Liverpool aim to bounce back

Five-time European champions Liverpool FC will hope to reverse their poor pre-season form when they take on Israel's Maccabi Haifa FC in their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round first leg at Anfield tonight.

Early losses
Liverpool returned from a training camp in Switzerland and Germany with wounded pride after successive friendly defeats by 1. FC Kaiserslautern (3-2), Grasshopper-Club (2-0) and, most worryingly, 1. FSV Mainz 05 (5-0). Manager Rafael Benítez and his players downplayed the significance of the Mainz result, while stressing the obvious need for a huge step-up in performance against Haifa. "We've got to remember we've been drawn against one of the toughest sides we could have got," defender Jamie Carragher said. "They have a lot of experience in the group stage and they're much stronger than the sides we've played in the past in this round."

Anfield defeats
The English club have never failed to qualify from this stage for the UEFA Champions League, but Carragher is also wary of their home record in recent campaigns. "The last two qualifiers we played at Anfield we lost 1-0 and were a bit fortunate the ties were virtually over before those games," he said. "In a knockout tournament, it's vital you have a good first leg. The last two years showed that."

New signings
Benítez has brought in five new faces this summer, most notably two players with chequered histories, striker Craig Bellamy from Blackburn Rovers FC and wide man Jermaine Pennant from Birmingham City FC. The duo have a reputation for making the wrong kind of headlines and both will want to leave an altogether different impression at Anfield. Three South Americans have also arrived, with Brazilian Fabio Aurelio coming from Valencia CF and Gabriel Paletta from Argentina's CA Banfield to bolster the defence, while Chile winger Mark González, who spent last term on loan at Real Sociedad de Fútbol, has earned the UK work permit which delayed his signature.

Levy hopeful
Haifa coach Roni Levy saw his team draw 1-1 with Maccabi Netanya FC in domestic cup action at the weekend, and said: "We know the difference in standards between ourselves and Liverpool. They are playing at home which will make it extremely hard for us. Still, we will do our best." Levy will be without forward Shlomi Arbeitman, suspended following his dismissal last season against Malmö FF. The second leg will be played on 23 August.