- 77'
Crowd appeal for a foul as Victor is shut out by Traore. Nothing of the sort; it was a fantastic tackle by the Liverpool man.
- 76'
There has been far too many loose passes and mistakes from both sides for a Champions League match. Whatever the outcome of this match I can't see either of these sides going a long way in the competition.
- 75'
Sergio benefited from a loose pass fromTraore in the left-back position to beat the same player and send over a cross to the penalty spot that Josemi was under for the visitors.
- 74'
Baros, in full flight down the left, nicked the ball past Andrea as the defender slid across him. Clear foul and booking but Baros added a flourish to his fall - just to be sure.
- 73'
Hyypia the latest to take a knock. Victor's trailing arm, as the two competed for a high ball, doing the damage to his face. He's alright as well.
- 72'
Carragher playing a dangerous game. Another cross fizzed in by Victor was bound for Tristan and Carragher looked to be climbing a bit. Some referees would give a penalty for that though there wasn't much in it.
- 70'
Play broken up - something a stuttering game doesn't need - by Josemi calling for treatment. He's alright now though.
- 69'
The second-half so far has probably been depor's but they are still struggling to make anything of the possession they are enjoying. You get the sense though that Liverpool wneed another to be safe, and also that they are capable of getting it.
- 68'
Wonderful ball from Victor picked out Tristan beautifully just back from the penalty spot. Had he been a bit sharper Liverpool may have rued letting him drift between the two centre backs. As it was his first touch wwas not the best.
- 67'
Patient build up play from Liverpool comes to nothing as Garcia's centre is straight at Romero. Very poor as Liverpool look to get a handle on a game that has gone a bit flat.
- 65'
Depor's play has been peppered with misplaced passes from start to finish tonight and that, more than anything, is hampering their cause.
- 64'
Deportivo make their final substitution, replacing Hector with Lionel Scaloni.
- 63'
Victor skinned Trore for the first time in the match as he cut inside the Liverpool man to set up a shooting chance. Went for the near post but the huge frame of Hyypia blocked his path.
- 62'
Liverpool out of nothing (well, some poor play from Depor to be honest) had them for a moment four against three. Ball threaded wide to Riise but, with plenty to aim for, his low cross was easily defended. Wasted opportunity.
- 61'
Great little drop of the shoulder and turn from Garcia creates some space for him inthe middle but his pass to Baros was not up to the same standard and the break breaks down.
- 59'
Angled slide rule pass inside Hyypia sets Tristan away in the box but Traore comes across well to make a timely intervention.
- 58'
Biggest cheer of the night from the home crowd as the ineffectual Pandiani makes way for the popular Diego Tristan.
- 57'
Snap shot from Valeron after the ball bobbled around outside the area is stright and powerful but still rising as it flew over Kirkland's bar.
- 56'
Substitution for Liverpool. Off goes Kewell and on comes Steve Finnan.
- 55'
The SECOND foul throw of the evening!?!
- 54'
A slick passing movement from the home side eventually gives Sergio a sight of goal on the edge of the box but Josemi is across quickly to snuff out the danger. Warning signs for Liverpool.
- 52'
Biscan seemed to elbow Kikland as they both tried in vain to defend the cross and there is a hold up in play as he receives some treatment. Up on his feet again and play resumes.
- 51'
Real, real chance for Depor. Glorious delivery from Luque from the right swung in viciously, taking out Kirkland in the process. Amo had got round the back of Biscan and seemed to have the simplest of headers from all of half a yard out but failed to make contact. Terrible miss.
- 50'
Another Victor cross, another Carragher clearance. This is getting tiresome.
- 49'
The sight of Diego Tristan warming up suggests a solution to Depor's failure to seriously threaten Kirkland's goal.
- 48'
Carragher, who is having another impressive night for Liverpool, wins the latest of his aerial battles with Luque.
- 47'
Short free-kick changes the angle for Luque to drive one along the ground forcing Kirkland to get down and save. Did well to get control of it at the second attempt with attackers rushing in.
- 46'
Amo's first contribution is to win a ball int he middle and try an arrowed diagonal ball for Victor to chase but it is asking too much of him.
- 45'
Change for Depor at the interval sees Cesar replaced by Aguado Pablo Amo.
- 45'
Liverpool came with key men missing but the understudies have more than played their part (even Harry Kewell has been ok. Ocassionally). Deportivo stared the stronger but Liverpool have been solid at the back whilst the home team's habit of getting forward in numbers has helped Liverpool's cause no end. When they break they have space and time with Garcia supporting Baros and Kewell quickly. I think Rafa knows how to play this team and it's all going to plan so far.
- 45'
Half comes to a close and Liverpool will be well pleased with their performance so far. 1-0 up and looking good value for it.
- 43'
Sergio sent over a decent enough inswinging free-kick from the left but Carragher wins it cleanly. Ball feel to Victor just outside the box but he fluffed it, claiming he had been impeded but I think he just spooned an attempted volley off his shins.
- 42'
Molina forced to play it safe by turning a shot-cum-looping cross over his own bar.
- 41'
Liverpool in the driving seat now, dealing with Depor's attacks comfortably and looking more potent than their opponents when they have the chance to attack.
- 40'
Curious minute of play. Kewell found himself with space and time just outside the box. A shot or lay-off to Riise were his options: he took neither, electing instead to bumble through a challenge. Lucky break saw it out to Riise - who took longer than he needed - and his shot was blocked by the out rushing Molina. Rebound was sent in by the same player but Andrade was back to clear. Wasted chance for Liverpool.
- 38'
Garcia had his pocket picked in the middle of the pitch allowing Depor to slide an angled pass for Pandiani to run at. Goes to ground under pressure from Josemi but the referee is having none of it.
- 37'
Baros tries to work his way around the back of the Depor rearguard on the right but Andrade just watches him all the way before stealing the ball off his toes in the box. Baros took a tumble but I don't think even convinced himself there was any foul.
- 36'
Cesar becomes the first player to see yellow for a silly foul on Baros.
- 35'
Sloppy play from Valeron in the centre of the pitch is siezed on by Baros who sets off in his head-down-and run-style between the back two. Or not bewteen them as Andrade easily muscles him off the ball.
- 34'
Depor really need to come up with something more than long balls up field for Pandiani. This time Carragher is the one given the less than taxing task of beating him in the air.
- 32'
another Depor attack breaks down allowing Liverpool to break into space and feed Riise out wide. His cross this time is not good enough for Baros to latch on to and the chance passes.
- 31'
Hopeful ball again flighted forward for Pandiani comes to nothing as he is well policed by Hyypia.
- 30'
Neat turn from Sergio in the centre of the pitch is let down by another poor ball aimed at Pandiani when it wasn't on.
- 28'
Some sloppy play from Liverpool and then Pandiani allowed Baros to thread the ball through to Garcia in oceans of space. Had the ball been better he would have had a really clear chance. But it was well over-hit.
- 27'
Depor get the ball wide quickly and then look for the ball into the box which is rather playing into Liverpool's hands with Hyypia and Carragher more than comfortable with high crosses.
- 26'
Poor delivery from Hector sees the ball trickle through to Kirkland.
- 25'
Kewell shows just a glimpse of what he is capable of with a give and go with Biscan before turning away from Romero who promptly fouls him just inside the Depor half.
- 24'
Short corner worked to Garcia but he is knocked off the ball too easily.
- 23'
Poor Valeron pass goes to Traore who got forward with purpose before delivering a deep cross that forced Cesar to turn it Hector.
- 22'
Free-kick on the right, about 40 yards from goal, is thrown in to the box but Hyypia beat Andrade in the aerial battle.
- 21'
Needs to be better than an aimless punt from Hyypia though; he concedes hard won possession back to Depor.
- 20'
Game has settled into a pattern of pressure from the home team with Liverpool absorbing it well and looking to break when they can. Working a treat, so far, for the visitors.
- 19'
Free-kick swung in is met by the head of Pandiani but that is blocked. Only as far as Luque though but again his effort can't find away through the bank of red shirts.
- 18'
Luque ran out of room on the left wing before Garcia needlessly went to ground in the tackle. He didn't touch him but gave Luque enough to convince the referee he was fouled.
- 16'
Luque run down the left ends with a cross for Pandiani in the centre. He ran across Carragher well but could only send his header wide of Kirkland's near post.
- 15'
Depor had been the better team up until the goal but, with both sides looking less than inpregnable at the back, there may be more goals in this one.
- 14'
Biscan seemed to clatter someone before Carragher gave him the ball in midfield. He drove forward very positively before releasing Riise in space on the left. A wonderful cross that took out the keeper has Baros ready to pounce before Andrade turned it into his own net.
- 13'
Depor puch up again and Liverpool exploit the space to take the lead they should have had inside a minute. 1-0 Liverpool.
- 12'
Strong tackle-cum-interception from Carragher in the middle of the pitch sets Garia free on the right. His cross is aimed for Baros but ends up no where near the Czech who had peeled off to the back post but not that far.
- 11'
Quick ball out to the left finds Luque and his deflected low cross almost finds the feet of Pandiani running across the near post but Kirkland is down well to collect.
- 10'
Pandiani winded after a clash with Hyypia. No malice in it, just two players competing for a high ball.
- 9'
Victor looked to launch a counter attack but was held back by Hyypia. Lucky to avoid a caution perhaps.
- 8'
Wonderful sweeping move from depor from one corner of the field to the other. They are looking to feed Victor on the right at every opportunity and his touches so far suggeest it is a worthwhile tactic. His run and lay off to Hector opened up space for a cross but Kirkland was under it.
- 6'
Blistering drive from Luque from the right corner of the 18 yard box. Shot went across Kirkland but wide of his far post.
- 5'
Romero forced back to his goal keeper from the half way line due to good pressing from Liverpool after Cesar looked to star pulling strings in the middle.
- 3'
Carragher is left looking daft with his hand in the air a la Tony Adams as Josemi plays Pandiani well onside. Thankfully for Liverpool the scouse defender turns and gets back after Pandiani took his time in controlling the ball.
- 2'
Game held up for a moment as Molina gets seen to. All better now.
- 1'
And before anyone can take breath Baros is through with a one-on-one with Molina and plenty of time to think about what to do. Molina flew out of his goal to smother the ball at Baros' feet (hurting himself in the process) after the Liverpool man let the ball bobble off his shin. Criminal miss from Baros.
Proceedings are begun in a rain soaked Riazor Stadium.
As the teams line up I am forced to sit corrected. Traore, of course, will play left-back whilst Riise is on the left of midfield. Not such a worry anymore then, eh?
In a tight group a draw wouldn't be a bad result for Liverpool but it would for bottom placed Deportivo prompting Rafa Benitez to state that 'the points matter more to them than us'. Hmmm. Anyone thus expecting a Ged Houllier style Liverpool away bore draw, however, need not fear. 'We will play to win' Benitez continued. Phew!
Deportivo coach Javier Irureta has stuck with Walter Pandiani up front despite the side's chronic lack of goals - they have failed to score at home in any of their last five Champions League group matches as well as their goalless home La Liga draw with Albacete on Sunday.
Mauro Silva is out with a knee problem, while fit again Diego Tristan - remember him? - makes
the bench.
Bad news on the injury front for Liverpool (in addition to the Cisse and Gerrard problems): Xabi Alonso failed a late fitness test, Harry Kewell passed his; he will perform the second striker role, we are led to beleive.
That means Liverpool's midfield is made up of Luis Garcia - possibly in a free role - Dietmar Hamann, Djimi Traore (gulp) and (oh dear, oh dear) Igor Biscan.
Alonso was deemed fit only for the bench, which includes Steve Finnan and Florent Sinama-Pongolle. Fingers crossed.
Join us at 19.45 GMT as Liverpool and Depor battle it out for valuable Champions League points.
PSGParis Saint-Germain
