Preview: Basel v Liverpool

• Basel's Paulo Sousa knows his team must "play at our best level" to get a result
• He calls for the Swiss league leaders to make fewer mistakes than on matchday one
• Liverpool recovered from three down to draw 3-3 at St. Jakob-Park in 2002/03
• The Reds have kept just two clean sheets in their last 17 matches in all competitions
• Rodgers goes up against the man he succeeded as Swansea City AFC manager in 2010

Possible lineups
Basel: Vaclík; Suchý, Schär, Safari, Frei; Elneny, Serey Die, Xhaka; Gashi, Streller, Gonzalez.
• Out: Díaz (suspended), Degen (match fitness), Ivanov (knee)
• Doubtful: Samuel (knee)

Liverpool: Mignolet; Manquillo, Škrtel, Lovren, Moreno; Gerrard, Henderson; Sterling, Lallana, Coutinho; Balotelli.
• Out: Can (ankle), Flanagan (knee), Sakho (thigh), Sturridge (thigh)
• Doubtful: Allen (knee), Johnson (hip)

Paulo Sousa, Basel coach
For everyone in football it's a dream to be involved in such a competition. We want to compete and if we have good statistics like we had against Real Madrid, but make fewer mistakes, then there is a possibility we can win the game. We have to play at our best level.

It's a pleasure to face Brendan Rodgers – he is a great coach and a great person. He tries to make his team play good football, like I do. I'm lucky to have players with lots of different skills and characteristics, which gives me a lot of tactical options. In the last few games we have played with different formations. I'm not experimenting with new tactics. It depends on the opposition and the players I have available.

Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool manager
I can't think about winning the Champions League as we are in October and we have the Premier League to contend with too. We are thinking game by game. Swiss football produces very good players who are technical. Basel are the Swiss champions and they have lots of experience in this competition as they have been playing in it for years. We haven't been as good as expected [this season]. We have integrated new players who are adapting to a new team, a new country and new football. We have an idea of where we are going.

Liverpool train at St. Jakob-Park©AFP/Getty Images

It's pretty much the same as we were at the weekend, apart from Mamadou Sakho is not here – he has a slight strain which may have him out for a few weeks. His injury came in a training session. It's unfortunate – he just felt a pain in his thigh. He went and had a scan on it which showed he's got a slight tear, which will be probably two to three weeks.

Apart from that, the squad is pretty much the same [as against Everton]. Daniel Sturridge isn't quite available and the others that have been out are still out. It doesn't leave us short – we're working with what we've got.

Weekend results
Basel 1-1 FC Thun (Xhaka 51; Sadik 90+2)
Liverpool 1-1 Everton FC (Gerrard 65; Jagielka 90+1)

Form guide (all competitions)
Basel: DWLLWW
Liverpoool: DDLWLW

Match facts
• What was the score when Basel hosted Liverpool's domestic rivals Chelsea FC last season? Find out in our in-depth match background.