Reds to lay down a Champions League marker
Inter Milan will welcome fellow European giants Liverpool to the Giuseppe Meazza on Wednesday evening for their UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg fixture. The hosts are in a three-team mini-league at the top of Serie A, having drawn with Napoli at the weekend. Their English opponents trail Manchester City by nine points with a game in hand, but will be going all-out to both reel them in and make the most of their away game in Milan. Read our preview here:
Vidal so soon
There is little doubt that Nicolò Barella's suspension is hugely harmful to the hosts' chances of securing a positive result. The playmaker is creator in chief for I Nerazzurri, and there is no like for like replacement in the squad, meaning Chilean veteran Arturo Vidal could be tasked with roaming between both boxes in a distinctly attacking looking five in midfield. Up top, Edin Džeko will be hoping to extend his own personal record by scoring for a fourth successive match against Jürgen Klopp's men.
The Henderson will dance and sing
Only Divock Origi is a doubt for the Reds, with new signing Luis Díaz and Senegalese hero Sadio Mané battling against each other for a place in the front three. Elsewhere, captain Jordan Henderson hasn't been in sparkling form, but it would be a huge call by Klopp to drop his skipper, especially given his wealth of experience in games of this magnitude. How he and Fabinho in particular fare at shutting down the opposition's central three will dictate the flow of proceedings.
Betting tip
With Barella, it would be difficult to put too much clear water between the two sides. Without him, the Inter midfield loses so much, despite the other personnel in the ranks. Casumo have odds of 3.55 for Liverpool to win with both teams scoring.
