Liverpool against Bordeaux

It won't be long before 'You'll never walk alone' will break out around the stands.

The pace has dropped off considerably now and no wonder. Liverpool are keen to play down the clock while Bordeaux know they're heading out of the competition.

Faubert whips in a cross after an exquiste piece of skill that bamboozles Gerrard. But nothing comes of the cross apart from a Liverpool throw.

Riise tries his luck from a long way out, maybe 35 yards. It dips but Rame is well-placed to make a comfortable catch.

Robbie Fowler comes on for the Spaniard. Will he be able to get his first ever Champions League goal?

It's party time at Anfield! Luis Garcia robs Faubert and runs through on goal and slots his cool finish past Rame. A well-taken goal and his last action of the night.

GOAL: LIVERPOOL 3-0 BORDEAUX Luis Garcia

A final change for Bordeaux as Micoud comes off for Mavuba. But it makes little difference now. Liverpool are coasting.

With Liverpool out of sight, Benitez opts to bring on Pennant for Crouch.

Egg on the face moment for yours truly. Gerrard steams through the Bordeaux defence and plants a side-foot effort under Rame. Just as I write him off for the night he rises to the ocassion and tucks away his first goal of the season.

It certainly isn't Gerrard's night. Liverpool may be cruising but the scouser has just missed a guilt-edged chance from close range. He slashes wide and over.

Good news for Liverpool as PSV take the lead against Galatasaray. If the scores remain the same PSV and Liverpool are going through.

Play calms down and the ole's ring around Anfield as the hosts spread the ball around with ease.

A frantic couple of minutes that has all but ended Bordeaux's chances of getting back into this match and it really was a silly incident that was right in front of the linesman. What was he thinking?

Riise has blood streaming from his eye and the guilty culprit is Fernando who butted the defender in the face. A nasty incident that leave Bordeaux with 10 men and Riise needing treatment.

RED CARD: Fernando (Bordeaux)

A lull in the game now with Liverpool keen to retain possession and break up any passing moves from Bordeaux.

Kuyt and Crouch combine neatly again but the lofty striker is waved offside.

Gerrard isn't quite at the races tonight. He has a clear chance to play in Luis Garcia but his pass is too strong and rolls through to Rame.

A change up front for Bordeaux. 17-year-old Obertan comes on for Darcheville in search of a vital equaliser.

Xabi Alonso can play no further part. He hobbles off with an injury meaning Zenden comes into the midfield to replace him.

Gerrard finds some room on the edge of the box and the ball sits up nicely for him, surely he'll volley it into the roof of the net.....but no, it's gone horribly wrong and well wide.

He likes hitting them from range and Wendell has another shot from 25 yards. It goes the way of all the others so far - row z.

Momo Sissoko finds his way into the referee's book with a rash tackle from behind on Wendell.

At the other end Micoud has a shot heroically blocked by Hyypia. It's the best spell of the game at the moment.

Crouch somehow creates a chance for Gerrard in amongst a host of players in the Bordeaux box, but the skipper's effort is more of a pass back to Rame.

Bordeaux are coming at Liverpool now. The Liverpool defence are scrabbling around and Bordeaux are taking advantage. Darcheville has another try, this time from the edge of the box, but he slices well wide.

What a chance for Bordeaux. Reina comes to Liverpool's rescue as Darcheville runs clean through on goal only for the keeper to stand tall and block the Frenchman's effort. A crucial save.

Gerrard wins his side a corner off Cid after a breaking run down the right. It's laid short to Finnan but Bordeaux clear.

Left-back Marange cuts in from his flank and unleashes a right-foot drive that Reina stretches to tip over the bar. The first chance of the half and Bordeaux's best so far.

We back in action in Merseyside.

Liverpool have hardly been threatened and look good for their lead. But Rafael Benitez will want more from his charges in the second half. There's no reason why they can't go on to score more.

HALF-TIME: LIVERPOOL 1-0 BORDEAUX

Wendell whips in a bending free-kick from the left-hand edge of the box. But it doesn't bend enough and ends up in Reina's midrift.

A sublime turn and searching pass finds Kuyt on the run and it's two-on-two. But the striker gets a bit greedy and decides to shoot from an angle and from distance. It's slammed into the advertising hoardings.

And Kuyt almost doubles Liverpool's lead. The Dutchman rises to meet and flick on Gerrard's cross only for the ball to drop on to the top of the net.

With five minutes to go in the half Liverpool are dominant. They are strolling around retaining possession with ease.

A cute Alonso free-kick from deep almost catches out Jemmali, but the defender recovers to stop Garcia entering the box.

Gerrard embarks on a searching run but is stopped in his tracks by Faubert.

Florain Marange finds a yard of space in the box and crosses for Ferrer heads horribly wide.

Liverpool are in control of the match but they're not being stretched so far. Bordeaux have offered very little going forward and look fragile at the back too.

A bit of space for Bordeaux but Wendell has a pop from 30 yards that bounces easily in front of Reina and the keeper makes a comfortable catch. Bordeaux's first effort.

Kuyt slashes at a half volley from around 25 yards out. It just slices wide but could have caught the keeper out had it been on target.

Lovely build-up play again from Liverpool involving Kuyt, Sissoko and Gerrard. But the final ball from Gerrard is a little too strong from Kuyt. Goal kick.

Gerrard again finds Garcia at the back post but this time the Spaniard decides to take a touch and it rolls heavily off his chest out for a goal-kick. It's a productive outlet down the right at the moment.

It's all Liverpool now. They sense they could get more goals here.

The crowd are singing Benitez's name. He may not be popular among some, but the Kop still loves him.

Liverpool had a man over and Luis Garcia gave Crouch a shout of 'leave it' before thumping in his volley.

A pin-point cross from Steven Gerrard finds Luis Garcia at the back post and from an acute angle he volleys back across goal to give Liverpool the lead.

GOAL: LIVERPOOL 1-0 BORDEAUX Luis Garcia

A horrendous gaffe from Stevie Gerrard. A fresh air kick that makes the England midfielder look like an amateur for a second. Luckily it wasn't in a dangerous position.

Alonso looks to loft one over the top but it rolls out for a goal kick. Benitez comes out of his dugout and pleads for a more urgent approach.

Fernando gives the Liverpool backline with a mazy run. But Reina et al play it out of trouble confidentally and effectively.

This is better passing from the hosts now. It's neat and crisp and patient with it. It's just the final ball into the front two that is lacking so far.

A wasted cross from Kuyt angers Crouch. A poor delivery from the right wing from the Dutchman.

Fernando finds some room in the middle of the park. He had options right and left but decides to go it alone and drags his shot wide past the left hand post from 20 yards.

Back to the play and Liverpool are closing and pressuring Bordeaux in their own half. But still the niggly free-kicks persist.

Free-kick for Bordeaux and Wendell swings it in only for the disabled Chamak to be caught offside. It's the last action for the Morroccan, finally he concedes that he can't go on.

Well this is a gamble, he's hobbled back on the field. How long can Chamak keep this up for, he's clearly in pain. But fair play for giving it a go.

He looked like Bordeaux's most threatening player two weeks ago. He'll cause no threat tonight however.

Chamak is struggling for Bordeaux. His ankle looks to have given way and he's signalled to the bench that he wants out.

Liverpool start to string some passes together with Gerrard keen to get involved.

A scrappy opening five minutes. The ref has yet to take the whistle out of his mouth after a succession of needless fouls on both sides.

And the home crowd are in fine fettle. They're expecting a comfortable win here. Let's see if the French side can prove them wrong.

The atmosphere is far more livelier than it was a fortnight ago in France. Let's hope the standard of football is higher too.

Gerrard has yet to score this season and his ballooned effort with his left peg won't halt that run.

We're underway at Anfield.

Rafa fooled us all with his line-up. After all these matches he decides to stick and not twist. Has he worked out his strongest side? We'll soon see.

Would you believe it! After 99 successive matches tinkering with his line-up Benitez opts to retain the team that beat Aston Villa at the weekend. Bordeaux made five changes from the team that lost 1-0 to Liverpool in south-west France a fortnight ago, with Franck Jurietti out injured along with Lilian Laslandes.

Riise has blood streaming from his eye and the guilty culprit is Fernando who butted the defender in the face. A nasty incident that leave Bordeaux with 10 men and Riise needing treatment.

RED CARD: Fernando (Bordeaux)

A lull in the game now with Liverpool keen to retain possession and break up any passing moves from Bordeaux.

Kuyt and Crouch combine neatly again but the lofty striker is waved offside.

Gerrard isn't quite at the races tonight. He has a clear chance to play in Luis Garcia but his pass is too strong and rolls through to Rame.

A change up front for Bordeaux. 17-year-old Obertan comes on for Darcheville in search of a vital equaliser.

Xabi Alonso can play no further part. He hobbles off with an injury meaning Zenden comes into the midfield to replace him.

Gerrard finds some room on the edge of the box and the ball sits up nicely for him, surely he'll volley it into the roof of the net.....but no, it's gone horribly wrong and well wide.

He likes hitting them from range and Wendell has another shot from 25 yards. It goes the way of all the others so far - row z.

Momo Sissoko finds his way into the referee's book with a rash tackle from behind on Wendell.

At the other end Micoud has a shot heroically blocked by Hyypia. It's the best spell of the game at the moment.

Crouch somehow creates a chance for Gerrard in amongst a host of players in the Bordeaux box, but the skipper's effort is more of a pass back to Rame.

Bordeaux are coming at Liverpool now. The Liverpool defence are scrabbling around and Bordeaux are taking advantage. Darcheville has another try, this time from the edge of the box, but he slices well wide.

What a chance for Bordeaux. Reina comes to Liverpool's rescue as Darcheville runs clean through on goal only for the keeper to stand tall and block the Frenchman's effort. A crucial save.

Gerrard wins his side a corner off Cid after a breaking run down the right. It's laid short to Finnan but Bordeaux clear.

Left-back Marange cuts in from his flank and unleashes a right-foot drive that Reina stretches to tip over the bar. The first chance of the half and Bordeaux's best so far.

We back in action in Merseyside.

Liverpool have hardly been threatened and look good for their lead. But Rafael Benitez will want more from his charges in the second half. There's no reason why they can't go on to score more.

HALF-TIME: LIVERPOOL 1-0 BORDEAUX

Wendell whips in a bending free-kick from the left-hand edge of the box. But it doesn't bend enough and ends up in Reina's midrift.

A sublime turn and searching pass finds Kuyt on the run and it's two-on-two. But the striker gets a bit greedy and decides to shoot from an angle and from distance. It's slammed into the advertising hoardings.

And Kuyt almost doubles Liverpool's lead. The Dutchman rises to meet and flick on Gerrard's cross only for the ball to drop on to the top of the net.

With five minutes to go in the half Liverpool are dominant. They are strolling around retaining possession with ease.

A cute Alonso free-kick from deep almost catches out Jemmali, but the defender recovers to stop Garcia entering the box.

Gerrard embarks on a searching run but is stopped in his tracks by Faubert.

Florain Marange finds a yard of space in the box and crosses for Ferrer heads horribly wide.

Liverpool are in control of the match but they're not being stretched so far. Bordeaux have offered very little going forward and look fragile at the back too.

A bit of space for Bordeaux but Wendell has a pop from 30 yards that bounces easily in front of Reina and the keeper makes a comfortable catch. Bordeaux's first effort.

Kuyt slashes at a half volley from around 25 yards out. It just slices wide but could have caught the keeper out had it been on target.

Lovely build-up play again from Liverpool involving Kuyt, Sissoko and Gerrard. But the final ball from Gerrard is a little too strong from Kuyt. Goal kick.

Gerrard again finds Garcia at the back post but this time the Spaniard decides to take a touch and it rolls heavily off his chest out for a goal-kick. It's a productive outlet down the right at the moment.

It's all Liverpool now. They sense they could get more goals here.

The crowd are singing Benitez's name. He may not be popular among some, but the Kop still loves him.

Liverpool had a man over and Luis Garcia gave Crouch a shout of 'leave it' before thumping in his volley.

A pin-point cross from Steven Gerrard finds Luis Garcia at the back post and from an acute angle he volleys back across goal to give Liverpool the lead.

GOAL: LIVERPOOL 1-0 BORDEAUX Luis Garcia

A horrendous gaffe from Stevie Gerrard. A fresh air kick that makes the England midfielder look like an amateur for a second. Luckily it wasn't in a dangerous position.

Alonso looks to loft one over the top but it rolls out for a goal kick. Benitez comes out of his dugout and pleads for a more urgent approach.

Fernando gives the Liverpool backline with a mazy run. But Reina et al play it out of trouble confidentally and effectively.

This is better passing from the hosts now. It's neat and crisp and patient with it. It's just the final ball into the front two that is lacking so far.

A wasted cross from Kuyt angers Crouch. A poor delivery from the right wing from the Dutchman.

Fernando finds some room in the middle of the park. He had options right and left but decides to go it alone and drags his shot wide past the left hand post from 20 yards.

Back to the play and Liverpool are closing and pressuring Bordeaux in their own half. But still the niggly free-kicks persist.

Free-kick for Bordeaux and Wendell swings it in only for the disabled Chamak to be caught offside. It's the last action for the Morroccan, finally he concedes that he can't go on.

Well this is a gamble, he's hobbled back on the field. How long can Chamak keep this up for, he's clearly in pain. But fair play for giving it a go.

He looked like Bordeaux's most threatening player two weeks ago. He'll cause no threat tonight however.

Chamak is struggling for Bordeaux. His ankle looks to have given way and he's signalled to the bench that he wants out.

Liverpool start to string some passes together with Gerrard keen to get involved.

A scrappy opening five minutes. The ref has yet to take the whistle out of his mouth after a succession of needless fouls on both sides.

And the home crowd are in fine fettle. They're expecting a comfortable win here. Let's see if the French side can prove them wrong.

The atmosphere is far more livelier than it was a fortnight ago in France. Let's hope the standard of football is higher too.

Gerrard has yet to score this season and his ballooned effort with his left peg won't halt that run.

We're underway at Anfield.

Rafa fooled us all with his line-up. After all these matches he decides to stick and not twist. Has he worked out his strongest side? We'll soon see.

Would you believe it! After 99 successive matches tinkering with his line-up Benitez opts to retain the team that beat Aston Villa at the weekend. Bordeaux made five changes from the team that lost 1-0 to Liverpool in south-west France a fortnight ago, with Franck Jurietti out injured along with Lilian Laslandes.