Background

After a narrow victory in the first leg, this second leg is a real crunch game with at least £12 million riding on the result.

The reds and the Israeli's travel to Ukraine, but Liverpool will need at least a draw to progress.

The Israeli's have hit out at Liverpool's treatment in the first leg.

Haifa officials said that Liverpool had freshly painted the visitors' locker room, leaving a noxious odor, had switched off the lights an hour into Haifa's final training session, and had cut short the post-match press conference just as Israeli journalists were questioning Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez.

The officials said that Liverpool would see tonight that its training session would be cut short exactly after 60 minutes, and that questions from English journalists to Roni Levi would be cut off before they managed to complete a sentence.

One official went as far as saying: "If it was up to me I would spray the locker room with pest-control spray."

Rafa spoke about the tie shortly after landing in Kiev on Monday (article).

Peter 'Pele' Crouch training on the Kiev pitch

 

During the press conference Rafa came under intense pressure from Israeli Journalists furious that Liverpool failed to travel to Israel for the tie. Ice Man Benitez had none of it, asking how many foreign sides had played in Israel in the last three years.

Rafa came under intense pressure at the press conference

 

Team News

Dirk Kuyt is ineligible for this game, but will be eligible for the rest of the tournament if the reds get through. Riise and Carragher are both out after injuries sustained on Saturday. Aurelio and Warnock are battling to take over Riise, Agger is set to replace Carragher.

Alonso, Luis Garcia and Finnan are all also back.

The squad that have travelled to Kiev are: Reina, Dudek, Finnan, Kromkamp, Warnock, Hyypia, Agger, Aurelio, Zenden, Alonso, Gerrard, Sissoko, Pennant, Gonzalez, Luis Garcia, Bellamy, Fowler, Crouch.

Our Prediction

We think the reds will get the victory. With Garcia, Finnan and Alonso hopefully back the legs should be a bit fresher.

Anfield Online Prediction/Kiss of death: 2-0 (5/1)

Betting Latest

Liverpool are favourites for the win at 2/5, Haifa at 13/2 and the draw at 11/4.

Crouch, Kuyt and Bellamy are 9/2 to score the first goal - impressive considering Kuyt isn't even eligble to play. Garcia at 13/2 and Gonzalez at 9/1 are better choices.

Paddy Power will refund all losing bets on tomorrow's game if Haifa win the match over 90 minutes.

Our Bet: £2 on reds to win 2-0 (5/1) and £1 on both Garcia and Gonzalez for first scorer (13/2 and 9/1).

Many thanks to for supplying us with detailed odds for this game. You can get a free £10 bet when you register with them.

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