Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for the first leg of the Europa League last-32 clash between Liverpool and Besiktas at Anfield. Both of these sides have realistic ambitions of going all the way in this competition, so we should be in for an intriguing affair both tonight and in the second leg next week. Let's start with a look at the two teams...

LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Mignolet; Can, Skrtel, Sakho; Allen, Henderson, Moreno, Ibe; Coutinho, Lallana, Sturridge

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Lovren, Lambert, Manquillo, Borini, Balotelli, Sterling, Ward

BESIKTAS STARTING XI: Gonan; Serdar, Franco, Ersan, Motta; Olcay, Veli, Hutchinson, Gokhan; Sosa, Ba

BESIKTAS SUBS: Fidayeo, Pektemek, Ozyakup, Arslan, Uysal, Koyunlu, Opare

What can we make of those two sides, then? Well, for Liverpool there is just the one change from Saturday's FA Cup triumph over Crystal Palace as Jordon Ibe replaces the suspended Markovic at right wing-back. That means that Sturridge continues up front and that there is no room for Raheem Sterling, who returns to the bench having missed the last two games with a foot injury. He is joined on the bench by Balotelli, who recently broke his Premier League duck for the Reds.

As for Besiktas, much of the pre-match build-up has surrounded Demba Ba, and as expected he leads the line for the visitors tonight. It is his first visit to Anfield since capitalising on that Steven Gerrard slip to dent the Reds' title hopes when playing for Chelsea last season. He is the current joint leading scoring in the Turkish league with 13 goals this season, while he also scored five and assisted one more in four group stage appearances in the Europa League.

Liverpool will certainly need to be wary of the threat posed by Ba, then, but they will be full of confidence going into this match. They have been in fine form recently and suddenly look capable of finishing in the top four, as well as going far in both this competition and the FA Cup. That would be a successful season considering how they began the campaign, and Brendan Rodgers will be hoping to get a large chunk of this particular job done at home this evening.

The Reds still sit down in seventh place in the Premier League table, but they are now just four points off the Champions League places and are the form team in the division right now. They have picked up 14 points from their last six league outings while, in all competitions, they have won four and drawn one of their last five. Indeed, they have only lost one of their last 16 matches, while their last defeat inside 90 minutes came way back in December at the hands of Manchester United.

Things certainly didn't go to plan for them in their return to the Champions League, however. Liverpool finished third in Group B, predictably missing out to Real Madrid but also finishing two points behind Basel. Their fate was in their hands up to the final matchday too, and they just needed to beat the Swiss side at Anfield to progress to the knockout round, but they could only manage a draw. Still, this competition will be high on Rodgers's priority list as the winners earn a Champions League spot next season.

The home leg in such ties often prove to be hugely important, so Liverpool will want to make the most of being at Anfield tonight. They are unbeaten in their last 10 home games in all competitions and have only lost three here all season, two of which came at the hands of Chelsea and Real Madrid. They have drawn six in their 10-match unbeaten streak, however, and that would be a better result for Besiktas than Liverpool tonight. Having said that, Liverpool will have fond memories of the location for the return leg, with the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul being the venue for their incredible Champions League final victory over AC Milan in 2005.

Liverpool have only lost one of their last 21 home fixtures in this competition, including its previous guise as the UEFA Cup. That run stretches all the way back to March 2003, although their last appearance in the Europa League did end at this stage. They were beaten on aggregate by Zenit St Petersburg in the last 32 in 2013.

As for Besiktas, they also began the season in the Champions League, but Liverpool's Premier League rivals Arsenal ended that dream before it had really begun with victory in the qualifying rounds. That consigned the Turks to the Europa League group stages, but they have been very impressive in the tournament so far and could be dark horses to go all the way should they get past Liverpool. They topped their group with 12 points from six games and remain unbeaten in this season's competition.

Things are going well for them domestically too, although it is shaping up to be a very close title race in Turkey. Besiktas currently lead the way at the top of the Super Lig, but just two points separate the top three, with Fenerbahce and Galatasaray both breathing right down their necks. They have won 11 of their last 12 league games, though, so are showing very few signs of slipping up in their pursuit of the title.

They have only lost one of their last eight matches in all competitions, while that run stretches to just one defeat in 11 games when only taking into account away games. They have won eight and drawn two in that time, although the solitary defeat in their last 11 was their most recent away outing as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at Kayserispor. Even so, they have only been beaten three times on their travels all season.

One of those defeats came in England, but both Arsenal and Spurs will tell you that Besiktas are no pushovers. The Gunners only scraped a 1-0 victory at the Emirates in their Champions League playoff after a goalless draw in the first leg, while Spurs drew one and lost one against Slaven Bilic's side. This will be their fifth meeting with English opposition already this season, with their overall record standing at five wins, five draws and eight defeats from 18 games.

The most notable of their past meetings with English opposition came here just over seven years ago, however, and it is a result that Besiktas will still be looking to avenge. They were taken apart by Liverpool at Anfield in a Champions League group game in 2007-08, eventually going down 8-0 - a record for the competition at the time. The good news for Besiktas is that none of the goalscorers on that night (Crouch (2), Benayoun (3), Gerrard, Babel (2)), will be on the field tonight.

PREDICTION: Right, we're five minutes away from kickoff, which means that it is time for a prediction! Liverpool will know that a trip to Turkey will be a tough assignment, so they will be keen to build a decent lead tonight. Besiktas will also want to take an away goal back, so they will likely look to hit the hosts on the break whenever possible. I can see both sides scoring, but I'm going to go for a 3-1 home victory.

Liverpool have faced Turkish opposition on 10 occasions before, winning half of them, drawing twice and losing three times. They have won each of their last three, scoring 11 goals and conceding just the one in return - figures helped largely by that mammoth 8-0 win over Besiktas.

The players are out and we're just about ready to go at Anfield here. Everton have already picked up a convincing win over Young Boys in Switzerland, so Liverpool will be hoping to join their Merseyside rivals with one foot in the last 16 here.

KICKOFF: Liverpool get us underway here on a European night at Anfield - albeit perhaps not in the competition they would like.

Low-key start to the match here as both sides look to settle themselves into proceedings. Liverpool have seen more of the ball early on, but most of it has come through the likes of Sakho and Skrtel.

SAVE! Decent chance for Liverpool as Ibe shows the first glimpse of his promise, playing it through to Sturridge. The striker is forced to the byline and manages to beat his man with very little room to work with, but he then shoots from an impossible angle. He draws a corner, but there were perhaps better options there.

The resulting corner is almost met by Coutinho, who has dropped into a bit of space. He misses the effort but it still falls for Allen, whose shot from the edge of the box is blocked. That would have been a big chance for Coutinho had he connected.

UPDATE: There have been a couple of early goals in matches involving the other British teams currently in action. Spurs have taken the lead against Fiorentina through Roberto Soldado, while Celtic are already behind against Inter Milan courtesy of a Xherdan Shaqiri strike.

Liverpool are operating at a good pace in these early stages, both on and off the ball. They are pressing high up the field, as they love to do under Rodgers, while they are passing the ball quickly when they win possession back.

Coutinho in particular is looking really hungry to close the Besiktas defenders down, joining Sturridge and Lallana in protecting the Reds from the front. That was sorely lacking in the opening stages of the season, but they have done it very well over the last few months.

Scrappy period of the game as both sides struggle to keep hold of the ball for any real length of time. Besiktas look to create something as Kavlak goes for goal from 25 yards, but he doesn't catch it at all and it won't worry Mignolet.

UPDATE: Things go from bad to worse for Celtic! They are now two goals down in Glasgow, with Rodrigo Palacio doubling the Italian giants' lead in a repeat of the 1967 European Cup final. Ronney Deila's men have a mountain to climb now.

Still no real clear-cut chances for either side here at Anfield, with Sturridge's shot from a very acute angle the only opening we've had so far.

A hint of a shooting chance for the visitors as Skrtel fails to deal with a ball up to the edge of his box. However, he recovers in time to make an important block from the subsequent shot.

Almost a chance for Liverpool as Henderson lifts a clever pass over the top for Ibe to meet on the right channel. Ibe chooses to let it bounces rather than take it on the full, but the ball just skips away from him and goes behind for a goal kick.

It is fair to say that Anfield isn't quite producing the noise that it might on a Champions League night here. It is all rather flat at the moment, both on the pitch and in the stands.

Ibe has been the brightest player for Liverpool so far, and he picks up a long pass from Henderson here. He controls it well and skips past his full-back, but his drilled cross is too heavy and Moreno can't keep it in at the far post.

Better from Liverpool as Sturridge and Coutinho link up in midfield before the latter plays a pass through for Moreno. The left-back appears to be through on goal, but the linesman's flag is up. That was a very close one.

UPDATE: Incredible scenes up in Glasgow, where Celtic have scored twice in as many minutes to level things up against Inter Milan! Stuart Armstrong got both goals in what is already shaping up to be a cracking tie between those two.

Liverpool win a corner and Henderson whips a really good delivery into the middle, but no-one from either side can get a touch as it flies through a host of bodies. The Liverpool skipper for the night has been effective with his long-distance passing so far tonight.

This time it is the visitors' turn to cause problems with a set piece, floating a free kick to the back post that is nodded into a decent area. Ba is looking interested in the middle, but Liverpool are able to hack it away from danger.

CLOSE! Almost an opening goal for the visitors as Sosa whips a good delivery into the middle that Kavlak meets with his header. He steers a decent effort towards goal, but it flies narrowly past the near post.

Most of Liverpool's best play has come down the right tonight, and they go down that avenue again here. Some bright work from Ibe sees Lallana spin in, but his subsequent shot is blocked.

CHANCE! The first clear chance falls the way of Besiktas, and it is almost deja-vu for Liverpool. Some nice football from the visitors sees Ba racing through on goal, with a yard on Skrtel. He opens his bodies and tries to steer his effort into the bottom corner, but Mignolet gets down well to make a big save.

The game has begun to liven up a little in the last couple of minutes, with Liverpool committing plenty of men forward and Besiktas looking to hit them on the counter. That is how the Ba chance came about, and Liverpool need to be wary of that.

UPDATE: There has been a second goal at White Hart Lane, and it is visiting Fiorentina who have got the away goal. Jose Basanta has levelled things up against Tottenham there.

SHOT! Ibe wins a free kick on the right with some good play, and Sturridge is looking very interested in it with his left foot. It is indeed the striker who goes for goal, but his curling effort goes over the top, and the Besiktas keeper had it covered anyway.

Ibe has really been Liverpool's danger man so far tonight. He has given the left-back plenty of problems and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Rodgers tell his players to get the ball to him even more often in the second half.

SAVE! Oh my word, what a goal this would have been! Ibe wins a corner for Liverpool and the subsequent delivery is cleared out as far as Moreno. The left-back absolutely hammers a 35-yard effort towards goal that the keeper has to tip over the top. You won't see a ball caught much sweeter than that, it was an incredible hit.

From that resulting corner, Henderson tries a Zole-esque flick at the near post, but his fancy effort goes wide of the near post.

YELLOW CARD! The first card of the game is shown to Gulum for a rash challenge on Moreno, which gifts Liverpool a free kick in a very dangerous position...

CLOSE! Henderson is inches away from giving Liverpool the lead from the free kick. The stand-in skipper curls the ball over the wall and the Besiktas keeper is completely rooted to the spot as the ball bounces just past the post.

The referee brings an end to the first half and it remains goalless at Anfield, with neither Liverpool or Besiktas able to make a breakthrough in the opening 45 minutes. Chances were at a premium despite the game largely being played at a decent tempo, with Liverpool asking more of the questions in an attacking sense so far.

Despite that, the clearest chance of the half fell to Demba Ba as Besiktas hit Liverpool on the break with some slick football to send the Chelsea striker through on goal. He only had Simon Mignolet to beat and tried to steer his effort into the bottom corner, but the Liverpool keeper got down well to make an important stop.

Liverpool's best effort of the half came right on the stroke of half time as Henderson curled a free kick narrowly past the post from 30 yards. It was Moreno who won the free kick, and the Besiktas keeper was completely rooted to the spot as the ball flew inches past the post.

Besiktas had one other half chance from a corner as Kavlak steered a header narrowly past the near post, and set pieces have looked like a decent avenue of success for both sides so far. Besiktas have won a few headers inside the Liverpool box from deliveries of their own, while Henderson in particular has been responsible for a few threatening free kicks and corners for the hosts.

Gonen was called into action in spectacular fashion a couple of minutes before half time as Moreno rifled a beauty of an effort towards goal from all of 35 yards. The left-back could not have hit it sweeter, but it was fairly central for the Besiktas keeper, who tipped the thunderous strike over the crossbar.

Liverpool's brightest player in that opening 45 minutes was Jordon Ibe, who has threatened almost every time he has got the ball and run at his full-back. His final delivery has been lacking on a couple of occasions, but he has certainly shown enough in that opening 45 minutes to suggest that he could have a telling say in the tie, particularly with Markovic banned for four matches now.

KICKOFF: Besiktas get us back underway at Anfield for this second half. It will be interesting to see how both sides approach this coming 45 minutes, with a 0-0 draw leaving the ball hanging right in the balance for the return leg next week.

CHANCE! Really bright start to this half from Liverpool, and they have an early half chance to take the lead. The ball is lifted over for Moreno by Henderson, but the left-back doesn't catch his volley right.

CHANCE! Oh my word, how has this one not gone in?! Again the threat comes down the right flank as this time Henderson does well to spins away from the full-back. He sends a teasing cross into dangerous area that sees Franco get in Gonen's way, causing the keeper to spill the ball. It lands at the feet of Lallana but bounces up to an awkward height, and the midfielder sends his effort over the bar from close range. He simply had to score there!

Already Liverpool have shown more signs of breaking down this Besiktas defence and creating chances, though, and it looks as though Rodgers has really told them to go for it in this second half.

Besiktas are struggling to get settled in this second half so far. Liverpool have kept the ball well since the break and are looking the most likely right now.

Just as I say that, Besiktas waste two really good attacking platforms. The first saw them burst forward from midfield and, if they played it right, they would have had a two-on-one situation. However, the passing is too slow and Olcay eventually gives the ball away. Moments later, Can almost gifts the ball to Ba, but Liverpool recover to prevent the striker from being through on goal.

It has been better from the visitors in the last few minutes. They are certainly no pushovers, as Arsenal and Tottenham have already discovered this season, and will take a goalless draw from this first leg for sure.

Can concedes a free kick over on the left wing and, despite the angle very much being against him, Sosa tries to curl one into the far top corner. He puts plenty on his whipped effort, but it is never in danger of going in as it ripples the top of the net.

Some last-ditch defending to deny Sturridge sees Liverpool win a corner, and the subsequent delivery prompts a scramble inside the box. Skrtel and Lallana both have bites at the cherry, but Besiktas survive.

SHOT! The ball falls to Henderson on the edge of the box and he lines up a shot, only to drag his effort a few yards wide of the upright. He probably should have done better there.

BESIKTAS SUB: The first change of the match sees Sosa depart for Oguzhan Ozyakup.

Really bright play from Moreno as he picks the ball up on the left flank and cuts right through the midfield as he drifts inside. However, his attempted pass is behind Lallana and the attack breaks down.

LIVERPOOL SUBS: A double change for Liverpool as Dejan Lovren and Mario Balotelli come on in place of Allen and Coutinho. Lovren's introduction should see Can move up into midfield now.

Strong play from Balotelli around 25 yards from goal as he holds off one challenge before going down rather dramatically from a second. The Italian is standing over the subsequent free kick...

SAVE! Balotelli does indeed go for goal despite it being a little wider than he might have liked, but it goes safely into the arms of the keeper. That wasn't an easy one for Gonen, however, as Can almost got a touch just in front of him.

Good movement on the edge of the box from Liverpool, but once again the attack comes to nothing. A draw would be a better result for Besiktas than it would for Liverpool here, so the onus is really on the hosts to get a goal in the next 23 minutes.

YELLOW CARD! Lovren goes into the book for a late challenge from behind on Olcay. He can't have any complaints about that one.

Balotelli has shown a couple of glimpses since coming on, and he certainly seems to be playing with a bit more confidence following his recent match-winning contributions off the bench.

BESIKTAS SUB: Another change for the visitors as Olcay makes way to be replaced by former Fulham player Kerim Frei.

SAVE! Liverpool have another free kick in a good position and this time it is Sturridge who goes for goal. His effort takes a deflection off Lallana on the way through, but it is still easy for the keeper to gather.

Concern for Gulum as he goes down after being struck by the ball, but the defender just looks to be winded so should be fine to continue.

Liverpool have less than 15 minutes to get a winner now. A goalless draw wouldn't be the worst result for them to take to Istanbul next week, but they would certainly feel a lot more comfortable with a victory under their belts from this first leg.

YELLOW CARD! Serdar goes into the book for a foul on Balotelli after the Italian had stolen a yard on him down the left flank.

LIVERPOOL SUB: A third and final change for Liverpool as Raheem Sterling is introduced, with Lallana the man to depart.

Sterling has gone into a number 10 role, with Sturridge and Balotelli operating in front of him and Henderson and Can as the pivot in midfield. With Ibe, Sturridge, Balotelli and Sturridge all on the field now, Liverpool could have a thrilling attack in the making.

Almost a chance for Besiktas as Frei shows a good turn of pace to put a cross into the box that looks like finding Ba for a moment. Liverpool just about manage to smuggle it away, however, and Sterling leads a quick break away before giving the ball out wide for Sturridge. He has Balotelli, Can and Sterling in the middle, but his cross is poor and goes straight behind for a corner.

First blood to Liverpool! Balotelli does brilliantly in the build-up to the spot kick, winning the ball before playing it out wide right for Ibe. The winger races into the box before going down under a clumsy challenge from Ramon Motta, who gets a yellow card for the challenge. There is a bit of debate over who gets to take the penalty, but Balotelli's stubbornness wins the argument and he rolls a cool penalty into the bottom corner.

Franco is inches away from getting a foot on a deep free kick towards the back post. He may have even got the slightest of touches on the way through, but he couldn't get enough on it to test Mignolet in the Liverpool goal.

That whole penalty taking debate is an interesting point for Liverpool. Sturridge was clearly keen to take it and appeared to be arguing with Balotelli, while Henderson was also having words with the Italian. Sturridge was notably absent from the celebration too, but the most important thing was that Balotelli stuck it in the back of the net.

There will be a minimum of three minutes added time at the end of this match.

YELLOW CARD! Lovely play from Sturridge as he frees Sterling, who dips inside Franco and draws a foul from the defender, who is booked as a result.

Liverpool see out the victory to take a one-goal lead into the second leg in Istanbul next week, but they left it late to get the result. Mario Balotelli came off the bench to make a big contribution from the third match in a row, rolling home the winner from the penalty spot after Ibe had been fouled from behind inside the box. That proved to be the difference on the night, but Besiktas are still very much in the tie.

Right, that is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for the first leg of this Europa League last-32 clash between Liverpool and Besiktas as the Premier League side draw first blood in the two-legged affair. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction from both camps. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!