Liverpool take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of this Europa League tie with the Romanian Champions, thanks to David Ngog’s late header at Anfield last week.

A tie against the winner of Lille vs Fenerbahce awaits the winner, with Rafa Benitez’s men eagerly chasing silverwear after a disappointing season.

Fernando Torres could start after returning from injury for the final 15 minutes on Sunday’s goalless bore draw with Manchester City in the Premier League.

The Reds continue to be without Glen Johnson, who is expected to return from a long-term injury next week, and Yossi Benayoun, who also played against Man City, could start.

Sotris Kyrgiakos is eligible to play despite his recent suspension for the two footed challenge on Everton’s Marouane Fellani recently.

The games gets underway at 6pm UK time.

Look away now as our Europa League season gets underway on Thursday night with the visit of the not-so-mighty Unirea Urziceni of Romania.

Reds fans will remember well that this time last year we were going to the Bernabeu, where Rafa’s men earnt a hard-fought 1-0 win to kick-start (apart from the consequent Middlesbrough defeat) an amazing end of season run of form.

Those were the days, eh!

Liverpool will be without Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun and Glen Johnson for this one through injury, although Sotiris Kyriakos returns to the squad despite his domestic suspension.

Jamie Carragher, who limped off during Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night is expected to be fit to face the Romanians.

Unirea recently parted company with former Chelsea defender Dan Petrescu as their coach, despite having won the league with them last season. He has been replaced by Ronny Levy.

To make matters worse, fans not at Anfield for this one will have to make do with coverage on five. Kick-off is 8.05pm.

Reports this weekend suggested a deal had been struck between Benitez and the Turin outfit over a contract beginning at the end of this season.

However Benitez, who signed a new 4 year contract at Anfield last March, says there is no truth in the rumours.

“Contrary to reports in the Italian media this weekend, I want to make it absolutely clear I have no agreement with Juventus and have not and will not be meeting Juventus or their representatives or any other club,” said the Liverpool manager.

“I have a long term contract with Liverpool and I’ll repeat what I said on Friday that I am happy here and my only focus is to do my job as well as I can to get the team back into to the top four, beginning with the derby against Everton.”

Liverpool face Merseyside rivals Everton in the 213th Merseyside Derby this Saturday.

The Reds looked back to their all too familiar uninspiring form as Mick McCarthy’s men earned a valuable draw amongst a bad run of form for themselves.

Although the result moves the Reds ahead of Manchester City and into fifth, Tottenham’s 2-0 victory over Fulham at White Hart Lane tonight means Liverpool now trail them by four points.

After the game at Molineux, Benitez told press, “If you analyse our position in the table, then maybe it was two points dropped. If you analyse the game then it was fair enough. In the first half we were in control. We didn’t create clear chances and the final pass in the final third was the difference.

“In the second half they were pushing harder and we had to defend, but we still had some good counter attacks. Again the final pass was the difference. If you analyse the game, then the result is fair.

“To have a clean sheet is good and another positive after the last four or five games.

“We went close but you have to score if you want to win. In the first-half they had one chance on the counter attack. We had two or three situations around the box. In the first minute we had a very good opportunity, but credit to them because they were pushing very, very hard.”

Liverpool next face Bolton in the Premier League on Saturday at Anfield (kick-off is 3pm).

Steven Gerrard looked unfit on Tuesday night, but hopefully a few days rest will do him good.

Rafa Benitez continues to have selection problems aplenty, with Daniel Agger, Martin Kelly, Glen Johnson, Nabil El Zahr and Fernando Torres all sidelined through injury.

The Reds must fancy their chances with Bolton lying second bottom of the Premier League, although they did beat Burnley in their last league outing.

This fixture last season saw Liverpool run out 3-0 winners thanks to goals from Albert Riera and two from Robbie Keane.

Kick-off at Anfield is 3pm. More team news to follow.

The Reds will go fourth in the league with victory tonight with Maxi Rodriguez coming in for Philipp Degen, who drops to the bench and Gerrard replaces Alberto Aquilani in midfield.

Dirk Kuyt keeps his one-man role up front for the Reds after scoring twice to sink Tottenham at Anfield last Wednesday.

Carragher continues at right back, with the recently impressive Sotirios Kyrgiakos alongside Skrtel in the middle. Maxi will line-up on the right of midfield, with Riera starting on the left again.

Wolves: Hahnemann, Zubar, Berra, Craddock, Ward, Mancienne, Henry, Milijaš, Foley, Doyle, Jarvis.
Subs: Hennessey, Stearman, Jones, Vokes, Iwelumo, Mujangi, Guedioura.

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Maxi, Gerrard, Riera, Kuyt.
Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Babel, Ngog, Degen, Darby, Pacheco.

Kick-off at Molineux is 7.45pm and video streams can be found via our forums.

After more world class performances in the Reds goal this season, Benitez is eager to get a deal drawn up to extend Reina’s stay at Anfield.

Reina, who moved to Merseyside in the summer of 2005 still has two and a half years to run on his current contract, which he signed in 2007.

Benitez told the club’s official web site, “We have had conversations with his agent and he knows our idea. We also know his idea.

“The conversations will continue and I think it will be easy to finalise and have an agreement.

“His mentality is really good and we are really happy with him. In a top side you have to be a good goalkeeper for 90 minutes.

“He has a great character and he is always pushing his teammates. He is a leader on the pitch too.”

In November, Reina told of his desire to sign a contract extension. He said, “Rafa Benitez is building something special here. He proved that when he came here – the club was one thing and now it’s something totally different. We have grown up and we can still grow up a little bit more.”

Manuel Garcia Quilon says that Benitez is very commited to Liverpool and intends to see out the remaining four years of his contract, despite growing pressure amid poor performances on the pitch this season.

Quilon told calciomercato.it, “This hypothesis is not correct because Rafa has a four-year contract with the Reds. His figure is very important there, the idols of the fans are Gerrard, Torres and Benitez.

“At Juventus next summer? I don’t know what can happen between now and four to five months.

“In football, everything changes very quickly, but the basic principle is that Rafa has another four-year contract with Liverpool.”

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce made public his feelings of frustration at how Liverpool’s move for the Trinidad & Tobago forward , but Benitez says it is being handled by the club’s managing director and Black Cats chairman Niall Quinn.

“I was not involved in this,” said Benitez. “Christian Purslow was talking with Niall Quinn. They are managing the situation.”

“I prefer not to talk too much because we will create a debate so Christian and Niall will continue to talk if they need to talk.

“They were in contact but I don’t know what the situation is now.”

The midfielder looks set to make an early return from a hamstring injury that was expected to see him miss two more games for the Reds.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez confirmed, “He was training on Saturday and then a full training session on Sunday, and today was the same.

“Normally he’s someone who, if available, can play. We’ll decide later but I think he can be available. We’ll decide tomorrow.”