LIVERPOOL Reina Kelly, Carragher, Agger, Robinson Henderson, Spearing, Sahin, Adam, Sterling Borini

HEARTS MacDonald Paterson, Webster, Zaliukas, Grainger McGowan, Barr, Taouil Novikovas, Sutton, Driver

Nuri Sahin may get an early chance to impress in the Reds’ midfield, while Joe Allen could start on the substitutes’ bench after his starring role on Sunday in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City.

Raheem Sterling should keep his place on the left-hand side of midfield, and will hope to terrorise the Hearts defence as he did at times during the first leg at Tynecastle.

Hearts are likely to continue with the same team that lost 1-0 at home to Liverpool, and the same 4-4-2 formation.

Much will be expected of frontman John Sutton, who will receive support from Arvydas Novikovas from the midfield.

• Liverpool have a superb pedigree in this competition, having won it three times in their history when it was known as the Uefa Cup. They last lifted the trophy in the 2000-01 season, when they completed a treble (including the League Cup and FA Cup).

• They have met Scottish teams 12 times in European competitions, and have registered six wins, three draws and three defeats.

• Just after signing for Liverpool, Turkish midfielder Nuri Sahin (pictured, right) told the club’s official website he was in Istanbul in 2005 when the Reds won the Champions League against AC Milan.

• During his first spell at Hearts, defender Andy Webster made football history when he invoked a loophole in Fifa’s transfer regulations to cancel his contract at Tynecastle and sign for Wigan. However, the world governing body ruled the Scot cancelled his contract “without just cause”, and he was suspended and ordered to pay Hearts compensation.

• Hearts’ best showing in a European club competition came in the 1988-89 season, when they reached the quarter-final stage of the Uefa Cup before losing 2-1 on aggregate to Bayern Munich having taken a surprise 1-0 lead in the first leg at Tynecastle.

• Last season, Hearts were drawn against Premier League opposition at this stage of the Europa League, but went down 5-0 on aggregate to Tottenham.

• The Jambos’ reserve goalkeeper Peter Enckelman has tasted victory in European competition before, albeit the Uefa Intertoto Cup with Aston Villa in 2001. Villa were joint winners of the tournament alongside Paris Saint-Germain and Troyes of France.