Liverpool v Trabzonspor
Football : Europa League, 1st round 1st Leg
Thursday 19 August 2010 - Kickoff 7:45pm

This match is on TV

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Liverpool

The Roy Hodgson ere at Anfield has begun on a positive note but things could have been all the rosier if Pepe Reina had not spilled a ball into his own net to allow Arsenal to leave with 1 point in Sunday afternoons big game. Liverpool progressed through to this stage of the Europa League in comfort in the last round and will feel confident they can go further.

The Reds will be hoping the Anfield atmosphere can carry them through this first leg after it was fairly subdued in the easy win over Rabotnicki in the last round. On that occasion, Liverpool could have scored any number of goals but had to settle for a 2-0 win. Liverpool won all 4 home games in this competition last season and did not conceded a goal in 90 minutes play in any of those matches.

Team news will be of interest following that game with Arsenal and with a trip to big spending Manchester City on the horizon. Fernando Torres played a part in the game on Sunday after coming off the bench and could be given a start here while Joe Cole should continue in midfield as his suspension will be for League games only.

Possible Liverpool Line Up: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtal, Aurelio, Kuyt, Gerrard, Poulson, Cole, Jovanovic and Torres (4-3-3)

Trabzonspor

Trabzonspor finished 5th in the Turkish Super League last season but that would not have been enough to earn them a place in the Europa League. However, they beat Fenerbache 3-1 in the Turkish Cup and were subsequently awarded a place in this competition. The side have started this season in impressive fashion, winning the Turkish Super Cup and first League game away from home and are yet to concede a goal.

The Turkish side finished with a 16-9-9 record in the League last season, scoring 53 goals and conceding 32 and that left them comfortably behind the traditional powers of Fenerbache, Galatasaray and Besiktas. Trabzonspor were 6-6-5 away from home last season, but their form in the League really picked up after Hugo Broos was sacked and replaced with Senol Gunes in November last year.

Trabzonspor were drawn against Toulouse at this same stage of the competition but were beaten 3-2 on aggregate. Much of the damage was done in Turkey in the first leg that Trabzonspor lost 1-3, although they did manage a win in France.

I would expect Gunes to set his team out in a defensive fashion, but in a system that the side will be familiar with. Teofilo Gutierrez poses the biggest danger to Liverpool and he has started the season by scoring all 5 of Trabzonspor's goals so far. Tayfun Cora and new signing Jaja are both doubts for this game.

Possible Trabzonspor Line Up: Kivrak, Korkmaz, Glowacki, Cale, Balci, Yilmax, Inan, Alanzinho, Colman, Gulselam and Gutierrez (4-5-1)

Head to Head

These two have met in Europe before, all the way back in 1976/77. On that occasion, Gunes was the goalkeeper for Trabzonspor who surprised Liverpool with a 1-0 win in Turkey.

Unfortunately for the Turkish side, they lost 3-0 at Anfield and were knocked out of the European Cup.

Prediction

Liverpool have made it clear to all that their priorities lie in the Premier League this season but may still use their big players in this match as it provides a perfect opportunity to continue building fitness as players work off the World Cup hangovers. Hodgson has proved his ability in Europe last season with Fulham, and will surely want to progress further.

Trabzonspor are widely regarded as one of the fittest teams in Turkey, if not THE fittest, and this could help in a game where they should be chasing the ball more often than having possession. They have a genuine threat up front with Gutierrez, but it will be a tough ask to keep in this tie before the trip back to Turkey.

I would keep a keen eye out for team news closer to kick off, but I would pick Liverpool to win this game by a couple of goals if they do start with a strong team as I have anticipated. Roy Hodgson will want to put his side in a strong position so they can perhaps rest players in next weeks 2nd leg and I think they could find themselves in such a position.

The tie wont be over, but Liverpool will get one foot in to the Group Stages here.

The Pick :

Liverpool 2-0 Trabzonspor

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Liverpool -1.5 Asian Handicap