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Live: Ryan Babel Makes It 4-0 Against Marseille

He’s only been on the pitch about 15 minutes by Ryan Babel has put the icing firmly on the cake for Liverpool, skipping around the Marseille keeper to tap home from the middle of the box.

His goal, Liverpool’s fourth, makes it sixteen goals for Liverpool in three games. Who’d have thought!

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Live: Lucas Replaces Kuyt At Marseille (85)

The last sub for Liverpool, Lucas Leiva getting five minutes or so to run out at the Stade Velodrome, replacing Dirk Kuyt.

The change should push Babel up front with Gerrard hanging back behind him, aided by Yossi Benayoun for the remainder of the game.

Marseille have thrown away everything tonight, really poor performance from them.

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Live: Babel On For Torres At Marseille (76)

Fifteen minutes or so to go and Fernando Torres has been replaced by Dutch winger Ryan Babel.

Yet another solid performance from Torres, nothing short of a pure workhorse from start to finish, the Spaniard showing some real skill in Liverpool’s second goal, collecting the ball from Harry Kewell to weave his way through three Marseille defenders and fire the ball in the back of the net.

No sign of any trouble after picking up a slight knock in the loss to Reading at the weekend but he can relax at this point, his first season in the Champions League looking set to continue with Liverpool advancing to the last sixteen, all things going to plan in the last fifteen minutes.

Babel should join Dirk Kuyt up front in attack, though Peter Crouch is seen warming up on the sidelines.

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Live: Aurelio On For Kewell(67)

With Liverpool firmly in the lead, Rafa Benitez is starting to ring in the changes, starting with Harry Kewell, the Australian making way for Fabio Aurelio.

Marseille are starting the threaten, moreso through Liverpool’s defending with the French picking up a few corners in the last ten minutes. No matter how they try though, they’re still lacking everywhere - pace, finishing, attacking in general.

Kewell, in my opinion, has had a great game. Solid performance on the left flank, setting up two goals (Torres and Kuyt) and he can be happy with his contribution to Liverpool’s qualification.

Elsewhere, Porto are currently leading 2-0 against Besiktas, Real Madrid also looking good for qualifying in their group along with Olympiakos.

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Live: Marseille 0 - 3 Liverpool

Dirk Kuyt has just bagged his second goal of the Champions League campaign.

We’re only three minutes into the second half, Kuyt on his own at the edge of the box to pick up a ball from Harry Kewell, literally isolated and likely surprised as he collected the ball to go one-on-one and calmly fire the ball into the back of the net.

Djibril Cisse is on, Bolo Zenden is off and Marseille have gone 4-2-4 with no subs left to them, Liverpool with a full quota.

It’s all about discipline here for Liverpool, not letting Marseille get back into the game.

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Live: Two Up At Half Time

All it took was twelve minutes. A Steven Gerrard penalty in the fourth minute and a Fernando Torres gem in the twelfth minute has give Liverpool a 2-0 lead at the break.

In Portugal, Porto are currently leading Besiktas by a single goal which would put Porto top of the group and Liverpool currently in second place.

The opening touch of the game could have been bad news for Gerrard, buckling under a hefty challenge within the opening seconds, but he recovered to cruise all the way to the box and win a penalty. Missing the actual penalty itself, Gerrard had no hesitation in firing away the rebound for the first goal.

When Harry Kewell set Fernando Torres through for the second goal, Marseille were visibly deflated.

They haven’t solidly tested Pepe Reina at this stage of the game, the closest being repeated offside calls. Marseille were forced into a change of tactics a half hour in, trying to inject some pace into the game with Samir Nasri coming off the bench but so far to no avail.

Everything going smoothly at this stage, but still no time for complacency. All things considered, there’s another goal in this for Liverpool if they grab it and it will be all roads leading straight to the last sixteen.

[Pic via Getty Images against Marseille in first leg]

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Live: Torres Makes It 2-0 Against Marseille

Fernando Torres just made a real joke of the Marseille defence, Harry Kewell finding the Spaniard close on the left edge of the box for Torres to weave his way through three defenders to put Liverpool ahead 2-0 inside 12 minutes.

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Live: Marseille 0 - 1 Liverpool

Three minutes into the game, the atmosphere is nuts - Steven Gerrard misses a penalty but converts the rebound (thank Christ) after being taken down in the box. The Marseille keeper well off his line for the penalty, he did well to save it but we’re a goal ahead in the fourth minute of the game. Perfect start.

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Live: Marseille vs Liverpool

Fernando Torres leads the attack at Marseille with Dirk Kuyt lining up along side him in attack. You can get live updates by clicking here (goal and important points from the game).

The Liverpool team looks as follows: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Kewell, Torres, Kuyt. As mentioned earlier, Momo Sissoko doesn’t get a look in anywhere with the bench looking like this: Itandje, Steve Finnan, Aurelio, Crouch, Babel, Lucas and Jack Hobbs.

Bring it on!

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Sissoko Out Of Marseille Fixture

Momo Sissoko is looking for a meeting in January to sort out his Liverpool future. He’s angry because he’s been left out of the Champions League squad to face Marseille tonight, a must-win game for Liverpool. Boo hoo.

Benitez needs to put out his strongest possible side against Marseille, that much is a given. Sissoko, at this point, doesn’t fit into his strongest possible side. Sure enough, it would be a bonus to have a fully fit Xabi Alonso and Daniel Agger in the side but injury is keeping them out. In the midfield department, Sissoko continues to slip down the list.

He played in the loss against Reading at the weekend, but this is another ball game altogether. This is the Champions League.

It is funny, the report of him complaining about competition for first team football coming to light. My own Football Manager career with Liverpool (currently in it’s first season), has the same problem - Sissoko complaining about competition for first team football. If you’re so worried - go out and prove yourself. There’s a small difference between thinking you’re good enough to play and having your boss know you’re good enough to play.

Understandably, Sissoko doesn’t want to miss out on a big occasion. His family are in France, it is Liverpool’s biggest game of the season thus far, and there’s an awful lot riding on the game - pride, jobs, money - so who wouldn’t want to be a part of it!

I don’t find it as any surprise he’s been left out. Gerrard is on form, Mascherano is on form, Babel and Benayoun are comfortable playing across the middle of the park, Lucas is starting to step up a gear. If Sissoko was to sit down in January and discuss his future, I don’t think he would be too much of a loss to the Liverpool engine room in midfield.

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