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As it happened: Liverpool vs Basel, Champions League

Can Brendan Rodgers’ men advance to the last 16 tonight?

LIVERPOOL HOST BASEL in the Champions League tonight knowing anything less than a win will see them eliminated.

Can they get the job done?

Hello and welcome to TheScore.ie’s minute-by-minute coverage of Liverpool’s must-win Champions League clash with Basel at Anfield tonight.

The home side have named their team and Steven Gerrard is back in the starting XI.

 

Liverpool fans will be hoping the game follows a similar pattern to this one from ten years ago.

Ashley Watkinson / YouTube

Liverpool are strong enough favourites tonight.

They are 17/20 to win, the draw is 5/2 and Basel are 7/2.

What do Liverpool fans think of the team? Lovren is back in the side as well as Gerrard. They have a lot of options on the bench with Lallana, Markovic and Coutinho.

Which Liverpool team is better, tonight’s or the one against Olympiakos ten years ago?

There are a couple of GAA players over for the game tonight. That is Armagh great Stephen McDonnell with former Kerry footballers Sean O’Sullivan and Ronan Hussey.

This was pretty cool. Looks like a great atmosphere at Anfield.

Liverpool FC / Vine

We are underway here!

Liverpool’s main passers – Gerrard, Allen, Lucas and Henderson – just sprayed the ball intricately between them. Sterling slips the ball to Gerrard on the edge of the box but his shot is tame and held by the Basel keeper.

Gerrard’s cross is laid off by Lambert to Henderson in the box but the midfielder’s shot flies kilometres over the bar.

Liverpool have a free kick on the right wing but Gerrard’s cross is poor and can’t beat the first man.

Streller almost gets a shot off for Basel but the ball clips his hand and Liverpool have a free.

Liverpool have had the better of it so far but Basel have a free kick in a promising position about 35 yards out on the left wing.

Lovren heads clear for Liverpool.

Moreno whips in a cross from long-range that goes over the head of Lambert but a Basel defender puts it out for a corner.

Liverpool work a short corner but Gerrard’s chipped cross is claimed by the goalkeeper.

It sounds pretty loud on tv but I’ll take Matt Dickinson’s word for it.

Mignolet gets tested for the first time and he collects a bouncing cross comfortably. Liverpool fans will still be nervous whenever there is a cross though.

Basel get the first chance, but Gashi fires over from inside the box on the left hand side.

Liverpool immediately go down the other end and Sterling almost finds Gerrard twice in the box but Basel defend well.

Sterling has found a couple of pockets of space high on the right wing and has looked dangerous so far.

Gashi almost gets behind the Liverpool defence again but Skrtel sticks out a leg and nudges the ball to safety.

The ball slips under a Basel defender’s leg and Sterling finds himself through on the right. Rather than take the shot on he opts to play in Gerrard behind him and the chance is wasted. Is it a rule that Liverpool have to play in Stevie G every time they are in the box?

Basel have a corner after a shot from the lively Gashi is deflected wide.

The ball bounces in the Liverpool box and Streller’s shot is just about smothered and cleared. That passage of play was reminiscent of Benzema’s second goal at Anfield for Real Madrid a few weeks back.

GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Basel

Frei rifles the ball into the bottom left hand corner of Mignolet’s goal from just outside the box after a lay-off from Zuffi. A lovely strike from the Swiss midfielder.

Liverpool try to equalise immediately but Sterling’s shot from the right hand side of the box is weak and easily held by Vaclik.

Gonzalez almost gets a second for Basel but Lovren uses his body to escort the ball out for a corner.

Basel have another corner after Lovren blocks a Gonzalez shot 12 yards out.

The ball gets headed out to Xhaka and his clipped cross falls to Streller about 10 yards out. The striker goes for the flashy finish and his volley flies wide.

Surprising how lifeless Liverpool have been since conceding. You would expect Rodgers to spring Lallana or Coutinho pretty soon if this continues.

Liverpool have had 55% possession but no real chances. Not a good sign….

Liverpool need two goals to progress. Their fans can’t take comfort in knowing that they needed three against Olympiakos.

Basel almost score again after Zuffi’s cross is deflected into the path of Streller, whose powerful shot is blocked by Lovren in the six-yard box.

Five minutes to half time now. How Liverpool would love a goal just before the break.

Basel are very comfortable at the moment and are showing some nice touches in attack. They have been the more threatening side since the goal too.

Gashi slides the ball under Mignolet and into the net but the flag is up. Replays show it is a good decision.

The ball breaks to Lambert at the edge of the box and he has both Sterling and Gerrard to his right but he opts for the nearest Basel defender.

Johnson got in behind the Basel defence on the right wing but his cross is too high for Lambert and goes out of play.

HT Liverpool 0-1 Basel

That’s it for the first half here. Liverpool need a big improvement if they want to stay in the tournament. They have created almost nothing and Basel have looked very dangerous. It would be surprising if Lallana or Coutinho aren’t brought on now.

This seems to be a fairly pertinent question.

A lot of Liverpool fans probably agree with Craig Burley.

We are underway here and Markovic and Moreno are on for Lambert and Enrique. So only one of Coutinho or Lallana can come on.

Four minutes into the half and nothing much to report yet. It was around this time when Liverpool scored their first against Olympiakos….

There is a lot of hustle and bustle from Liverpool now but little in the way of end product. Markovic has had a few touches but his side are still awaiting their first proper chance.

The lack of a striker was very noticeable just now as Markovic picked up the ball wide right but had nobody to aim at. He was forced to try a little dink to Henderson running into the box but that was easily dealt with.

Some intricate play around the box with Markovic and Henderson working the ball well out to Sterling on the right wing. Not for the first time – the seventh or eight probably – the winger’s cross is blocked by the first man and cleared.

Markovic knifes his way through the Basel defence before laying the ball off to Allen whose shot is block from outside the box. The ball bounces back to Markovic but is attempt is also blocked and cleared.

Liverpool almost concede again after Xhaka motors past Moreno and shoots just wide from a central position 20 yards out.

Markovic has just been handed a straight red card after poking Safari in the eye with a trailing arm. It looks to be a fairly absurd sending off.

Andy Townsend ‘just doesn’t see that as a red card’.

Is there any way back for Liverpool now? They still have one sub left to use but they are struggling in the final third and it will be even tougher to break Basel down now without Markovic.

Liverpool have a free kick on the right wing after Sterling is fouled. They work it short but Gerrard’s final ball is poor once again and his low cross is thumped away.

Liverpool are now 14/1 to win.

Liverpool have their best chance and it is a 30-yard piledriver from Martin Skrtel that goes just over.

Lucas wriggles out of a tackle on the right wing and whips a ball into the box but there is nobody to get on the end of it and it’s headed clear.

The Kop are demanding a penalty after Gerrard is upended by Vaclik in the box but the ref says the keeper got the ball and the replay proves him right.

Gerrard’s crosses into the box have been poor tonight – and he just floated another one into the hands of Vaclik.

Sterling slips the ball to Gerrard just outside the box but he doesn’t get a proper hold of the shot and it doesn’t threaten the goal.

Coutinho is on for Lucas now. No more subs left for Liverpool, who have left £25m Lallana as an unused sub.

Moreno gets on the ball high up on the left wing and whips another cross into the box that Vaclik claims. It is a perplexing strategy given they don’t have a recognised striker to get on the end of those balls.

Moreno gets booked for bad foul on Gonzalez on the right wing. Basel have a free kick in a dangerous position.

11 minutes left now and Liverpool need two goals to advance. They have a free kick right on the edge of the area after Sterling is fouled. Is this Stevie G’s time to shine?

Liverpool 1-1 Basel

Gerrard curls a peach into the top corner! Can Liverpool get a winner?

Basel have a free kick in a similar position to Gerrard’s goal. What a moment for Gerrard to produce that strike.

Liverpool have a corner now after Sterling’s cross is deflected wide.

Gerrard’s delivery goes straight out for a goal kick.

Zuffi takes a shot from outside the box that Mignolet just about claws away.

Liverpool come within an inch of taking the lead after Henderson’s header ricochets off Gashi and almost crosses the line.

Three minutes to go now and strangely, Walter Samuel is on for Basel. Who knew he was still knocking around?

Liverpool have another corner after Sterling is almost played in by Gerrard but Schar makes a great tackle to deny the winger.

Liverpool have another corner after Henderson’s cross is blocked.

The ball breaks to Gerrard on the edge of the box but his volley flies into the stand.

Four minutes added on now.

Liverpool pressing but Basel have the ball after a poor pass from Gerrard.

Sterling runs free on the left wing and his low cross is flicked just wide by Skrtel. Two minutes left now.

Mignolet launches a ball long but it goes out for a throw in. That looks about it.

Liverpool 1-1 Basel

Moreno puts Sterling into a great position in the box but the winger’s cross/shot is weak and Vaclik claims easily. And with that, Liverpool are out.

Thanks for joining us for our Champions League liveblog tonight. Check out all our post-match coverage in the next few minutes.

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