Liverpool against Spartak Moscow

Heskey turns to release Owen dropping off to the inside-right. Cheyrou's at the far post for the first-time whack but it's wasteful

Delightful back-heel by Murphy finds Owen. A great chip find Heskey in support but his header is poor and Cherchessov scrambles a save

Pavlenko gets to the byeline in a rare Russian attack, but Riise blocks. Throw-in reaches Kebe on the far side and Dudek is beaten as the ball just goes wide of goal

Heskey caught offside as Murphy and Owen combine sweetly

Gerrard races down the right flank, but is overambitious in looking for Owen on the far side. Spartak can clear

Ferocious drive is parried by Cherchessov and somehow Owen is denied with the rebound... Corner and the keeper goes down - freekick

On comes Traore for Henchoz

Murphy drives at the heart of the Spartak rearguard but Heskey and Cheyrou over-elaborate and the danger comes to nought

Moises steps in to deny Owen, who must be very keen to score his first European goal of the season against this defending...

Abramidze replaces the tiring Kovtun

Owen finds Gerrard with a neat flick but Kebe's there to push it out of play

Valencia now lead Basle 5-1 at the Mestalla - a goal each in the second period

Gerrard takes - Heskey up for the header but a Spartak touch means another corner. Mitreski clears

Cheyrou hammers the free-kick - off Da Silva for a corner

'Oles' all round as the Reds ping the ball about. Heskey suddenly turns Kovtun inside-out, but the veteran defender hauls him down. Another yellow card

Kebe's surge forward run is ended by Henchoz. Throw-in gets worked back to Kebe whose cross is gathered by the up-to-now unemployed Dudek

Kebe sees yellow - not for fouling Gerrard but for 'questioning' the referee afterwards. Hamer having none of it

Heskey looks for Owen, but the ball's blocked.

Kalinichenko goes down in the box under Cheyrou's challenge - the hush of the crowd tells you something but referee Hamer doesn't blow

Bezrodny clears under pressure from Gerrard

Then Da Silva replaces Kudriashov, who doesn't seem to be injured...

Henchoz does well to block Kalinichenko's drive

Riise steams down the left wing but his final touch allows Moises to tackle

This one finds Riise but his effort is poor and the keeper can make amends

Now a miskick from Cherchessov gifts a corner... The ball comes in and Hamann thunders an instant volley - deflected for another

It's as you were as Liverpool string passes together from the restart, only for Gerrard to be denied at the edge of the box

And that's enough for the first period. Coach Romantsev has a lot of talking to do after his team put up very little resistance as Liverpool marched into a 3-0 half-time lead

More mirth as Mitreski falls over on the ball. All a bit shambolic

Kudriashov feeds Bezrodny but the substitute miscontrols, much to the delight of the home fans - now rather subdued after a great first half-hour for their team

Kovtun gives it away to Gerrard - not a great cross though and Heskey is beaten to it by the keeper. More shaky stuff from the visitors

Another Liverpool freekick - played to Riise for the drive, 30 yards out, but the white shirts are up quickly to block

Kudriashov clears long. Hyypia heads for Murphy whose instant ball forward is just too strong and Cherchessov collects in goal

Carragher heads clear as Kalinichenko launches the long ball

Freekick to Liverpool, meant for Gerrard but it's all rather messy and Hyypia can only help it through to the keeper

Murphy to the far post where Gerrard waits but Beschastnykh hooks it clear

Gerrard caught late by Mitreski. Yellow card and another freekick out on the left. Up comes Hyypia again

Great skills from Murphy, a jinking run past three or four defenders but the shot lacks power and Cherchessov gathers

Meanwhile, Bezrodny has replaced right-sided midfielder Khlestov

Then a lapse from Hyypia whose sloppy ball gives Pavlenko a chance - but his curler goes round Dudek's post. A wake-up call for the Reds

Valencia similarly rampant tonight - now four up against Basle

Liverpool freekick. Murphy whips it in from the left and Hyypia rises to power home from close range. Spartak dormant at the back and it's three-nil

Cheyrou's header well claimed by Cherchessov on his goalline

From the corner Heskey gets a glancing header. Riise collects on the far side and Moises concedes another corner

Riise slides a cross in from the left and again Kovtun is there - this time denying Owen a gilt-edged chance.

Now Cheyrou's turn to cross for Heskey. Head-tennis in the Spartak box but eventually it's back to keeper Cherchessov

Heskey goes close with a header now - the Anfield crowd appreciated that. Now Gerrard looks for the big striker in the middle but Kovtun just gets to it first

Another long ball catches the Russians out though - Owen's clean through but his touch beyond the keeper rebounds off the post to safety

Suddenly Spartak string passes together and Liverpool look troubled. Pavlenko squares for Kalinichenko - who stabs wide

Kalinichenko beats going forward two before Hamann interupts

Valencia now three up against Basle

Cheyrou feeds Gerrard, steaming down the inside right. The midfielder looks for Owen but it's mis-hit and beyond the far post. Goal-kick

Spartak looking shabby at the back again and Liverpool, for the first time in the tournament this season, are playing with confidence

Not to worry.. Spartak caught out by Murphy's ball through to Cheyrou who slides home his first goal for Liverpool. Perfect start, 2-0 to the Merseysiders

Now 19-year-old Kudriashov yellow-carded as Liverpool look to break once again. Freekick worked up field but Murphy is penalised for a shove

Elsewhere Valencia lead Basle 1-0

Koftun able to clear and Henchoz is forced into a foul as Spartak break - yellow card

Corner half cleared but Gerrard takes aim from the edge of the box... deflection for another corner

Hamann robs Kebe and the Reds play it long again through Murphy. Owen threatens again but Moises is back to concede the corner

The visitors respond by winning a corner. Henchoz gets to it first and after a scramble it's back in Dudek's hands

Long ball over the top from Hyypia and the pace of Owen and Heskey causes mayhem. The two strikers almost get mixed up but Heskey finally gets a foot to it to open the scoring. 1-0 Liverpool!

Mitreski bundles into Heskey - free-kick. Murphy takes again and Hyypia is up but his header lacks power

Murphy's corner headed clear and Spartak sweep upfield for Bestchastnykh to fire wide

Murphy feeds Riise, bursting down the left - the pullback for Gerrard whose goalbound strike is blocked by Moises. Corner Liverpool

Murphy heads forward, but Moises breaks it up. Spartak move forward but Henchoz is there to marshal back it to Dudek

Early swipe from Gerrard drifts well wide of Cherchessov's goal

Liverpool, in their traditional strip of all red, kick off on a must-win night at Anfield

Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise, Murphy, Hamann, Gerrard, Cheyrou, Owen, Heskey. Subs: Kirkland, Baros, Diouf, Berger, Diao, Biscan, Traore.

Spartak Moscow: Cherchessov, Khlestov, Moises, Mitreski, Kovtun, Kalinichenko, Kudriashov, Pavlenko, Kebe, Beschastnykh, Danilenko. Subs: Levitsky, Tchuisse, Baranov, Da Silva, Bezrodny, Sonin, Abramidze.

Just one point so far for the Reds. Houllier and co need to up a gear if they're to progress. Join us at 19.45 BST for updates on all the thrills and spills.

Owen fires from an acute angle on the right - Cherchessov does well to get both hands up for the save

Gerrard gets a great ovation as he is replaced by Senagalese international Salif Diao

Heskey turns to release Owen dropping off to the inside-right. Cheyrou's at the far post for the first-time whack but it's wasteful

Delightful back-heel by Murphy finds Owen. A great chip find Heskey in support but his header is poor and Cherchessov scrambles a save

Pavlenko gets to the byeline in a rare Russian attack, but Riise blocks. Throw-in reaches Kebe on the far side and Dudek is beaten as the ball just goes wide of goal

Heskey caught offside as Murphy and Owen combine sweetly

Gerrard races down the right flank, but is overambitious in looking for Owen on the far side. Spartak can clear

Ferocious drive is parried by Cherchessov and somehow Owen is denied with the rebound... Corner and the keeper goes down - freekick

On comes Traore for Henchoz