Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's Champions League Group B clash between Basel and Liverpool at St Jakob Park in Switzerland. These sides had contrasting fortunes on the opening day of European action, but are expected to battle it out for second place in the group behind Real Madrid, so this match could be crucial in the final standings. We are expecting goals tonight, so we should have an entertaining game ahead of us. Let's start with a look at the hosts...

It's all gone fairly well for Basel so far in terms of domestic action. They haven't exactly swept all before them in the Swiss Super League this season, but seven wins from their opening 10 matches have seen them climb to the top of the table, two points clear already. They have lost twice in the current campaign, but overall it has been a bright start to the season for Paulo Sousa's side.

The same cannot be said for their start to the Champions League season, however. Basel could not have had it much tougher on matchday one as they were drawn against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, and there were no shocks from the Swiss side. They found themselves 4-0 down before the break, going into half time at 4-1 having managed to pull a goal back in the closing stages. However, they conceded again in the second half as a rampant Madrid cruised to a comfortable 5-1 to begin their title defence in style.

Of course, Basel will know that they won't come up against teams like Real Madrid every week in the Champions League, and they will be eyeing their home matches as their best chances to pick up points. They are expected to compete for second place in the group with Liverpool - assuming Ludogorets don't pull off any upsets - and could get an early march on the Reds with victory tonight. Anything less than three points would be a disappointment as they would have lost yet more ground in the battle with Liverpool for that qualifying spot.

They are quite a formidable opponent at St Jakob Park, although they have already been beaten there this season. St Gallen were the visitors in the Swiss Super League, inflicting Basel's one and only home defeat in their last 25 matches. Their last defeat before that came exactly one year ago today as Schalke triumphed in the Champions League.

That defeat to Schalke is their only home Champions League loss in their last five outings at St Jakob Park, a run that includes victory over Chelsea last season. Indeed, Basel did the double of Jose Mourinho's side in the group stages last term and have a fine recent record against English opposition having also beaten Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in Europe in the last three seasons. They have also overcome Bayern Munich at home in recent times, so Liverpool will not be expecting an easy ride this evening.

However, Paulo Sousa will know that his side need to improve defensively if they are to reach the knockout stages of this competition. Aside from the five they conceded to Real Madrid in their first match in this competition, they have also conceded 14 goals in their 10 league fixtures, with only four teams letting in more. They are yet to keep a clean sheet in the league or Champions League this season, with their only two blanks coming in the domestic cup competition.

There are no such problems at the other end of the field, however, and it is their ability to outscore their opponents that has seen them climb to the top of the table after 10 matches. They have already netted 23 times in the league - at least five more than anyone else. Sound familiar, Liverpool fans?

That was certainly the pattern for the Reds last season as they netted more than 100 times in the league but still missed out on the title due to a poor defensive record. They haven't quite been as prolific in front of goal yet this season, but the problems at the back remain despite the likes of Lovren, Moreno and Manquillo being brought in to tighten things up. Liverpool have only kept one clean sheet since March, 14 matches ago, and that came in the 3-0 win over Spurs in August.

They were agonisingly close to a clean sheet on Saturday in the Merseyside derby, only to be pegged back in the last minute by a sensational Phil Jagielka strike. The feeling around Anfield after that match was one of disbelief as the fans tried to come to terms with what they had just seen, and it would no doubt have been gutting for the players to have victory snatched from their grasp at such a late stage in a derby match. Rodgers needs to pick his side up from that quickly, however, as the games continue to come thick and fast for his side.

It may be the case that they are struggling to deal with the extra workload, but it certainly hasn't been a good start to the season for Liverpool. They sit 14th in the Premier League table with just seven points from their opening six games - a meagre total for a side that came so close to winning the title last season. They are yet to really get going, with their only really impressive performance coming against Tottenham, and if Rodgers can't correct that soon then they could find themselves out of touch with the likes of Chelsea even at such an early stage of the season.

They did make a triumphant return to Champions League action following a five-year absence last month, but even that game hinted that all was not right in the Liverpool camp. Balotelli opened the scoring for the Reds with his first goal for the club after 82 minutes, but it looked like Ludogorets had rescued a shock point when they equalised in stoppage time. However, Steven Gerrard stepped up with an even later penalty to clinch the win for his side, although they were given a big scare by the Bulgarian minnows.

That was a nervy return to Europe's elite competition, and tonight poses an even bigger test for Brendan Rodgers and his side. This is their first away game in the Champions League since a 1-0 win over Debrecen in November 2009, and looking back even further they have lost just one of their last nine Champions League games on the road. That defeat came at the hands of Fiorentina in September 2009 as the Reds failed to progress from the group stages.

The Reds also have a good record in Switzerland to fall back on having never failed to score on their visits to this country. They have played Swiss opposition five times in Switzerland, netting an impressive 14 times in the process. They also have a number of players with very recent history of success on this particular ground as Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Rickie Lambert all featured in England's 2-0 win over Switzerland here last month.

The managers also have a bit of history between them having both plied their trade in the Championship once upon a time. They have met twice before, when Sousa's Queens Park Rangers side took on Rodgers's Watford and Sousa's Swansea played Reading under the stewardship of Rodgers. Ominously, both of those matches ended goalless, but the managers do have a reputation for playing good, attractive football. Rodgers actually replaced Sousa as manager of Swansea, with both men helping to cultivate their playing style.

TEAM NEWS: Right, the teams are in for both sides, and the headline news for Liverpool is that Philippe Coutinho returns to the side, replacing Adam Lallana, who drops to the bench. Balotelli once again leads the line, while Markovic retains his place in the side having served a suspension in the last Champions League matches. Basel, meanwhile, leave Gashi on the bench but start with the in-form Streller up front. Full team news for both sides coming right up...

BASEL STARTING XI: Vaclik; Xhaka, Suchy, Schar, Safari; Frei, Elneny, Serey Die, Hamoudi; Streller, Embolo

BASEL SUBS: Vailati, Zuffi, Delgado, Kakitani, Calla, Gashi, Gonzalez

LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Mignolet; Manquillo, Lovren, Skrtel, Enrique; Gerrard, Henderson; Coutinho, Sterling, Markovic; Balotelli

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Jones, Toure, Moreno, Lucas, Lallana, Lambert, Borini

What can we make of those two teams, then? Well, the danger man for the hosts will be Streller up front. The striker has been in fine form so far this season, leading the club's scoring charts with five goals in eight matches already. He will be well aware that this Liverpool defence has not been the most solid so far this season, so will fancy his chances of carving out an opening, and he is more than capable of putting the ball in the back of the net if he is allowed a chance to do so.

It is something of a surprise to see Gashi left on the bench considering his own good goalscoring form this season. The midfielder has four goals to his name already, but will start this one on the sidelines. I expect to see him at some point in the evening, however, and he could well be brought on as an impact sub against tiring Liverpool legs.

Elsewhere, there is no Marcelo Diaz due to suspension, so Serey Die continues in the side following Basel's 1-1 draw with Thun in their last outing. Behind him, the defence simply needs to improve having been leaky so far this season. They won't be the last time to be blown away by Ronaldo, Bale and co this season, but to have shipped five goals in their opening match will be really disappointing and they could do with clawing some of that goal difference back as soon as possible.

As for Liverpool, they once again opt for Balotelli up front despite some tepid performances from the summer signing so far. His goal against Ludogorets on matchday one remains his only one for the club, and was in fact Liverpool's first Champions League goals since Yossi Benayoun scored in a 2-1 defeat to Fiorentina in December 2009. He has had great chances to add to his tally in the Premier League, but has received some criticism for his lack of movement and will once again look to hit back at the critics tonight.

One man who has not been drawing criticism for his performances this season is Raheem Sterling. The youngster has been in fine form, and is arguably the only Liverpool player who has hit the heights of last term so far. He is a livewire whose pace can cause any defence problems, and you'd have to say that he is the visitors' most dangerous player right now. Markovic gets another chance in the starting XI despite a slow start to his Liverpool career, with Coutinho replaces Lallana despite the latter having a good game against Everton at the weekend.

Another player who impressed against the Toffees was Steven Gerrard, whose free kick was seconds away from being the winning goal. He has received plenty of stick already this season, with some suggesting that he is past it, but his post-match comments at the weekend left nobody in any doubt that he wanted to prove he still belongs at this level. He has a willing partner alongside him in Henderson, who is once again preferred to Lucas in the slightly deeper role.

The defence is so often the area that lets Liverpool down, though, and there will be plenty of emphasis on them again tonight. Martin Skrtel reaches the impressive milestone of 250 games for the club, and a clean sheet would be the perfect way for him to mark it, and for the backline to gain a bit of confidence. Lovren has been rather hit and miss since his arrival in the summer, while Manquillo is still fairly raw at this level. Enrique, meanwhile, gets a start at left back, with Moreno dropped to the bench. There have also been questions raised over Mignolet this week, and he will be keen to answer his critics with an increasingly rare clean sheet.

PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes from kickoff at St Jakob Park, which means that it is about time for a prediction! Both sides are shaky at the back, so I would be surprised if either kept a clean sheet tonight. It is a tough one to call in attack as, on paper, Liverpool have the better side. However, they are not in great form going into this match, and Basel have shown in recent times that they are a tough team to beat at home. In truth, I wouldn't be too surprised if either side won this tonight, but I'm going to go for a 2-2 draw.

These two sides actually met in the group stages back in 2002-03, but there was nothing to separate them in their two meetings. The match at Anfield in September ended 1-1, with Milan Baros on the scoresheet and Rossi netting for Basel. Rossi also opened the scoring in the return leg here before Gimenez and Atouba also found the net to send Basel into a 3-0 lead. Goals from Murphy, Smicer and Owen saw the Reds stage a dramatic comeback to draw 3-3, but it wasn't enough as Basel went through to the last 16 at Liverpool's expense.

I mentioned earlier that Sousa and Rodgers have come up against each other before, and the Basel boss will be fairly clued up on English football as a whole. He spent a decent amount of time in the Championship, taking charge of QPR, Swansea and Leicester when they were in the second tier.

There are a number of other matches taking place in the Champions League tonight, and Sports Mole has each and every one covered for you. Just click on whichever game you want to follow over to the right of your screen, and you will find our live text coverage of that game. I will also be keeping you up to date with major events from around the continent as and when they happen.

The teams stride out onto the pitch here at St Jakob Park ahead of this huge match. The hosts really need a victory following their opening defeat, while a win for Liverpool would put them right on the brink of qualification.

KICKOFF: Basel get us underway here at St Jakob Park. Can they get off the mark in Group B or will Liverpool turn their own shaky form around to make it two wins from two?

Liverpool have the ball in the back of the net inside three minutes as Markovic is released down the right and sends a low cross over to Sterling. The defence fail to cut it out and the teenager puts it in at the second time of asking after his initial shot had hit the post, but the linesman's flag is up.

An early injury worry for Basel as Safari pulls up with what looks like a knee problem when giving the ball back to his own keeper. He was not being challenged by any Liverpool player, and those can often be the worst ones. The hosts may be forced into a very early change here.

UPDATE: We could have a huge story developing over in Bulgaria. Little old Ludogorets have just taken the lead against Real Madrid in the other match in this group tonight. Elsewhere, Dortmund have taken an early lead against Anderlecht in Belgium.

Both sides have been pretty sloppy in possession in this match so far. Basel look a little nervy at the back and you sense that Liverpool could really do some damage if they get at their hosts, but so far their passing has not been good enough to take full advantage.

YELLOW CARD! An early card for Sterling as he hauls back Hamoudi with a cynical challenge. Surprising to see a card given for that so early in the match.

BASEL SUB: Paulo Sousa finally makes the change to replace Safari, and it is an interesting one as Derlis Gonzalez replaces him. That is a very attacking change from the hosts.

UPDATE: As if Ludogorets being ahead wasn;t unlikely enough, Real Madrid have just missed a glorious chance to equalise. Cristiano Ronaldo, of all people, has seen his penalty saved in Bulgaria.

Mignolet gives the ball to Gerrard in a dangerous position, and the Liverpool captain is unaware that he has a man on his back. Basel win it deep inside the Liverpool half and Streller then has a chance to shoot, but Gerrard recovers in time to make an important block.

Liverpool have had a number of decent positions in the Basel half so far, but they haven't made the most of them so far. Some sloppy passing and poor decision-making has been to blame, with a number of players carelessly straying offside.

Hint of an opening for Basel as Enrique loses his man at the back post. Gonzalez collects a lofted ball over the top, but his touch is poor and the ball runs out of play. He would have had a real chance had he brought that under his spell then.

Both sides are really showing a lack of quality in the final third right now. The defences, as expected, are looking a little shaky and vulnerable, but the attackers have not been able to punish them so far.

Liverpool are looking particularly vulnerable down their left flank, with Jose Enrique enduring a torrid opening 20 minutes here. The Spaniard has been poor in possession and his marking has also been suspect at times.

UPDATE: There is one more English team in action tonight, and Arsenal have broken the deadlock against Galatasaray at the Emirates courtesy of a Danny Welbeck strike.

SAVE! The first real shot on goal tonight goes the way of Basel as El Nenny picks the ball up just outside the box before curling an effort towards the far corner. However, Mignolet watches it the whole way and makes a pretty comfortable save, holding onto the ball well.

UPDATE: It won't be the most surprising news you've heard tonight, but Real Madrid have equalised against Ludogorets courtesy of a Ronaldo penalty. He missed one earlier, remember, but made no mistake from the spot this time. Elsewhere, Leverkusen have broken the deadlock against Benfica.

A Liverpool free kick is delayed as something appears to have been thrown onto the field. The referee hands it over to an official on the sideline, which could spell trouble for a Basel side that has had one match played behind closed doors recently. When the free kick is eventually taken it is cleared out as far as Manquillo, who skies an effort well over the top.

Balotelli has a chance to break for Liverpool but tries to do too much and is caught in possession, allowing Basel to come forward. An initial pass to Hamoudi is cut out by Manquillo, but they eventually do manage to find the winger, whose powerful shot/cross is well wide.

UPDATE: Liverpool have not got into their stride so far, but the other English team in action tonight are having no such problems. Arsenal have doubled their lead against Galatasaray thanks to a second from Welbeck.

CHANCE! Shooting chance for Liverpool as Enrique shows good feet on the left before putting a cross into the box. It is not the best delivery, but Basel can only clear it as far as Henderson, whose shot from the edge of the box is well blocked. Not a clear opening, but Liverpool's best of the match so far.

Good spell of possession for Liverpool as they begin to get Coutinho on the ball more often. The Brazilian floats a pass over to Manquillo on the right, but the full-back's cross is poor and easy for the keeper to collect.

CHANCE! The clearest opening of the match so far falls the way of the hosts as Serey Die bursts forward from midfield. He gets the ball back after an initial pass failed to find its target, before playing a one-two with Streller. That takes the Ivorian into the box, where he cuts inside before poking an effort towards goal that Mignolet has to save.

There is a lack of intensity about Liverpool in this match so far, which is the last accusation you could level at them towards the end of last season. There has been a severe lack of quality in the final third, for both sides, and that is making for a pretty poor game right now.

Balotelli's lack of movement is causing Liverpool a few problems at the moment as he is spending most of his time in an offside position. There have been a couple of occasions tonight where a Liverpool man has looked forward for a pass but has been unable to make it because the Italian has strayed offside.

Better from Enrique as he gets forward into the box before standing a cross up towards the back post where Henderson is waiting. It is put behind for a corner before it can reach the midfielder, and Lovren's header from the resulting set piece goes comfortably over the top.

SAVE! Liverpool test the opposition keeper for the first time tonight as Sterling takes the ball down on his chest before cutting inside. He fires an effort towards goal from the edge of the box, but it is straight at Vaclik, who makes a comfortable stop.

UPDATE: Arsenal are now three goals to the good against Galatasaray, with Alexis Sanchez adding a goal to Welbeck's brace. Elsewhere, Leverkusen have doubled their advantage against Benfica, while Malmo now lead Olympiacos 1-0.

CHANCE! Decent opening for Liverpool as Balotelli wins his side a free kick virtually by the corner flag. The ball in is a good one and Lovren attacks it well, but he doesn't make a clean connection with his header and in the end it is easier than it should be for the keeper.

We will have two minutes of added time at the end of what has been a pretty dull first half, it must be said.

I may have been a little optimistic predicting four goals here... The referee brings an end to a first half that was as short of quality as it was goalmouth action. There have been encouraging signs for both sides when it comes to the opposition defence, but neither have been able to take advantage due to some sloppy play in the final third. It is still goalless in the break, and any other scoreline would flatter that opening 45 minutes.

We haven't seen a really good chance for either side yet, but the best fell to the hosts as Serey Die played a one-two with Streller before poking an effort towards goal. It was a relatively simple stop for Mignolet after the Ivorian had done well to create space to shoot, but it was still a save that the keeper needed to make.

Liverpool's chances have been very limited so far, with Lovren rising well in the box for two headers that he perhaps should have done better with. Henderson has seen a shot from the edge of the box blocked, while Sterling curled an effort straight at the keeper. Vaclik really has not had a lot to do tonight, though.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing for Rodgers so far has been the lack of intensity his side have shown. For a team that is usually so good at that aspect of the game, they have not made Basel work anywhere near hard enough defensively, and Rodgers will want to see a lot more from his side. They do look a little tired out there, it must be said.

Liverpool did start to keep the ball a little better when they got Coutinho in possession more often, but that really is scraping the barrel for positives from that first half. On the whole, Coutinho, Markovic and Sterling have not kept the ball well enough, while Balotelli has been a peripheral figure for large spells. The Reds simply need to improve in the final third.

However poor that first half was, it remains goalless here, so both sides are still very much in the match. It really is there for the taking, but both teams need to improve significantly if they are to pick up all three points tonight.

KICKOFF: Liverpool get us back underway here in Basel as they look to pose more of an attacking threat in the coming 45 minutes. Let's have a goal or two please!

Sterling has a chance to race clear of the defence on the break, but Serey Die does really well to keep with him and get a challenge in. The Liverpool winger goes down shortly afterwards, and Basel kick the ball out as the youngster recovers from a stray elbow into the stomach.

PENALTY SHOUT! Huge penalty shout for the hosts as some nice build-up play on the edge of the box almost releases Gonzalez. Sterling is the wrong side of his man and, in his attempts to get to the ball, tangles with him and brings him down. The referee waves it away, but I have certainly seen them given. Sterling is a lucky boy there.

CHANCE! Hamoudi is in acres of space down the left flank and he races through on goal before drilling a low, hard strike towards the far bottom corner. It is certainly going in, but Mignolet gets down really well to make a very good stop.

Basel find the breakthrough, and it is Streller with the goal! Liverpool failed to deal with a corner into the box, with Skrtel connecting with the cross with the back of his head. Mignolet is at full stretch to deny an own goal, but he can only claw it straight to Streller, who turns it in from close range. It is a messy one, but Basel won't care at all.

YELLOW CARD! Gerrard goes into the referee's book for a cynical foul on Hamoudi, just stepping across the attacker's path to block his run.

What have Liverpool got in response, then? They have offered very little so far but look to equalise shortly after going behind through good work between Coutinho and Markovic. The duo exchange passes a number of times before the latter sees his shot blocked.

UPDATE: As Liverpool continue to struggle here, things just keep on getting better for Arsenal. They are now 4-0 up against Galatasaray, and it is Danny Welbeck who has completed his hat-trick - his first ever in senior football.

YELLOW CARD! Suchy becomes the first Basel player in the book tonight for a late challenge on Markovic, who he left in a heap on the floor.

SAVE! Balotelli lines up the resulting free kick from at least 30 yards out, perhaps closer to 35. It is a fine strike from the Italian and Vaclik can only get his body in the way rather than parrying it away from trouble. The rebound bounces to Markovic, but his shot is well blocked right in front of the keeper.

That free kick seems to have encouraged Balotelli, who throws a few step-overs into a run before beating his man and cutting inside. He is once again around 35 yards from goal, but this time he blazes his effort a long, long way over the top.

UPDATE: There has been yet more drama in North London, where Arsenal are now down to 10 men. It was Szczesny who saw the red card, and from the subsequent penalty Yilmaz scored to make it 4-1.

Henderson floats a lovely ball over the top for Sterling, who has got himself in behind the defence. However, Xhaka did really well to get a vital foot in as the youngster tried to take it down. They have dealt with Sterling very well this evening.

Basel have the ball in the back of the net for a second time tonight at the other end, but this one won't count. Streller was offside as he picked the ball up inside the box and finished into the bottom corner.

Balotelli is unfortunate not to get a free kick as he was clipped when lining up a shot from range. He hasn't got much joy from the referee tonight, although he also hasn't helped himself with a few theatrical falls.

Sterling is fed the ball on the left channel and has a little space inside the box, but once again he can't make the most of a good position as he sees his shot blocked. He has been really out of sorts tonight.

LIVERPOOL SUB: Time for a change from Rodgers as Adam Lallana replaces Coutinho, who was brought into the starting lineup in place of the former Southampton man today.

YELLOW CARD! Balotelli gets a yellow card for an off-the-ball incident that saw him give a Basel defender a cheeky little slap. You're always taking a risk when you raise your hands in football nowadays, and Balotelli can have no complaints.

A good move from Liverpool sees Balotelli, Lallana and Henderson link up to find Markovic, but his low ball into the box is easily dealt with. The Basel defence has dealt with everything this evening, but Liverpool have been far less dangerous in the final third than usual.

CHANCE! Superb football from Liverpool as Sterling gives it to Balotelli, who in turn shifts it on to Lallana. The sub slides the ball through to Sterling, who only has the keeper to beat, but he mis-controls it and the ball runs through to the keeper. That sums up his night.

CHANCE! Another decent opening for Liverpool as Enrique drives down the left flank before cutting a low pass back across the edge of the box. Balotelli can't reach it, but Markovic is steaming in to fire his effort narrowly wide of the target.

UPDATE: Bad news for you Ludogorets fans - Real Madrid have completed the turnaround and now lead 2-1. Karim Benzema got the second goal there in Sofia. Elsewhere, Dortmund lead Anderlecht 3-0 and Leverkusen are 3-1 up against Benfica.

Decent football from Basel on the edge of the box, but this time there is a wayward finish at the end. It was El Nenny who slipped the pass in to Streller, who returned the favour. However, the attacker dragged his tame effort wide of the mark.

LIVERPOOL SUB: Another change for Liverpool as Rickie Lambert comes on for his Champions League debut, replacing Markovic.

BASEL SUB: The hosts make a change of their own immediately afterwards as Davide Calla replaces Embolo.

Balotelli has not been awarded some free kicks that he should have had tonight, but he is lucky to get one here as he goes down around 30 yards from goal. This is in a similar position to the one Gerrard scored in the Merseyside derby at the weekend, just a little further back...

SAVE! It is another good strike from Gerrard as he gets dip and curl on the ball, but it swings in towards the keeper and ends up too close to Vaclik, who holds on with relative ease. Time is running out for Liverpool now!

This has been a poor performance from Liverpool tonight, and in truth they don't deserve much for the match. Basel haven't exactly set the world alight either, and Liverpool may feel that they have been a match for their opponents, but they certainly haven't done enough to win this game.

The fourth official indicates a minimum of three minutes added time at the end of this match. Can Liverpool come up with a late equaliser?

BASEL SUB: A final change to wind the clock down for Basel as Hamoudi is replaced by Luca Zuffi.

Liverpool's disappointing start to the season continues as Basel claim yet another English scalp at St Jakob Park. The hosts are delirious in their celebrations at the final whistle as they pick up their first Champions League victory over the campaign, replacing Liverpool in second place in Group B. It was a frustrating evening for the visitors, who never approached anywhere near their best.

The only goal of the game came shortly after the restart as Streller bundled the ball home after Liverpool had failed to deal with a corner. Skrtel almost turned into his own net in the first place, and Mignolet's save took the ball straight to the veteran striker, who made no mistake from close range.

Right, that is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole on another frustrating night for Liverpool as they fall to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Basel. Be sure to stick around for our match report, reaction, analysis and player ratings, which will be on site shortly. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!