Liverpool v Chelsea Champions League preview: Predictions, team news, stats and more

Liverpool v Chelsea: Champions League quarter final, first leg
Venue: Anfield
Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark)
Kick-off: 7.45pm
TV Times: Sky Sports 2, from 7.30pm

Click here to follow Liverpool v Chelsea live, including up-to-the-minute stats and in-game graphics

Mirror.co.uk sports writers' predictions:
Dan Silver: 2-1
Ann Gripper: 1-1
Chris Wilson: 1-2

Liverpool team news
Liverpool will be without the suspended Javier Mascherano for tonight's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Chelsea at Anfield.

The booking the Argentinian picked up against Real Madrid sees him suspended for this one European match. Brazilian youngster Lucas is expected to play in midfield.

Yossi Benayoun, who came on as a substitute to score the winner at Fulham despite a calf injury picked up while playing for Israel last week, is not expected to start the match.

Sami Hyypia, who suffered an injury playing for Finland last week, is expected to return to the squad.

Provisional squad: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Hyypia, Aurelio, Dossena, Babel, Gerrard, Lucas, Alonso, Riera, Kuyt, Torres, Agger, Cavalieri, Ngog, Benayoun, Spearing.

Chelsea team news
Chelsea are hoping that injured duo Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa are fit to face Liverpool tonight in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Striker Drogba has had a reaction to an ankle injury and did not play at Newcastle on Saturday. He must be considered a major doubt but has trained this week and Chelsea will hope he is able to play.

Bosingwa returned from international duty with Portugal nursing a hamstring problem and also did not figure in the 2-0 win at St James' Park.

Defender Ricardo Carvalho, who had a leg injury, was an unused substitute in that match but is expected to figure at Anfield while Nicolas Anelka is likely to continue in place of Drogba.

Provisional squad: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Carvalho, Alex, Mancienne, A Cole, Ballack, Lampard, Essien, Mikel, Kalou, Anelka, Malouda, Drogba, Hilario, Deco, Di Santo, Belletti.

Three Key Battles
The confrontations that will likely decide the outcome of tonight's game

1) John Terry v Fernando Torres
England's best defender against the world's best striker - if you accept Steven Gerrard's assessment.

The tie could depend on Terry's power and positional excellence against Torres' pace, guile and strength.

2) Frank Lampard v Steven Gerrard
Just who is England's best midfielder? Fabio Capello has found the key to the pair both playing in England's midfield and they will be hell-bent on proving who is top dog in this tie.

Gerrard's recent form, leadership, drive and goalscoring gives him the edge, but Lampard links better with midfield colleagues and can be equally destructive in the box.

3) Nicolas Anelka v Martin Skrtel
Anelka's pace and clever attacking brain will test Skrtel.

The Slovakia defender has done supremely well in the Premier League but occasionally is undone by genuine class - and Anelka has that.

OPTA Stats
Liverpool have met Chelsea in each of the last five seasons in the Champions League.
The team drawn at home in the first leg each of the last three meetings in the knockout stages has been eliminated.
Liverpool have won seven and lost none of their last nine Champions League home matches.
Liverpool have played Chelsea 22 times in four and a half seasons since Rafael Benitez arrived on Merseyside, winning seven and losing nine.
The Reds have won home and away against the Blues in the Premier League this season.
Fernando Torres has scored four goals in his four appearances against the Blues.
Steven Gerrard has scored seven goals in seven Champions League appearances this season.
Didier Drogba has scored in his last three Champions League matches.
In the previous eight Champions League encounters between these two sides only one has seen more than two goals, and only two more than one.
Chelsea have been caught offside in the CL more than any other team so far - 36.
Liverpool have taken and scored the most penalties in the competition so far, three.

Links
Check out picture galleries of the Liverpool and Chelsea squads training ahead of tonight's big clash.

Relive this season's Champions League highs and lows as we trace Liverpool and Chelsea 's road to the quarter-finals

And find out who Mark Lawrenson thinks will win this delicately balanced quarter final .

Follow every Champions League game live with our brilliant Match Tracker .

Get your hands on this week's estimated jackpot of £100,000 by playing the New Football Pools .

Find out what our resident Premier League fan bloggers think - and let them know your views.