Liverpool will be looking preserve their advantage and to book their place in the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday when they face Besiktas in the second leg of their last-32 tie. The Reds clinched a 1-0 victory in the first leg thanks to a penalty goal from Mario Balotelli with just five minutes left in the game.
Liverpool have been in good form lately, they have lost just one of their last 18 games in all competitions and won all their last four matches. Last Sunday they clinched a vital 2-0 win at Southampton, thus boosting their chances for a top-four finish in the Premier League. Besiktas can not boast a similar record, they have lost three of their last four games but they are still in the race for the Turkish top-flight title. It's also worth mentioning that Besiktas are unbeaten in their latest three home matches against English teams.
Liverpool will be without Lazar Markovic, who is suspended, while Steven Gerrard, Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson will also miss out along with injured Mamadou Sakho. Besiktas have two players suspended, Ersan Gulun and Ramon Motta, while Cenk Tosun, Ismail Koybasi and Tolga Zengin are injured.
Probable line-ups:
Besiktas: Cenk - Serdar, Franco, Ersan, Kurtulus - Olcay, Veli, Hutchinson, Gokhan - Sosa, Ba
Liverpool: Mignolet - Can, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno - Ibe, Lallana, Allen, Sterling - Balotelli, Sturridge
My prediction: 1-1 draw.
Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:
Besiktas win - 2/1 Draw - 12/5 Liverpool win - 6/4
edobp 9 years ago
This was a good game, my instinct was that Liverpool will win but it seems that this time was not right...
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
vlado.mikic.50 9 years ago
Liverpool bosses must think from now about next season.Next transfer window will be decisive for them.They must decide what player from present squad are deserving to wear Liverpools uniform,and they should sell players like Lovren,Lambert,Henderson,Balotelli.They all had pretty dissapointing season.
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
vlado.mikic.50 9 years ago
After this clash,I am worried about position of Brendan Rodgers as a Liverpools manager.Last season they played very good,and were even close to win title in Premier League,now they are eliminated by Basel in Champions League and by Besiktas in Europa League,it is disaster for their fans.
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
kruno1414
9 years ago
Great match it was , anxious until the end , but Demba Ba gave Liverpool a chance after that big chance missed in additional time . I thought Liverpool will go past Besiktas but i was wrong , they are not doing anything good this season , just a shadow from last year Liverpool and after this season when Gerrard leaves ,...
Great match it was , anxious until the end , but Demba Ba gave Liverpool a chance after that big chance missed in additional time . I thought Liverpool will go past Besiktas but i was wrong , they are not doing anything good this season , just a shadow from last year Liverpool and after this season when Gerrard leaves , they will have some hard times ...
Show morePlease enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
vlado.mikic.50 9 years ago
Biggest problem for iverpool is their defence.Lovren is such an uninteligent player.I am still wondering how he managed to sign for Liverpool.He is not too bad,but he still can not handle the pressure that is brouth in by playing at Anfield.If LFC bosses want success they must sell him and get some real centre back.
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
vlado.mikic.50 9 years ago
Another disapointing performance from English giant,Besiktas is team thay should have passed easily.The fact that Liverpool lost after penalties is another proof that they are playing without confidence.They are much worried about loss of Steven Gerrard at the end of the season.
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
mdacic 9 years ago
Wow, Besiktas bet Liverpool after penalty shot out. Great result for Besiktas. I was thinking that Liverpool is better and that they will save advantage from the first match but Arslan scored for Besiktas and match go to overtime and penalties. Only penalty for Liverpool miss Lovren and Besiktas scored all five penalties....
Wow, Besiktas bet Liverpool after penalty shot out. Great result for Besiktas. I was thinking that Liverpool is better and that they will save advantage from the first match but Arslan scored for Besiktas and match go to overtime and penalties. Only penalty for Liverpool miss Lovren and Besiktas scored all five penalties. Well done Besiktas!
Show morePlease enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
sharpe
9 years ago
Both teams have their chances and I wont be surprise if the game is very tight. Still Liverpool is a favourite in this match but everything is possible in Turkey where the fans are very passionate and support their team till the end, so it will be tough for Liverpool.
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
mdacic 9 years ago
This is interesting match. Now it is a half time and result is 0-0. I think that Liverpool is better team and they will go in next round. Besiktas had some chances in first half and they didn't score so I don't think that in second half they will get opportunities like that. Liverpool know how to play on result and I think...
This is interesting match. Now it is a half time and result is 0-0. I think that Liverpool is better team and they will go in next round. Besiktas had some chances in first half and they didn't score so I don't think that in second half they will get opportunities like that. Liverpool know how to play on result and I think that they will keep this 0-0 from half time and go in next round
Show morePlease enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
h34dhunt3r
9 years ago
Expect it to be really tight. Liverpool has advantage, which they gain in last minutes of the game last week on Anfield. Besiktas has enough quality to past Liverpool, considering its only 1:0, one goal makes it equal again. Liverpool is playing better then we used to from them this season, so I'm giving them 60% chances....
Expect it to be really tight. Liverpool has advantage, which they gain in last minutes of the game last week on Anfield. Besiktas has enough quality to past Liverpool, considering its only 1:0, one goal makes it equal again. Liverpool is playing better then we used to from them this season, so I'm giving them 60% chances. Balloteli is gonna be substitute once again, hoping he will make difference tho.
Show morePlease enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
seculla
9 years ago
In their first match at Anfield, Liverpool had the control and the chances, especially in second half. They won "just" 1:0 and the scorer was Balotelli from penalty in 85th minute. Traveling to Turkey and playing against Turkish teams at their stadiums is always hard thing, so I think that Liverpool will have many problems...
In their first match at Anfield, Liverpool had the control and the chances, especially in second half. They won "just" 1:0 and the scorer was Balotelli from penalty in 85th minute. Traveling to Turkey and playing against Turkish teams at their stadiums is always hard thing, so I think that Liverpool will have many problems to keep their advantage over Besiktas tomorrow at Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
Show morePlease enter your comment.
Your comment is added.