It's been a disappointing couple of weeks with Sakho's suspension, a sucker punch late goal conceded in Spain and then the kids getting bumped in Swansea. Hopefully the injury updates on Can, Hendo, and Ings is just the start of the good news.

Problem for tonight: how to we go about breaking down a team who like getting men behind the ball, can defend very well and love to counter-attack on the breakaway? We found this out in the last minute of the game last week.

IMO, the first thing we have to do is stay composed and keep the back four playing as a unit; that means Clyne and, especially, Moreno don't get too cavalier with their attacking runs too early in the game. I don't think we can afford to give Villareal an away goal tonight, they're going to be so much tighter than Dortmund were, so don't give them the spaces to work the counter-attacks.

Secondly, how do we get the goals against their structured, packed defence? I'll guess he'll play either Firmino and/or Sturridge in his favoured 4-3-3 line-up, but I'm wondering (and doubtful) whether there is going to be the spaces for these guys to make the runs in behind. I actually think tonight would be an occasion where the physical presence of Benteke, bulling himself about up there, could create an opportunity for the likes of Sturridge or Firmino or Countinho to take advantage of. The only thing against that would be the temptation to start playing the easy ball and just end up launching endless, aimless long balls all night; that would probably be a mistake.

However we line up and go about tonight tactically, I just hope the players can cope with what will be another big atmosphere at Anfield.

I hope we can, and they can't. Just so long as we play the very best we can and don't roll over, we really can't do more than that. I'm sure Klopp will still be stinging after a bad week, and will be instilling the perfect mind set into the team - just hope they take it all in.

Well we can add Origi to the list of good injury news. He's also making good progress and we could even see him in the final if we win tonight. I want to see him get fit and do well in the Euros.

It's odd because I prefer our English players not to play to avoid injury, and all the criticism and hate from rivals and people who don't really understand football, but for other countries I tend to want them to play so they can do well and show the world what they're capable of.

On the other hand I want Jordan Henderson nowhere near that England squad. Partly because he's been injured so much this season and hasn't played that well, due to his injury problems, and so that he can get some more time off, get a good preseason and come back stronger. And because he gets nothing but criticism when he plays for England.


For tonight, we need Sturridge at his best, and that also means mentally. Klopp needs to have been getting into his head and putting him in the right place. If he plays and is hungry I'd fancy him to score. If he could get an early goal, maybe within 20, 30 minutes, that'll help his confidence and let him come out firing in the second half.

Firmino is one concern I have. Luckily he seems capable of stepping up in the big games. We need him to be on his game, having one of those games where we end up raving about him afterwards. We can't afford him to have one of those quiet games we know he can have. Assuming he starts, which I assume he will. However there's a bit of a dilemma with that.

If Can starts, then there's one CM place. If Lucas is at CB then it goes to Milner or Allen, and I want Milner to play in a wider area where he's more effective. If Kolo is at CB with Lovren then Lucas starts with Can. However if Milner is further forward then one of Firmino, Lallana and Coutinho will have to go on the bench, and of those three I'm slightly less trusting of Firmino simply because of his consistency. However if he has one of his good games then he's the most dangerous of the three.

I'm just glad it's Klopp that will be making these decisions.

For me, Milner has to play (experience, attitude, assists) so Can and Milner in the middle. Lucas would be good at CB distribution-wise but Villarreal's main striker isn't the kind of player I'd like up against Lucas.

Klopp's selection last Sunday suggests Sturridge won't start and Firmino will but we'll see.

We need to score early and keep the pressure on - 1-0 or even 2-0 with time running out will be a nerve shredder so ideally I'd like us to go for them and get 3-0 up by 60 minutes!

I love Klopp - like almost all LFC fans but at times i do not fully agree with his selections - Chiverella to me has shown little and yet he was given a start whereas for me Branagan has shown a lot of promise but seems further away from the team. I have always liked Tex but it seems like he is on his way out and to me the recent treatment of Flanno has been a bit odd. Illori is another one who did OK when played but is now nowhere near the team. I do like Can but he is perhaps the one man never left out by Klopp and i am not sure he should be such a fixture when you look at the competition for his place. Both Benteke and Ibe seem on bad runs of form and yet both have had game time in the last couple of weeks.

BUT!!! - you have to say he sees them a lot more than me and maybe knows things I don't (correction does know things i don't!!) so I end up saying that you have to trust his judgement and selections.

The thing with LFC unlike TH and Leic the top two we do not have an obvious first choice team and it will be very much whatever line up suits each game.

My choice for tonight?
Mig
Clyne Lovren Toure Moreno
Lucas Milner
Coutinho Firmino Lallana
Sturridge

which is pretty much controversy free and the expected line up - but if Allen played I would not mind too much. Can for me would prob be too early so he should be bench. So my bench = Ward, Skrtel, Smith, Allen, Can, Benteke, Ojo (but i suspect it will be Ibe). Also Stewart could some how find his way onto the bench and that would be acceptable to me too as he look s a half decent player

We just have to win tonight, as does Shaktar, because if we both lose, then this will also end up an all Spanish final, same as the CL. Frankly, that's just an insult too far for the rest of Europe!!

Lucas and Allen out from first leg replaced by Can and Sturridge! Very attacking. I love it!

Just seen the line up and that is what we need, will be interesting to see how long Can plays for.

Decent line up. Feeling confident.

Extremely attacking tonight.

Strong lineup,3 nil win to us. Come on Reds!

Good luck lads! Do it for England and the rest of Europe!
Well done Klopp for sticking Sturridge in.

Glad to see we are going for it as our defense is pretty crap so I can not see us keeping a clean sheet.

Will be pretty much end to end stuff.

Nervous as f***

Me too as a final would be fantastic

If we go out tonight, I hope we do it with passion and fight. A performance like City's last night would be unacceptable.

Of course, passion and fight is now what I expect with Klopp at the helm.

Quick early goal to level it back up, so plenty of time to get the winner

Villarreal are a conservative side, some hopefully the chances of a Dortmund styles start are low (yes, I know...).

What I hope happens is they sit tight and we grab a goal in the first half. We get to about an hour and make it 2-0. They start to commit more players forward and we do them on the break to the things up at 3-0 with not enough time left for them to come back.

What's I fear the most is Soldado actually scoring a goal.

With that lineup at home we'll play better than last week. Feel a win.

Good start

Defense is gonna cost us but what else can we do

Yeooooow

Get in, just what we needed, 1-0 Sturridge.

Great start. Come on lads.