Substitutes (Probable):
30 Charles Itandje _ 37 Martin Skrtel _ 3 Steve Finnan _ 14 Xabi Alonso _ 21 Lucas Leiva _ 19 Ryan Babel _ 15 Peter Crouch

So Liverpool, on the back of a heartbreaking injury time lost to Championship outfit Barnsley in the FA Cup, do battle with the best side in Italy, Inter Milan. I can predict that boss Rafa Benitez will opt for a 4-4-2 that can switch to a 4-4-1-1 type of formation to try to pack the midfield and stifle Inter's. The return of the spine of Liverpool's team should be well-equipped mentally do deal with Inter Milan.

Spine number 1 Jose Reina will definitely start in goal after substitute goalie Charles Itandje's poor showing at the weekend. Spine number 2 Jamie Carragher will definitely keep his place, but alongside who? Sami Hyypia for experience, or Martin Skrtel for a little bit more pace? In any case, two of those three will have to deal with the threat of Swedish hotshot Zlatan Ibrahimovic. I'm going with Hyypia, but Liverpool will have to play a little deeper. John Arne Riise should start at the left back position as he has the sufficient pace to deal with the likes of Dejan Stankovic and Luis Figo. Alvaro Arbeloa should fill in after a poor showing from Steve Finnan.

Spine number 3 and number 4 are skipper Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano. Gerrard will be looking to cause Patrick Vieira and Esteban Cambiasso some problems, whilst Mascherano will have to help the back-four deal with Figo, Stankovic, Luis Jimenez, Ibrahimovic and David Suazo. Jermaine Pennant should start to add natural width and try to trouble Brazilian full-back Maxwell, while Yossi Benayoun, the only real quality consistent starter for Liverpool, should start at left wing, and be able to cut in to cause Inter skipper Javier Zanetti some problems.

Spine number 5 Fernando Torres will almost definitely start if he is not injured. He'll be looking to trouble Marco Materazzi with his pace. Peter Crouch and Dirk Kuyt will be battling to start in the other forward berth, and I think Kuyt will get it as Rafa would want to be able to switch to a 4-4-1-1 or 4-5-1 while being without the ball.

Crouch should come off the bench should he be needed, to add some height to give a different challenge to deal with for Inter's defence. Ryan Babel will also come on if more pace is required up front or on the wings. Xabi Alonso's passing ability will hopefully still be within him, and will come on if an extra person is required to defend a lead around after the 70th-minute mark. Finnan and Skrtel will be emergency only and if Rafa wants to defend a lead.

C'mon Reds!!

Bye~!