4-2. The Chelsea side still fielded a relatively strong side with Drogba, Cech, Oscar, Mikel, Cahill and Remy all featuring in the upset. The Bradford club 49 league places below the Premier league favourites shown great character coupled with the loud powerful atmosphere from the travelling Bradford fans who out-roared the Chelsea fans throughout the 90 minutes. Jose Mourinho said in the Daily Mirror before the match that he would be grateful to go out of the FA cup as it is 'impossible' to focus on all four competitions. Not exactly a strong statement for his players and fans to be excited about. Chelsea last won the competition against Liverpool in 2010 narrowly winning 2-1 at Wembley.

The league form between the Merseyside club and London club hands the edge to Liverpool, despite still being in 3 competitions as well as the Premier league top 4 run in. Liverpool clashed with a Bolton side unbeaten in their least season games a  0-0 draw occured.

The new look Bolton side under Neil Lennon featured legends Emile Heskey and champions league winner with Barcelona and former Chelsea favourite Eidur Gudjohnson. The two sides were evenly matched with both sides having limited chances to win the game. Adam Bogdan was commended for his fine save throughout the game much as Thibaut Courtois was in last Tuesday's fixture. The Liverpool team was a relaxed side, with captain Steven Gerrard rested.  Joe Allen returned to fitness alongside Glen Johnson  for the first time since his injury in December. Raheem Sterling was the focal point of the Liverpool side who played without a recognised striker despite having two on the bench in Lambert and Borini. The Liverpool starlet was a tad greedy shooting at a lot of moments when players were in better positions, this however can be expected from the second highest goalscorer for Liverpool this season.

The creativity of Coutinho flowed throughout the game often threading balls to Sterling and Henderson. Tomorrows fixture may be a similar fixture with both Chelsea and Liverpool, probably willing to sit back and defend for the majority of the game. Liverpool however do need a goal to progress through to the final at Wembley where the prospect of either Sheffield United or Totenham beckons.

Liverpool talisman Daniel Sturridge completed his first full team training session since returning from Boston, he is unlikely to feature in the starting 11 tomorrow but is rumored to be considered for the bench. Boss Brendan Rodgers gave no discretion over his delight at having the league's second highest goalscorer last term back available, but left the decision over his return down to Sturridge. "It's up to him" was his response.

 Liverpool will certainly be unlikely to force the injury prone striker to play but the pressure surrounding him is already at a premium. Expect the front man to return for the Bolton fixture next week or West Ham at Anfield this Saturday. Liverpool do now have Adam Lallana back to his peak fitness, Lallana featured briefly during the previous fixture at Anfield where he did very little in terms of what is expected. The £25 million signing from Southampton, had been in and out of the side consistently this season, playing in numerous positions, with the consistency of his regular 11, Rodger's is unlikely to start Lallana more than likely sticking with the same line up used at the first fixture at Anfield.






Predicted Line up 
Mignolet
Sakho, Skrtel, Can
Markovic, Lucas, Henderson, Moreno   
Gerrard
Coutinho Sterling

My Favoured Line up
Mignolet
Sakho, Skrtel, Can, 
Lallana, Lucas, Henderson, Moreno 
Gerrard, Coutinho 
Sterling

Predicted scoreline: With everything on the line for both clubs in terms of pride, I can see this fixture being a very close encounter, Liverpool arguably should of dominated the first fixture but with this fixture taking place on away soil the tie may be turned on it's head. Mourinho already has his fans riled up after praising Anfield's atmosphere, the previous defeat at Bradford with be an extra driving force for the Chelsea team looking to put to bed any raised suspicions regarding their ability. 1-1 with Liverpool winning 4-3 on Penalties. 

Chelsea Analysis

Looking back at the recent draw at Anfield against Chelsea, majority of fans, players and even Brendan Rodger's were pleased with the result. The 1-1 outcome courtesy of a penalty by Eden Hazard and a beautiful piece of magic by Raheem Sterling, the result certainly flattered the visitors who managed just 2 shots the whole evening compared to Liverpool's grand total of 19. The harshness of this result is that if Liverpool managed this result in April, they probably would of won the league as the result against Crystal palace would of not prompted Liverpool to go all out attack to win on goal difference.

The match occurred at a night when many thought that Liverpool would see a repeat of the dominant Chelsea performance last seen at Anfield in December, however the first leg of the Capital One cup was a complete reversal with Liverpool dominating every statistic that was clear for everyone who watched. The inclusion of Steven Gerrard back to the starting eleven would of been a massive boost for the Liverpool team and the fans also, who paid respect to the soon to depart captain through a huge Banner with the tagline 'The best there was, the best there is and the best there ever will be'.
A truly beautiful sight to see in the famous Kop that has been missing this season. The atmosphere at the ground was also superb, the ground was shaking as the Kop screamed for a goal during every attack. Mourinho's comments before the match will have had a part to play in this, he praised Steven Gerrard profusely and his comments after the game also paid tribute to the Anfield faithfuls by saying 'If Stamford Bridge give 25% of what Anfield gave we will win' a tongue in cheek comment however but with Mourinho anything that sounds like a comment is to be accepted, he is Chelsea's manager.
The error of Emre Can which consequently allowed Hazard to cool finish from the 12 yard spot, was Can's only mistake in 730 minutes of play,  fantastic considering his lack of experience as a centre back and given that he is naturally a centre midfield with more attacking qualities.

Jamie Carragher had much to say regarding Can's error saying that 'Coming up against top class players he has been left wanting'. A slightly controversial point but the most capped defender in Liverpool history will certainly have a better view point than others, Can's blushes were spared however through a 5 second burst from young Raheem Sterling, clearly refreshed from his week break in his native Jamaica. Sterling picked the ball up from the middle of Chelsea's half and rushed at the Chelsea defence exposing Gary Cahill's lack of pace and expertly finishing across Courtois' left. This moment of Magic from the young attacker has shown just how much he has progressed since a year ago, the weight of expectation on his shoulders has been huge since the injuries to Sturridge and lack of form shown from Lambert, Ballotelli and Borini. The statistics for Raheem speak for themselves, rated 1st as number of successful dribbles at Liverpool, second in goals only to Gerrard and second in assists at just 20 years old, he is the most promising young talent in the premier league.
Mourinho's gamer-plan and pre match conference was a strange, he was acting as if he was a starstruck fan of Liverpool in constant awe of the big name players, its no secret that Mourinho was a candidate for the Liverpool job before Benitez took over, so bitterness may still be ripe with him.There is clearly less friction between the two managers, as a friendship exists due to Rodger's being somewhat of a disciple during his younger years at an assistant coach to Mourinho.

However his statement to the Chelsea fans to not disrespect Gerrard via singing the famous parody version of Steve Gerrard, Gerrard was a very clever ploy. Mourinho knew full well his supposed contempt of the song would rile Chelsea fans up to scream the Anfield Road section into a full chorus of Gerrard slipped on his fuckin' arse. Mourinho for all his over the top personality is a master of psychological ploys that he uses to manipulate everyone.Whether his game plan succeeded remains to be seen, from a neutral point of view Chelsea should be grateful with a 1-1 at Anfield, however the perfectionist in Mourinho would disagree, the decision from him to include an extra defensive midfielder instead of the creative Brazilian Oscar may of been seen as showing Liverpool alot of respect as he looked to park his big, blue bus however his gaps in defence were constantly overrun, and the award of man of the match to Thibaut Courtois, will show a further glimpse into the dominance of Liverpool.
The match also included a glimpse into the past with Steven Gerrard looking alot more of a physical presence his long rage effort forcing a marvelous save from Courtois in the opening 15 minutes connoted a more confident assured Gerrard, looking to give the fans a much deserved parting gift.

The fixture is only half way through and too much should not be fixated on the positiveness, the conceding of the penalty give Chelsea the overall advantage, Liverpool will head to Stamford Bridge desperately searching for a goal, and with Sturridge likely to still be missing, the task is even harder, especially given the way Mourinho has riled up his fans.
Liverpool Rating 8.5/10
Man of the match for Liverpool- Coutinho, the little magician caused Chelsea countless problems with his mesemerizing control and movement.

Match Preview - Chelsea

On the back of an unbeaten run since the turn of the new year, Liverpool will go into the match against the league favourites full of confidence, with Saturdays 2-0 over Aston Villa featuring goals from the unfavoured Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert fresh in the players minds a win is not too far from belief. Brendan Rodger's seems to have turned a corner with his new look Liverpool team after a harsh run in the opening half of the season, Liverpool now look to become a formidable force once again. Despite still being 8th in the place they are certainly on the rise again, and a team that Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will not dismiss.

The recent form guides place liverpool second in the league, only bettered by Southampton, Liverpool remain once place above Chelsea. Liverpool have won 4 of their last 6 games, drawing the other two, amassing a points total of 14 out of a possible 18. Meanwhile Chelsea have won the same amount in their past 6 fixtures but have drawn against form leaders Southampton and lost to Totenham in that memorable 5-3 demolition. A worrying statistic for Liverpool is the goal difference, Chelsea lead Liverpool by a respectable 30, while Liverpool remain the second lowest scorers in the top 8 only worsened by Totenham at 2. A stark contrast between the Liverpool of this season compared to the free scoring of Suarez and Sturridge last term. Chelsea's attacking has been applauded this season notably down to their prolific talisman Diego Costa a £32 million signing from Athletico Madrid. Liverpool's forward line for much of this season has looked bleak significant pressure has been placed on the young Raheem Sterling to play in an unnatural forward role, a daunting comparison between the two shows Diego Costa dominating the goals Statistic by nearly 5 times as many at what the young winger has achieved. An even more embarrassing tally shows that Diego Costa has scored more goals than Daniel Sturridge, Mario Ballotelli, Fabio Borini and Raheem Sterling combined.
Diego Costa will be a player Liverpool's back four will have to silence, the inclusion of the agile Emre Can as a makeshift centre back has been a breath of fresh air for Liverpool fans, Brendan Rodgers spoke of him after the Aston Villa fixture "He's a central Midfield player, but his composure, calmness and strength a number of times against Benteke was impressive.The 21 year old German is expected to feature at centre back on Tuesday, he played at centre midfield during Liverpool's premier league fixture against Chelsea at Anfield during which he scored the only Liverpool goal, and was praised by fans who questioned Rodger's decision to leave him out of the side for a significant amount of time.

Chelsea will also has to be aware of the Liverpool captain return, Steven Gerrard is expected to return to the starting 11 after being rested on the weekend against Aston Villa. Gerrard is in his final season as a Liverpool player and has been quoted as stating that he wants to end his final season with a trophy. Gerrard is very familiar with Chelsea, as he almost made the decision to make the switch to the club in 2004 and 2005 before deciding to stay on merseyside. Jose Mourinho recently stated he desperately tried to get the midfielder to make the move to the London club, and said he "dreamed of Makelele, Gerrard and Lampard in midfield". Mournho's compliments of players are very rare, so this should be taken in the highest gratitude.

Formidable attempts have been made to seduce the current top scorer to move to some of the worlds greatest clubs, notably Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United and Inter Milan. With 9 goals this season Gerrard has been one of the most important players to wear the red shirt, and has dragged Liverpool through thick and thin over the past 12 years, amassing a total of 10 club honours and even being on the shortlist for the Ballon D'or to Frank Lampard who finished second and Ronaldinho who won the prize. Gerrard's presence on the football pitch is formidable and is a player Chelsea will look to squash if they want to progress to the final of the League cup.

Liverpool broke Chelsea hearts back in 2005 when Luis Garcia scored what since been renamed as the 'Ghost goal' as rumours and myths regarding whether it crossed the line have angered many and sparked high tech investigations. An ignored fact is that if the goal was not given, Peter Cech would have been sent off, thus giving Liverpool a penalty, along with Chelsea being without their first choice keeper coupled with them finishing the fixture with 10 men.

Liverpool will have their work cut out for them against the league leaders, Chelsea are looking for the treble this season if not the quadruple. Last time the two met, Liverpool were outclassed in a 2-1 defeat, their last loss at home for six fixtures, Liverpool were under performing the run in to that fixture but now look to find their feet again after a rough start that seen some fans calling for the replacement of Brendan Rodgers.With Daniel Sturridge not set for return until the end of the month, Liverpool will have to be a lot more solid in the match, the lack of a forward line as a presence may be costly, but with a more secure looking back four that has seen Simon Mignolet total 7 clean sheets equaling David De Gea, things are on the rise for the Merseyside club I expect a more positive performance than the one seen Last time at Anfield.