Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Champions League last-16 first leg between Liverpool and Bayern Munich at Anfield. The two sides have won 10 European crowns between them but only one can progress through to the quarter-finals this time around. The Reds made it all the way to the final last season but had to work hard to progress through a difficult group this term, whereas Bayern eased through Group E to remain on course for a first continental triumph in six years.

LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Fabinho, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita; Mane, Salah, Firmino

SUBS: Mignolet, Milner, Sturridge, Moreno, Lallana, Shaqiri, Origi

BAYERN MUNICH TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Neuer; Kimmich, Sule, Hummels, Alaba; Thiago, Martinez; Gnabry, Rodriguez, Coman; Lewandowski

SUBS: Ulreich, Ribery, Rafinha, Davies, Mai, Sanches, Shabani

The home side show two changes from their 3-0 win over Bournemouth here 10 days ago, bringing in Alexander-Arnold and Henderson for Milner and the suspended Van Dijk. Bayern make just the one alteration from 3-2 win against Augsburg, with Goretzka replaced by Martinez. The two sides are on the field and we are seconds away from kickoff!

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KICKOFF:  Liverpool get us underway at Anfield! As well as being without key centre-back Van Dijk tonight, the hosts must also make due without Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren, so Fabinho has dropped into the heart of defence alongside Matip.

There is no Arjen Robben for the visitors because of injury, while Thomas Muller is absent through suspension. Both teams are shaping up in 4-3-3 formations, as expected.

It has been a very stop-start contest so far. Plenty of niggling fouls from both sides and neither team has managed to find any real rhythm. The home and away supporters are producing a superb atmosphere at Anfield.

Bayern have won only one of their seven matches in European competition against Liverpool - that came in the Cup Winners' Cup second round back in November 1971, with two goals from Gerd Muller and one from Uli Hoeness in Munich.

Neuer is put under pressure but he manages to get the ball clear. Alisson is then guilty of playing a sloppy pass, but thankfully for him it does not lead to a Bayern chance.

Coman spots the run of Alaba down the left of him but it deflects off a Liverpool player. It is then slipped in behind for Lewandowski, but the flag goes up for a handball infringement in the build-up.

Neuer is again put under pressure, this time from Mane, and he is nearly caught out. The Bayern keeper, who has only just returned from injury, is looking a little rusty early on. Liverpool are just about edging things at the moment.

Bayern have played the better football in the final third of the field. Kimmich floats the ball into the middle and it causes some panic in the Liverpool box, as Alisson and Fabinho get in each other's way. It is eventually cleared.

SAVE!  The first chance of the evening falls the way of Salah, who gets between Bayern's two centre-backs and makes contact with Henderson's sublime pass from deep. The Egyptian forward had a little too much to do, though, and the shot was far too weak to get the better of Neuer.

SAVE!  That chance for Salah has acted as a wake-up call for Bayern, as they come close to making a breakthrough. Gnabry swings the ball in from the right and Matip directs it towards his own goal. The ball ricochets off Alisson's face and is cleared. Not sure how much the Liverpool keeper knew about that!

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SHOT!  After a slow start this match is warming up nicely. Both keepers have had a save to make and it is a case of the two sides taking it in turn to attack. The ball is worked across to Mane, who carries it into the box and shoots wide of the target.

SHOT!  So, so sloppy from Alisson, who is caught in two minds and gives possession away. Coman should make the Brazilian pay for his hesitancy but he can only blast the ball into the side-netting. Both keepers are looking very nervous, it must be said.

Liverpool and Bayern's only previous encounter in the European Cup came in the 1980-81 semis. Liverpool progressed on away goals (1-1 on aggregate) – they would go on to beat Real Madrid in the final (1-0).

Keita's audacious overhead kick from the edge of the box ends exactly where you would expect it to - well wide of the target. This has been an evenly-matched contest so far, with neither side really doing enough to warrant a lead.

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A poor first touch from Gnabry lets him down. Robertson's attempted header back to Alisson is weak and the Bayern winger could have done a lot better when charging the loose ball down. Plenty of nervous tension in the Merseyside air tonight.

CHANCE!  Just one pass was completed by Mane in the opening quarter of the game. The Reds' front three have been disjointed and their defence have also looked all over the place. The hosts could easily have opened the scoring, though, as Salah heads wide after ghosting in around the back.

Liverpool have created more chances than Bayern but Niko Kovac will be happy enough with his side's performance so far. Bayern would love an away goal but a goalless draw may also be considered a positive result. It is the Germans who have been enjoying a spell on the ball over the past minute or so.

YELLOW CARD!  Mane runs past Kimmich and the Bayern full-back kicks his opponent's heel to send him crashing to the floor. Kimmich is shown the game's first yellow card - a booking that will rule him out of the return match next month.

The home fans let out a roar to urge their side on. Liverpool have not been at their best so far and they are continuing to look sloppy in possession. Bayern, too, have struggled to string passes together, with a ball aimed towards Alaba going straight out of play.

We so often saw Liverpool blow sides away in quick bursts last season, especially in Europe. Bayern have done well to take the sting out of the Reds' game and there is no real sign of a goal being scored before half time. Robertson badly overhits his cross towards the back post.

PENALTY APPEAL!  Firmino breaks away from his man and tees up Keita, whose shot hits the leg of Sule and then pops up against his arm. Mane still has a chance to shoot but drags the ball wide. The shout for handball against Sule is pretty weak - he could not have prevented it from hitting his arm.

Bayern, one of five unbeaten sides in the group stage of the competition, have not scored a single goal against Liverpool at Anfield in three visits here. The question is, would Kovac accept a goalless draw if offered to him right now? It seems that way.

SAVE!  Alexander-Arnold gives the ball away and Coman wins a corner for his side. It is aimed towards the edge of the six-yard box, where makeshift centre-back Fabinho is waiting to head clear. The shot eventually arrives from Gnabry, which Alisson gets a small touch to down low.

SHOT!  Robertson and Alexander-Arnold appear to have swapped flanks for the time being. Firmino wins the ball back for his side on the edge of the box and feeds it to Keita on the edge of the box. The chipped pass towards the back post is sent wide of the post by Mane, who went for an overhead kick.

The first half may be edging towards a goalless conclusion but it has been pretty gripping. Liverpool have created more chances than their opponents but Bayern have also forced Alisson into a couple of saves at the other end. Mane is picked out at the back post but Kimmich takes the ball off his foot before he can shoot.

CHANCE!  Another good opportunity goes begging for Liverpool. Salah backheels the ball to Firmino and the Brazilian's cutback is crying out for Matip to convert, but it is a case of the wrong man in the right place as the shot goes wide.

Gnabry sends a teasing cross into the middle and Fabinho is happy to turn it behind from a corner, which Firmino gets his head to. Following a period of sustained pressure from Liverpool, Bayern are looking to end the first half on top.

Liverpool have played some great football over the past five minutes. Some quick one-touch football leads to Firmino getting in behind but he could not pick out Mane with his clipped pass over Neuer. Prior to that, Henderson bailed out Mane at the other end with a fine challenge.

HALF TIME:  LIVERPOOL 0-0 BAYERN MUNICH

Firmino redirects a cross towards the back post but Mane is again just inches away from converting. Liverpool have had the better of things so far but it remains goalless with 45 minutes of the first leg played.

Bayern have failed to score on their previous three visits to Anfield and they lacked a cutting edge in a goalless first half. Kingsley Coman blasted the ball into the side-netting following a poor pass from Alisson Becker, who looked just as nervy as his makeshift backline at times. The visitors' best opportunity in the opening 45 minutes came via Liverpool defender Joel Matip as he directed Gnabry's cross onto his own goal, but it ricocheted off Alisson's face in a real let-off.

Liverpool created far more opportunities at the other end but failed to convert any of them before the interval, with Mohamed Salah shooting straight at Manuel Neuer when getting on the end of a fine deep pass from Jordan Henderson, before heading wide after ghosting in at the back post.

Sadio Mane also sent a couple of shots wide of target and Matip slotted a glorious opportunity the wrong side of Neuer's post in the best of the first-half chances. Both teams need to be a little more clinical in front of goal if they are to make a breakthrough, then - will we see a goal in the remaining 45 minutes? The two teams will be back out shortly.

BENCH WATCH!

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Mignolet, Milner, Sturridge, Moreno, Lallana, Shaqiri, Origi

BAYERN MUNICH SUBS: Ulreich, Ribery, Rafinha, Davies, Mai, Sanches, Shabani

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KICKOFF:  Bayern, who failed to attempt a single shot on target in the first half of a Champions League game for the first time since April 2017, get us back underway at Anfield. No changes from either manager at half time.

Liverpool's pressing pays off as the snatch the ball back from their opponents. The Reds are playing with a faster tempo in the early stages of the second half but the visitors are forming a solid wall across the back.

Bayern are on a run of eight consecutive Champions League away matches without a defeat - their last loss on the road came in September 2017. However, Liverpool are unbeaten in 19 consecutive European matches at Anfield.

The second half has started in a similar manner to the first. Liverpool are seeing more of the ball in dangerous areas but they cannot sustain the pressure for long enough to break through the Bayern defence. The visitors look happy with a 0-0 draw.

Salah lays the ball off to Keita, who cannot do the same to Firmino just outside the box. There are a few groans around Anfield as supporters are starting to grow frustrated. Bayern get bodies forward but Fabinho keeps his eyes on the ball to thwart Lewandowski before he can shoot.

CHANCE!  After 10 minutes of toiling Liverpool finally create a chance of note. Robertson gets to Keita's through-ball thanks to a fortunate rebound from Gnabry's clearance, but he is closed down by Neuer and Sule. The ball makes its way to Salah at the back post but he uncharacteristically wastes the opportunity by dinking the ball wide.

YELLOW CARD!  Henderson stops the run of Martinez in midfield and is shown a yellow card. Martinez stays down for a bit but he is soon back to his feet and play continues.

Rodriguez shoots 16 yards from goal but it is hit straight into Mane. Bayern do win a corner from the same attacking move, though, which is helped on and gobbled up by a player in red. An hour played and we are still awaiting a goal.

SHOT!  Gnabry is allowed to charge towards the Liverpool box and he decides to shoot when reaching the edge of the box. The shot is powerful and has Alisson leaping in the air, but it is a yard or so over the crossbar.

Bayern seem pretty comfortable at the moment - they are happy to see out another half an hour of this. Klopp may need to change things up a little - he has Lallana, Sturridge and former Bayern ace Shaqiri among his subs.

Alexander-Arnold charges into the box but he is crowded out by Bayern players. The tempo has completely dropped over the last 10 minutes or so, which is not a good sign for Liverpool. The home side really could do with a goal tonight.

Possession has been split right down the middle over the course of the first 66 minutes. Liverpool have had 10 shots, one of those on target, while none of Bayern's four shots have found the target. It has been a low-quality second half, in truth.

Bayern deserve real credit for keeping Liverpool's players as quiet as they have. The Reds had a few half-chances in the first half but since the restart it has not really happened for them. The ball makes its way through to Mane but it is taken off him before he can shoot.

Bodies on the line time for the German visitors - they are refusing to buckle despite Liverpool throwing plenty at them. The Reds are struggling when it comes to the final pass, leading to more groans from their supporters.

Eight teams had more shots than Bayern in this season's Champions League group stages but no side created more big chances than the Bavarians (21). They have not offered much of an attacking threat tonight, happy to accept a 0-0 draw.

A free kick is floated into the box and Sule heads it behind. The corner is pretty poor, with Lewandowski powering it away at the front post. Surprised that Klopp has waited this long to change things around - his side are lacking ideas.

We are still awaiting the first shot of the second half. There has been no change to the flow of the game, with Liverpool bossing possession but getting nowhere near the Bayern goal. Salah does well to cut inside but Wijnaldum gets in his way and Sule pounces.

LIVERPOOL SUBS! Jurgen Klopp makes a double change by bringing on Milner and Origi for Keita and Firmino. A couple of like-for-like changes - will that make any sort of difference? Time is fast running out for Liverpool to make a breakthrough.

Rodriguez, who we have not seen a lot of this evening, has a rare chance to shoot from outside the box. The midfielder makes poor contact, though, and it flashes wide of the target with Alisson watching it all the way through.

Klopp watches on as his side continue to toil. This has been a very good defensive display from old foes Bayern but Liverpool have been nowhere near their best in an attacking sense. A cross from the left is blocked behind and, following an aerial scramble, the corner is cleared away.

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BAYERN MUNICH SUB! Kovac brings on some fresh legs in the attacking third of the field by bringing on Ribery for French compatriot Coman. It would be a real smash-and-grab if the visitors were to pick off their opponents and grab a goal.

Matip has found himself in some brilliant positions tonight. The problem for Liverpool is that he is not very good at shooting! The centre-back miscues the ball horrible high and wide from 20 yards out when left in space.

SAVE!  Mane does very well to get ahead of his man at the front post and turn the ball goalwards with his head. Neuer reads the danger well and gets down to his right to help it behind. It may have been heading for the post but the German keeper was taking no chances.

BAYERN MUNICH SUB! Sanches is on for Rodriguez as we enter the final stages of normal time. Both managers still have one more change available to make should they wish. Kovac will likely make the most of that to eat up some more seconds.

BAYERN MUNICH SUB! Gnabry, who has been Bayern's liveliest player over the 90 minutes, is replaced by Rafinha as Kovac attempts to see out the remaining three minutes of added time.

Liverpool are not exactly throwing the kitchen sink at Bayern. There is the risk of conceding an away goal on the counter and it looks as though the two teams are happy to accept a 0-0 draw now. Sixty seconds of added time to play.

FULL TIME:  LIVERPOOL 0-0 BAYERN MUNICH

Liverpool and Bayern Munich play out a goalless first leg to their Champions League last-16 tie at Anfield. Matip wasted a good opportunity in the first half and Mane tested Neuer with the only serious attempt on target in the second half, leaving the tie finely poised ahead of the return fixture in three weeks' time.

That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from Merseyside. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, and be sure to join us again for updates from Manchester City's meeting with Schalke 04. See you then!