Full Time, 0-0: Three minutes of added time, but the teams don't appear particularly interested in final surges. Vorm and Jones each take long goal kicks, and Liverpool control the ball some in midfield before Kuyt loses the ball after a Babel pass. Utrecht win a corner to the right, and it is well taken, but partially cleared. Mertins gets it back and makes a run in from the left, but his final ball in the area is cleared for another corner. Utrecht win a throw off it, after which they manage a shot on target from the top of the area, but it is right to Jones. The final whistle blows.
89', 0-0: Liverpool win a throw on the right, and they send it back to their midfield where they hold it before conceding a counter to Mertins. His cross is headed away, and Utrecht are forced to rebuild. Joe Cole wins a free kick right above the box slightly left after being fouled on his way past the defense. Cole takes the kick off a tap, but he is blocked. Aurelio wins possession, and his cross is deflected but ends up falling to Cole in front of goal. He gets it on target, but is thwarted by Vorm.
85', 0-0: Liverpool have numbers forward with Cole, Babel and Pacheco, but Cole is unable to find one of his mates. Cole gets it on a good countering opportunity, but he holds it up for his teammates. The situation escalates thereafter as it falls to Kuyt in the area, and he gets it out for a cross. It is sent in for Babel, but he can't get on the end of it, and Utrecht clear after the ball bounces around. Sarota on for Maguire for Utrecht. The Dutch side hold possession at midfield, but they can't find a way in. Liverpool eventually win it and keep the ball for a spell themselves. A longball is sent for Babel, which he initially loses, but then wins back, and Liverpool continue to build.
81', 0-0: Oar's ball in from the left is dangerous, and Aurelio sends it behind for a corner to the right. It is cleared for a throw to Utrecht on the left. Oar gets a cross in, but nobody is remotely near the far post. Liverpool clear off a throw, and Babel wins a longball up the left. They thereafter win another throw deep on that side, but Utrecht get it away.
77', 0-0: Liverpool create some nice combination play up the right, but Joe Cole's cross is too high for Babel. Kelly makes another lengthy, pacy run that ends in a cross, but it is too deep and Vorm gets to it. Utrecht counter quickly, but Nesu's through ball is cleared. They build up again down the left, and Kyrgiakos' header clearance falls for a Utrecht volley, but it is sent well wide.
73', 0-0: Liverpool do their best Utrecht impression and hold the ball at the back interminably without pressing forward. Kelly eventually makes a nice run forward and cuts to the center above the area, but he can't find Pacheco. It goes for a Utrecht throw. Duplan off for Oar for the Dutch side. Cole and Babel nearly link up, but Babel is thwarted at the top of the area. The teams exchange at midfield thereafter, and Utrecht are again allowed to build. They send the ball long to the left, and though it is collected by Utrecht, Liverpool force a goal kick. Kuyt on for Jovanovic, and he immediately wins a corner. The effort, however, is cleared easily, and Utrecht control at the back off a Shelvey foul.
69', 0-0: Utrecht continue their dominance down the left, and Nesu wins a corner as he gets behind the defense, but has little support. Jones is again caught out on the corner, but he punches it away relatively fortuitously. The teams exchange possession thereafter, and Liverpool win a free kick in their half. The teams again exchange in midfield before Liverpool is able to set up forward down the left. Kelly gets a cross in from the right, but nobody is at the far post, and it goes for a Utrecht throw — which they clear deep.
65', 0-0: Liverpool go forward again as Aurelio and Pacheco link up down the left and have options in the area. Pacheco, however, shoots low from outside, and Vorm saves easily — though it did bend. Utrecht immediately come forward and miss on a dangerous cross thereafter, and Liverpool follow that effort with a failed incursion deep into their opponent's side of their own. Utrecht continue to attack dangerously — again missing the final pass with numbers forward up the left throug Mertins. All of the sudden, Mertins looks to be a major nuisance down Liverpool's left. Poulsen concedes a free kick at the top of the final third for Utrecht — left side. It is taken well and finds De Kogel, but he can't quite finish — goal kick.
61', 0-0: A brilliant pass by Jovanovic to Kelly from the middle to the right of the attacking third results in a Kelly cross that barely misses Babel. Liverpool retreat, and Utrecht eventually win it in midfield. They send it back to Vorm, who literally lets the ball sit for 10 seconds without anybody putting any pressure on him. Liverpool come up again with a nice run down the left by Aurelio. He goes for goal from the left hand side of the area, but is blocked. Mertins comes forward for Utrecht, but Liverpool clear and Babel is relatively close to finding the longball. The tempo increases as Utrecht put a second shot on target — but right at Jones. All of the sudden, the teams are really moving.
57', 0-0: Utrecht definitively appear more lively in the past few minutes. They win a series of throws up the right, and set up in the attacking area, but a bad ball results in a Babel counter. Babel makes a run into the box, but he shoots past the far post. Eccleston goes off for Pacheco. Pacheco immediately finds Babel on a through pass, but Babel cannot find somebody to give it to inside the area. Utrecht win the ball and do their requisite slow buildup.
53', 0-0: Mertens puts a shot on target for Utrecht — their first of the game. Brad Jones saves easily — low and to his slight right. Babel makes a run forward thereafter, but he cannot link with Joe Cole, and Utrecht continue their habit of slow buildups. Eventually, Mertins makes a run up the left, and he finds Nesu deep down the left. Kyrgiakos tackles it well for a corner, and Liverpool clear easily thereafter. Eccleston is sent the ball on the counter, but he loses out on a challenge for a throw, and Utrecht clear. A midfield interception by Maguire leads to a chance as De Kogel gets past Danny Wilson. His shot from distance, however, is way too high.
49', 0-0: Kyrgiakos on for Skrtel. The opening minutes of the half are spent exchanging possession on longballs. Even when the teams have space, they do not seem to be making aggressive runs at all.
Half Analysis: The match has lived up to its billing as a dead rubber thus far, as neither team has showed much interest in winning. Milan Jovanovic's effort off the crossbar was not only the only on-target shot of the first half, it was the only highlight of the 45 minutes as well. Nobody on Liverpool's defense can really be considered to blame. In fact, Kelly has been active and Aurelio has arguably been Liverpool's best player. Brad Jones has looked nervous in goal on a number of occasions, but it has yet to cost the team.
Going forward, Eccleston, Cole and Poulsen have been particularly non-existent, but Babel, Jovanovic, and Shelvey haven't done all that much either. A change to the lineup seems necessary to change the game — though the team did improve its pressure in the final five minutes of the half.
As for Utrecht, they are hanging around well, but mainly because they have been allowed to kill the clock by casually kicking it around their own half.
Half, 0-0: Liverpool play a man up with Wolfswinkel off the pitch. They press forward, but a cross in from the left in a dangerous position is cut out. A longball is sent for Babel off the clearance, but he is offsides. The substitution of Wolfswinkel is made — De Kogel is on. The ball has remained in the Liverpool attacking third for a matter of minutes now. Shelvey sends in a dangerous cross, but nobody gets to the far post to get it. Still, the team is playing with greater urgency in the final minutes. Duplan wins the ball for Utrecht, but he finds no support after a nice run. Eventually, the ball goes to Liverpool after a nervy clearance by Jones. Liverpool look to have some nice combination play unfolding with Joe Cole orchestrating, but the give and go is bungled despite an opening. The halftime whistle blows thereafter.
43', 0-0: Brad Jones sends a goal kick out of bounds in the Utrecht half. Utrecht attempt a longball on the right, but Aurelio wins it easily, and Liverpool clear. The Liverpool fans are beginning to chant for higher pressure in the Utrecht end. Wolfswinkel is injured by falling on his shoulder on an aerial challenge for a longball. It was with Wilson, but he was not at fault.
40', 0-0: Mertins earns a corner on a gaffe by Kelly, but it is headed away. The ball is sent back in very high, and Jones goes for a parry, but is caught out of position. Still, it is cleared for a throw and eventually all the way out. Utrecht hold the ball thereafter, though Liverpool do win a minor spell of midfield possession before Utrecht again hold. Eccleston intercepts a ball in a dangerous area, but he cannot produce a final ball in. Utrecht come forward thereafter, but they leave space for Babel to counter. He makes an incisive run before being cut out just above the area. A whistle against the Reds blows as well.
36', 0-0: Liverpool attack dangerously as Babel makes a run into the box with three others in red jerseys. Babel decides to keep it himself, and his shot is blocked away and possessed by Utrecht. Liverpool continue their longest spell of positivity, but are eventually thwarted by Utrecht, who use ball pressure to expand their shape. Thereafter, they maintain possession casually at midfield.
32', 0-0: The Utrecht spell of possession continues until Kelly is fouled, and Liverpool build up nicely in midfield. Utrecht clear after a ball down the left for Babel isn't heavy enough. Liverpool keep the pressure on, and Aurelio sends a dangerous ball in. It is cleared, but Liverpool keep it in the final third. Utrecht have a chance to counter after an interception at the edge of the area, but they butcher the second pass forward.
28', 0-0: Babel sends a cross in with Skrtel and others still forward. It is deflected back for a corner. Aurelio's near-post corner is sent out for a throw. The ball is kept in and Kelly makes a run up the right, but his cross isn't a viable one — goal kick. The teams exchange possession in midfield, and then Utrecht do their typical passing around the defense before a longball that goes past everybody for a goal kick. Utrecht make a minor incursion forward with their midfield advancing thereafter, but they retreat all the way back to their keeper.
24', 0-0: Utrecht look slightly more dangerous as the Liverpool defense is opened up by a through-pass, but Kelly gets back after the ball is laid slightly too wide for a free attempt at goal. Shelvey makes a great run up the left deep past three defenders. He runs out of room in the area, but Liverpool win a corner. Wilson gets his head on Shelvey's ball, but he goes over the bar with it. Eccleston wins a foul in the Utrecht half on the left. Aurelio's ball is good , but Utrecht clears to midfield.
20', 0-0: Aurelio and Shelvey stand over the set piece, but Aurelio takes it right into the wall. It bounces away and ends up a goal kick for Vorm. Utrecht make a minor incursion forward off a longball thereafter, but to little dangerous effect. Liverpool do the same directly after, and then Utrecht reprise the effort as well. Joe Cole and Ryan Babel attempt to link up on the left, but Cole's ball in is defender.
16', 0-0: Utrecht eventually give the ball away to Utrecht down the left, and Liverpool similarly sit on the ball at length before making an attempt forward. The game is surely unfolding at a relaxed pace at the present — lots of low pressure possession and longballing. Liverpool attempt to build up the right, but Kelly's multiple throws are rebuffed. Instead of countering, Utrecht are content to hold up at midfield and reset from the back. Liverpool thereafter take the ball and Babel and Jovanovic link above the box. Babel is fouled in a dangerous spot — dead center eight yards beyond the area.
12', 0-0: The goalies trade the ball, and then a short-lived attack down the left for Liverpool is rebuffed by a clearance. Thereafter, Liverpool set up their attack with numbers forward down the right, but lose out off a throw. Utrecht possess thereafter, but find no way through Liverpool and seem content to hold the ball at the back. The three defenders are just kicking it around.
8', 0-0: Martin Kelly looks to push it up the right, but nobody finds the end of his ball forward. Utrecht again build slowly from deep in their own end thereafter. A longball down the left looks dangerous and is collected by Mertens, but Shelvey clears for a throw. Utrecht are given an advantage play on an Eccleston foul — and yellow card. His tackle was heavy and late, but not eggregious. Utrecht deny the advantage and kick it out while the injury is tended to. Liverpool send it deep for them to restart thereafter. Jovanovic makes a brilliant run off a longball through the center. He beats three defenders and sends a shot from distance off the crossbar — Vorm tipped it but got away with it — goal kick.
4', 0-0: Liverpool begin the match with a series of throws down the right before a Utrecht clearance forces Liverpool to build from the back. They longball forward thereafter, and Utrecht clear and possess down the left. The teams continue to casually exchange possession before Utrech build from the rear slowly. Liverpool sit back at midfield and allow Utrecht to putter around.
2:40 p.m.: Roy Hodgson looks to be starting a mix of youth an experience on Wednesday — with Pepe Reina the most notable full exclusion from the squad. Dirk Kuyt, Fernando Torres and most first-team players are listed as substitutes. With the exception of Martin Skrtel, most of the starters are not members of the usual first team.
Here are the lineups in full.
Liverpool
Brad Jones (1), goalkeeper
Fabio Aurelio (6), defender
Martin Skrtel (37), defender
Martin Kelly (34), defender
Danny Wilson (22), defender
Joe Cole (10), midfielder
Christian Poulsen (28), midfielder
Jonjo Shelvey (33), midfielder
Ryan Babel (19), forward
Milan Jovanovic (14), forward
Nathan Eccleston (39), forward
Substitutes
Martin Hansen (41)
Sotirios Kyrgiakos (16)
Glen Johnson (2)
Raul Meireles (4)
Dirk Kuyt (18)
Fernando Torres (9)
Dani Pacheco (12)
FC Utrecht
Michel Vorm (1), goalkeeper
Tim Cornelisse (2), defender
Sander Keller (22), defender
Mihai Nesu (3), defender
Michael Silberbauer (8), midfielder
Jan Wuytens (29), midfielder
Dries Mertens (11), midfielder
Barry Maguire (18), midfielder
Gianluca Nijholt (27), forward
Edouard Duplan (7), forward
Ricky Wolfswinkel (9), forward
Substitutes
Erik Cummings (31)
Ismo Vorstermams (25)
Marc Van da Maarel (14)
Adam Sarota (30)
Tommy Oar (10)
Leon de Kogel (47)
11 a.m.: Wednesday's final group match may have no implications as far as Europa League advancement is concerned, but it does represent yet another opportunity for Roy Hodgson to begin the turnaround at Anfield.
Saturday's loss at St. James' Park was particularly disheartening — coming after the team had appeared to gather momentum from the Tottenham and Aston Villa matches. As a result, Hodgson was subjected to questions about his job security on Tuesday, which resulted in him becoming somewhat defensive, yet proclaiming his confidence in maintaining his post.
Many of Liverpool's stars will likely rest — given that the squad has already qualified top in the group — but the desire to gain momentum may prevent Hodgson from fielding a reserve squad.
Dirk Kuyt, who played for FC Utrecht from 1998-2003, has been particularly insistant of his desire to play against his former club at Anfield.
Kickoff will occur at 3:05 p.m. ET. Lineups will be posted prior to the match.
