Marseille against Liverpool

Lovely feet from Reira to slip out of a congested midfield and find Kuyt but he's confronted with too many options for his tiny little brain to cope with and fluffs it.

Taiwo burts into the area and charges into Arbeloa looking for a penalty. He'll have to settle for a corner though.

Marseille look like they've run out of puff a bit now.

Chelsea are 3-0 up. Malouda this time.

Now Babel hits the post from a tight angle inside the box but the flag was up for offside anyhoo.

Up the other end, Taiwo shows nice skill to fashion a shooting chance but his effort lacks power. Strange for a man who has had one of his shot's clocked at 82mph.

Babel misses a great chance to wrap it up. Reira skins Bonnart, crosses and as the ball breaks from Benayoun and Zubar's challenge, Babel smacks it against Mandanda's arms from four yards out. Great save!

Final OM change, Mamadou Samassa is on for Kone, who has been decent.

Cana now tries a punt from distance which was never going to trouble Reina, who has had one of his better nights.

Its Cana's turn to cross, but Reina stands firm.

Nearly! Niang drifts left and fires in a cross which Ziani meets but can't keep down. Tough chance, but a chance nonetheless.

So, 20 minutes left for Marseille to find an equaliser they definitely deserve. Can they do it?

Two-goal hero Stevie G is off and Yossi Benayoun is on.

Valbuena's effort is straight into the wall. A pretty poor effort all round Mathieu.

Niang wins a free-kick 25 yards out, left of centre. Good chance for OM.

A lovely move from Marseille, Bonnart slides a ball down the right side of the box, Kone back-heels for Ziani but his shot was always rising. Smashing play though. Marseille haven't given this up yet.

Torres is off and Albert Riera is coming on.

Babel breaks sharply but delays his ball for Gerrard, who can't hide his disgust. Then Valbuena hits a long ball for Kone to chase but Reina is out promptly again.

Hilton wins the header eight yards out but it is straight at Reina. A yard either side and we'd be chatting about 2-2.

A good spell of possession from the home side culminates in a corner on the right.

Carragher does well to stay with Kone as he belts down the right. Goal kick.

Taiwo swings in a cross which Kone gets a volley on but the ball loops over the bar.

Another OM change: Ben Arfa comes off and Karim Ziani is on.

Lucas is having a mare out there now. When he's in possession he gives it away, when he's not he gives away foul after foul.

Kuyt brings down the corner and is just about to unload before Zubar gets in the way. Just as well, he missed his header which allowed the ball to travel through to the Dutch supermodel.

Torres is challenged by Bonnart, quite forcefully but wins a corner. Gerrard to swing it in....

Then Reina charges out to intercept a Cheyrou pass ahead of Niang, then sprays a wonderful 75 yard ball to Torres who was free on the left wing. Who knew?!

Gerrard nearly earns himself a sight at goal before Zubar gets in quickly.

Niang plays a poor ball when Valbuena could have been in down the channel. The ball eventually gets to the winger but his cross is deflected by Skrtel and Reina claims.

I like the look of Benoit Cheyrou. I'm wondering if he's related to Bruno of the same name, who had a poor spell at Liverpool. I think not though, cos Benoit is actually quite good.

More good work from Valbuena, on the right this time, he cuts inside and crosses. Skrtel nods behind for a corner.

A bright start from Marseille and Valbuena. He darts inside Lucas, is clipped then leaps in the air and screams like a little girl.

Right, we're off again....

Gerrard smashes in a free kick after Torres was fould but Hilton clears and that is that for the first half. Liverpool lead, but Marseille have been bright, perky and dangerous. See you in 15 minutes....

Cheyrou whips in another curler but Reina emerges to pluck this one out of the air.

Valbuena makes an instant impact, winning a free kick then whipping it in with venom. Carragher clears. Yes, again.

Marseille change: M'Bami is off and Mathieu Valbuena is on. He got the winner when these teams met at Anfield in last year's competition by the way.

More promising work from Marseille. Cheyrou whips in a delightful cross which none of his team mates had gambled on, then Ben Arfa releases Bonnart with a lovely flick but Dossena blocks the cross.

Niang turns beautifully and completely stitches up Mascherano, who gives away a foul. Free kick on the right, 20 yards out. Carragher clears.

Lucas gives away a free kick wide on the left after a tangle with Taiwo.

Liverpool look much more in control now, but they're still getting flashes of danger from Marseille's pacy attacking quartet.

Cheyrou is having a good game for Marseille, managing to escape the attention of Lucas and Mascherano every now and again. His ball for Kone was a little under-cooked there though.

Chelsea are 2-0 up, thanks to Joe Cole. I make that 4-1 on aggregate to England at present.

Niang gets on the end of a Kone cross but couldn't direct it towards goal from a narrow angle.

Hit hard and low to the keeper's right and Liverpool have gone from 1-0 down to 2-1 up inside nine minutes.

Gerrard scores! Again! 2-1!

Gerrard scores but the ref orders a retake as Torres had encroached into the area.

Gerrard to take it...

Penalty! Babel felled by Zumar.

Well, another belter to add to Gerrard's increasingly vast 'screamer' collection. How he dug out that ball, that was almost behind him, and looped it into the far corner while off balance is a mystery.

Well that his silenced the crowd a little! Marseille's lead lasted all of three minutes.

Torres wins possession, lays it to Kuyt, he squares it for Gerrard who hits it first time, across goal and across his body and into the far corner. A truly wonderful goal!

GOAL! Gerrard special! What a goal!

Carragher pushed up and then appealed for the flag but Cana's run was perfectly timed, and the goal is a very good one.

Cheyrou picks the ball up from Ben Arfa, lifts a lovely little ball over the top and Cana, clean through, guides it past Reina. Game on!

GOAL! Cana gives Marseille the lead!

Barcelona lead Sporting 1-0 by the way. Marquez, I think.

Babel spreads the ball wide right to Kuyt but his cross bounces once, just before the touchline on the opposite side of the ground. Oh dear.

Kone takes and Torres heads away from danger at the near post.

Marseille are again less than convincing from the corner. Torres manages to get his bonce on it but his looping effort (again) drops just over the bar. Marseille free-kick wide on the left at t'other end.

Now Mandanda makes a very good save after Gerrard ran onto a Kuyt flick and hit one. It was arching into the bottom corner before keeps got a big hand on it.

Frank Lampard has put Chelsea one up against Bordeaux by the way. England 1-0 France so far this evening....

Great chance for Babel! Kuyt fires in a cross, Babel's exquisite touch takes it away from Zubar and he then flashes a shot inches over the bar! The game has come to life!

I knew the old reverse pyschology would work! First Kone runs at the back line and goes down theatrically after Carragher got in his way, then Niang was played in on the left but blasted his shot high and wide from 15 yards out. Chance!

Not much going off at the minute. Just so you know.

Gerrard tries one of his 50 yard fizzers, looking for Lucas but Mandanda is out.

The home side are getting on top here a little bit, and they do possess some raw pace up front which will cause Liverpool's back line some problems if they can get into the right areas.

Ben Arfa curls in a free-kick and though Reina only got a little love-tap from Niang he wins the foul. Poor.

Then the Marseille stopper punches clear and though the home side had numbers on the break Ben Arfa wastes the chance. Tut tut.

Niang gets a touch on the corner before Torres sends a looping header goalwards and Mandanda tips over the bar.

Torres' first involvement, as he wins a header which has Zubar racing across to prevent Gerrard profiting, then Torres pockets the rebound, heads to the byline and wins a corner.

Ben Arfa clatters into Babel with his studs up and rakes them down the Dutchman's knee. Right in front of the ref I might add. How that isn't a booking I'll never know.

An awful ball from Mascherano allows Ben Arfa to rattle at Liverpool's back three, but his ball for Niang is a tad too late and the offside flag pops up.

Marseille look pretty fluid too with Kone and Ben Arfa patrolling the flanks.

Liverpool have set up as you might expect. Lucas and Mascherano holding, Kuyt and Babel wide with Stevie G playing just off Nando up top.

A predictably boisterous home support belts out another round of summat or other in French, as we kick off...

And Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Dossena, Gerrard, Mascherano, Leiva Lucas, Kuyt, Torres and Babel. Subs from: Cavalieri, Agger, Keane, Riera, Alonso, Benayoun and Degen.

The teams, starting with Marseille: Mandanda, Bonnart, Zubar, Hilton, Taiwo, Cana, Cheyrou, Kone, M'Bami, Ben Arfa and Niang. Subs from: Riou, Ziani, Zenden, Kabore, Samassa, Erbate and Valbuena.

Marseille have had a cracking start to the season, winning three and drawing two of their five games to date. They're sharing the goals around too, Bakari Koné has three, Mamadou Niang has potted a couple, and even Boudewijn Zenden has bagged a few. Holy moly!

Marseille host Liverpool in southern France tonight, just as they did in last year's competition, when they were on the end of a 4-0 drubbing. I'm dubious as to whether a similar rout is on the cards tonight though despite the Reds toppling the Red Devils at the weekend.

Good evening footy fans and welcome to the opening matches in the group stages of the monumental cash cow that is, the Champions League.

Join us at 1945 BST to see if Rafa's Reds can rout Marseille at the Stade Velodrome like they did in last year's Champions League.

Torres is off and Albert Riera is coming on.

Babel breaks sharply but delays his ball for Gerrard, who can't hide his disgust. Then Valbuena hits a long ball for Kone to chase but Reina is out promptly again.

Hilton wins the header eight yards out but it is straight at Reina. A yard either side and we'd be chatting about 2-2.

A good spell of possession from the home side culminates in a corner on the right.

Carragher does well to stay with Kone as he belts down the right. Goal kick.

Taiwo swings in a cross which Kone gets a volley on but the ball loops over the bar.

Another OM change: Ben Arfa comes off and Karim Ziani is on.

Lucas is having a mare out there now. When he's in possession he gives it away, when he's not he gives away foul after foul.

Kuyt brings down the corner and is just about to unload before Zubar gets in the way. Just as well, he missed his header which allowed the ball to travel through to the Dutch supermodel.

Torres is challenged by Bonnart, quite forcefully but wins a corner. Gerrard to swing it in....

Then Reina charges out to intercept a Cheyrou pass ahead of Niang, then sprays a wonderful 75 yard ball to Torres who was free on the left wing. Who knew?!

Gerrard nearly earns himself a sight at goal before Zubar gets in quickly.

Niang plays a poor ball when Valbuena could have been in down the channel. The ball eventually gets to the winger but his cross is deflected by Skrtel and Reina claims.

I like the look of Benoit Cheyrou. I'm wondering if he's related to Bruno of the same name, who had a poor spell at Liverpool. I think not though, cos Benoit is actually quite good.

More good work from Valbuena, on the right this time, he cuts inside and crosses. Skrtel nods behind for a corner.

A bright start from Marseille and Valbuena. He darts inside Lucas, is clipped then leaps in the air and screams like a little girl.

Right, we're off again....

Gerrard smashes in a free kick after Torres was fould but Hilton clears and that is that for the first half. Liverpool lead, but Marseille have been bright, perky and dangerous. See you in 15 minutes....

Cheyrou whips in another curler but Reina emerges to pluck this one out of the air.

Valbuena makes an instant impact, winning a free kick then whipping it in with venom. Carragher clears. Yes, again.

Marseille change: M'Bami is off and Mathieu Valbuena is on. He got the winner when these teams met at Anfield in last year's competition by the way.

More promising work from Marseille. Cheyrou whips in a delightful cross which none of his team mates had gambled on, then Ben Arfa releases Bonnart with a lovely flick but Dossena blocks the cross.

Niang turns beautifully and completely stitches up Mascherano, who gives away a foul. Free kick on the right, 20 yards out. Carragher clears.

Lucas gives away a free kick wide on the left after a tangle with Taiwo.

Liverpool look much more in control now, but they're still getting flashes of danger from Marseille's pacy attacking quartet.

Cheyrou is having a good game for Marseille, managing to escape the attention of Lucas and Mascherano every now and again. His ball for Kone was a little under-cooked there though.

Chelsea are 2-0 up, thanks to Joe Cole. I make that 4-1 on aggregate to England at present.

Niang gets on the end of a Kone cross but couldn't direct it towards goal from a narrow angle.

Hit hard and low to the keeper's right and Liverpool have gone from 1-0 down to 2-1 up inside nine minutes.

Gerrard scores! Again! 2-1!

Gerrard scores but the ref orders a retake as Torres had encroached into the area.

Gerrard to take it...

Penalty! Babel felled by Zumar.

Well, another belter to add to Gerrard's increasingly vast 'screamer' collection. How he dug out that ball, that was almost behind him, and looped it into the far corner while off balance is a mystery.

Well that his silenced the crowd a little! Marseille's lead lasted all of three minutes.

Torres wins possession, lays it to Kuyt, he squares it for Gerrard who hits it first time, across goal and across his body and into the far corner. A truly wonderful goal!

GOAL! Gerrard special! What a goal!

Carragher pushed up and then appealed for the flag but Cana's run was perfectly timed, and the goal is a very good one.

Cheyrou picks the ball up from Ben Arfa, lifts a lovely little ball over the top and Cana, clean through, guides it past Reina. Game on!

GOAL! Cana gives Marseille the lead!

Barcelona lead Sporting 1-0 by the way. Marquez, I think.

Babel spreads the ball wide right to Kuyt but his cross bounces once, just before the touchline on the opposite side of the ground. Oh dear.

Kone takes and Torres heads away from danger at the near post.

Marseille are again less than convincing from the corner. Torres manages to get his bonce on it but his looping effort (again) drops just over the bar. Marseille free-kick wide on the left at t'other end.

Now Mandanda makes a very good save after Gerrard ran onto a Kuyt flick and hit one. It was arching into the bottom corner before keeps got a big hand on it.

Frank Lampard has put Chelsea one up against Bordeaux by the way. England 1-0 France so far this evening....

Great chance for Babel! Kuyt fires in a cross, Babel's exquisite touch takes it away from Zubar and he then flashes a shot inches over the bar! The game has come to life!

I knew the old reverse pyschology would work! First Kone runs at the back line and goes down theatrically after Carragher got in his way, then Niang was played in on the left but blasted his shot high and wide from 15 yards out. Chance!

Not much going off at the minute. Just so you know.

Gerrard tries one of his 50 yard fizzers, looking for Lucas but Mandanda is out.

The home side are getting on top here a little bit, and they do possess some raw pace up front which will cause Liverpool's back line some problems if they can get into the right areas.

Ben Arfa curls in a free-kick and though Reina only got a little love-tap from Niang he wins the foul. Poor.

Then the Marseille stopper punches clear and though the home side had numbers on the break Ben Arfa wastes the chance. Tut tut.

Niang gets a touch on the corner before Torres sends a looping header goalwards and Mandanda tips over the bar.

Torres' first involvement, as he wins a header which has Zubar racing across to prevent Gerrard profiting, then Torres pockets the rebound, heads to the byline and wins a corner.

Ben Arfa clatters into Babel with his studs up and rakes them down the Dutchman's knee. Right in front of the ref I might add. How that isn't a booking I'll never know.

An awful ball from Mascherano allows Ben Arfa to rattle at Liverpool's back three, but his ball for Niang is a tad too late and the offside flag pops up.

Marseille look pretty fluid too with Kone and Ben Arfa patrolling the flanks.

Liverpool have set up as you might expect. Lucas and Mascherano holding, Kuyt and Babel wide with Stevie G playing just off Nando up top.

A predictably boisterous home support belts out another round of summat or other in French, as we kick off...

And Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Dossena, Gerrard, Mascherano, Leiva Lucas, Kuyt, Torres and Babel. Subs from: Cavalieri, Agger, Keane, Riera, Alonso, Benayoun and Degen.

The teams, starting with Marseille: Mandanda, Bonnart, Zubar, Hilton, Taiwo, Cana, Cheyrou, Kone, M'Bami, Ben Arfa and Niang. Subs from: Riou, Ziani, Zenden, Kabore, Samassa, Erbate and Valbuena.

Marseille have had a cracking start to the season, winning three and drawing two of their five games to date. They're sharing the goals around too, Bakari Koné has three, Mamadou Niang has potted a couple, and even Boudewijn Zenden has bagged a few. Holy moly!

Marseille host Liverpool in southern France tonight, just as they did in last year's competition, when they were on the end of a 4-0 drubbing. I'm dubious as to whether a similar rout is on the cards tonight though despite the Reds toppling the Red Devils at the weekend.

Good evening footy fans and welcome to the opening matches in the group stages of the monumental cash cow that is, the Champions League.

Join us at 1945 BST to see if Rafa's Reds can rout Marseille at the Stade Velodrome like they did in last year's Champions League.