If Liverpool are to make a serious impact on the Champions League this season they surely need to beat a transitional Dynamo Kiev at Anfield tonight.
While a third successive draw for Gerard Houllier's side in Group B would not be terminal, another failure to win would still question Liverpool's ability to reach the second phase.
There was never a good time for Houllier to lose Michael Owen but this is an especially bad moment to be without the England striker's prolific scoring habits because of another hamstring injury.
The pre-match gossip has largely concerned the identity of Owen's replacement this evening, with Jari Litmanen likely to partner Emile Heskey.
Houllier knows that if Steven Gerrard, supported by Dietmar Hamann and Gary McAllister, can achieve an early dominance in midfield goals from someone, somewhere, should follow.
The Dynamo coach Valeriy Lobanovsky has spent the Ukrainian season bedding down the clutch of mostly foreign signings necessitated by a string of departures and the process is ongoing. Having been held 2-2 at home by Borussia Dortmund before losing 3-1 to Boavista in Oporto, Kiev are in even greater need of success tonight than Liverpool. They may not be what they were but if gaps reappear in Houllier's defence Anfield may find itself suffering another European evening of high anxiety.
Stephane Henchoz can ill afford to repeat the errors of his performance against Boavista and Liverpool will need to show the tighter organisation and greater concentration which last Wednesday enabled them to hold Borussia Dortmund 0-0 in the Ruhr. The potential for Liverpool to make serious progress in this season's tournament is there. But so are the flat spots at the back which can make life much harder.
LIVERPOOL (probable, 4-4-2): Dudek; Carragher, Vignal, Henchoz, Hyypia; Hamann, Murphy, McAllister, Gerrard; Litmanen, Heskey.
DYNAMO KIEV (probable): Filimonov; Fodorov, Holovko, Vashchyuk, Melashchenko, Belkevich, Ghioane, Idakhor, Nesmachny, Cernat, Gavrancic.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have been linked with Inter Milan's out-of-favour striker Hakan Sukur. The Turk could move to Anfield as a short-term replacement for the injured England striker Michael Owen. Sukur's agent Hakan Azman said: "He is not happy. Inter want to release him and are open to offers, so a loan move remains a possibility.
"We have been in contact with Gerard Houllier and it is possible that we will meet again by the end of the week." Sukur's wage demands are certain to rule out Bolton, who had also shown an interest. Southampton manager Stuart Gray is keen to sign a replacement for Dean Richards. Top of his list is the Dynamo Kiev defender Olexandr Hilovko, who is valued at £3million. Gray will be a keen spectator tonight.
