FT: Liverpool 4 Portsmouth 1

90+4 THAT'S IT. Easy for Liverpool but possible concern over a limping Mascherano and the coming together of Brown and Gerrard. Thanks for joining me and don't forget to check back soon for reports and reaction.

90+2 Babel has another go but his shot fizzes high and wide. It's been a long night for Pompey and the whistle cannot come soon enough.

90 Dindane hands off Mascherano who goes to ground but it was a pretty soft blow. There's still plenty of talk about Gerrard's coming together with Brown earlier though. Replays indicate there was use of an arm by the Liverpool skipper.

88 GOAL PORTSMOUTH: A consolation for the visitors as Belhadj slots home Piquionne's pull back. Poor defending there by the hosts.

87 Dindane has a half opening for the visitors but he is pulled back for a foul on Carragher. Another soft decision.

84 Last change for Portsmouth and Danny Webber comes on for O'Hara.

80 Mokoena is another to go into the book. He was none too chuffed about the build-up to the fourth goal either.

80 Applause for Torres as he is replaced by David Ngog. Can't imagine the Spaniard, who is on a hat-trick, will be too chuffed at that move.

78 Dindane is booked for a protest about the build-up to the goal

77 GOAL LIVERPOOL: Torres nets his second as he latches onto a great ball from Aquilani. Rocha fails to block the Spaniard who rifles into the bottom corner with his right foot.

75 Another change for the visitors and Hreidarsson makes way for Quincy Owusu-Abeyie.

74 The clash is Gerrard's last action as he is replaced by Yossi Benayoun

72 Brown is clattered by Gerrard as both skippers tangle. The Pompey man earns a free-kick but there was a real coming together there, with arms raised by both players.

71 Kelly hassles Belhadj into conceding a corner but Gerrard only finds Brown. The ball is only half cleared, allowing Maxi to pick out Torres but he fires straight at Ashdown.

70 Change for Liverpool and Johnson makes way for local youngster Martin Kelly. Think it is just a precaution to remove the England man with big games coming up against Man Utd and Lille.

67 Johnson goes down under challenge from Belhadj in the penalty area but referee Stuart Atwell waves play on. The England defender can't believe it.

65 More good possession from Liverpool but it's a strangely subdued Anfield this evening. It's almost like a training match.

63 Change for Pompey and Diop makes way for Mokoena.

62 Aquilani fizzes in a free-kick which narrowly avoids the Liverpool heads in the box.

59 Ashdown spills the ball as he jumps with Finnan but Pompey clear at the expense of a corner. Gerrard's flag-kick finds Maxi but he drags his shot wide.

57 Insua blocks off Dindane who earns a free-kick. O'Hara takes but it is easily caught by Reina. He quickly feeds Babel on the run but the Dutchman can't find a colleague.

55 Brilliant save by Reina. A rare foray forward by Belhadj sets up Brown but the Spanish keeper stretches out an arm to turn the midfielder's effort over the bar. Maybe there is still life in Portsmouth.

53 Gerrard goes for a curler after good work down the left by Babel but he clips his effort over the angle of post and bar.

51 Ashdown produces a couple of fine saves to deny Gerrard and a long-range Babel effort which he turns onto the bar. It's looking a question of how many Liverpool can bag tonight. They are queuing up to have a pot-shot at goal.

49 As Babel fails to find Maxi, just time to get in a couple more of your song suggestions. 'Steve says 'Almost Easy' by Avenged Sevenfold while Martin says Invincible by Muse.

48 Good possession football by Liverpool ends with Diop chopping down Johnson some 25 yards from goal. Gerrard and Agger stand over it but the defender's effort is half-blocked and runs through to Ashdown.

46 Rocha concedes a free-kick as Insua pumps it forward from full-back. However he is on hand to save Wilson as he slips, nearly letting Gerrard in.

The teams are on their way back out now. If Liverpool get another early in the second-half then it could be tough for Pompey.

Adam suggests Sorry's Not Good Enough by Mcfly - because beating Portsmouth doesn't make up for a shocking season! Anton goes for White Flag by Dido, presumably due to Pompey's struggles.

Regarding my assessment of Aquilani, David says: "I don't think it's a case of winning the Liverpool fans over. I think it's evident from his price tag that he is a fantastic player. It's more a case of winning the manager over, gaining match experience so he can show his true ability for the Reds."

First up it's Three Is the Magic Number by Schoolhouse Rock, as suggested by Ieuan while Martin confidently says I Predict a Riot by the Kaizer Chiefs. Nice one!

45 HALF-TIME... and time for me to get to your song suggestions. You can email them to me - and your thoughts on the first half. chris.harvey@bskyb.com is the address and I'll try to get through as many as I can.

45 Johnson aims it long for Torres to chase but Wilson holds him off at the expense of a throw.

43 Although Aquilani has got on the scoresheet he still seems to be struggling somewhat. His touch looks a little heavy and his flicks are just not coming off as another attempt goes begging. Anyone agree he still has a lot to do to win over the Reds faithful?

41 Dindane raids down the right and fires in an excellent cross which Carragher clears at the expense of a corner. Liverpool fail to deal with it but a free-kick is generously awarded to the hosts.

40 Hreidarsson concedes a free-kick which Maxi takes. Wilson deflects it behind for a corner which falls at Carragher's feet but the defender is unable to get the ball on target.

37 Not sure about Blue Monday or Manic Monday now... looks more like Happy Mondays for all you Liverpool fans. If you've any advance on my musical theme - or want to suggest a song title to sum up the Reds' first half efforts - then let me know. chris.harvey@bskyb.com is the email. As I write, Piquionne tests Reina - a rare incurssion from the visitors.

34 Now Torres hits the post. Great effort from the Spaniard but he is desperately unlucky to see his shot rebound off the upright.

32 GOAL LIVERPOOL.... and this time it is Aquilani who gets on the scoresheet - his first in English football. Superb link-up play by Gerrard and Torres who backheels it into the path of the Italian. His neat right-footed shot is too good for Ashdown and the big money signing celebrates his delight.

29 Pompey look shell-shocked at that double burst. It could be a long night for Avram Grant's men.

28 GOAL LIVERPOOL: Babel doubles Liverpool's lead with a neat finish. Pompey fail to deal with the ball into the box, it falls to Torres who bides his time before feeding the Dutchman who finishes low into the bottom corner. Could that be the start of a landslide?

26 GOAL LIVERPOOL: Simple task for Torres after Gerrard charged down Ashdown's clearance. The ball fell kindly for Maxi to square for the Spaniard who rolled it into an unguarded net. Huge sigh of relief at Anfield.

25 Good cross in by Maxi but Rocha leaps well to deny Torres.

23 Belhadj launches it forward to Piquionne who gets the better of Carragher and bears down on goal. He is flagged for a push but he barely breathed on the Liverpool defender. Poor decision. We really do play a non-contact sport these days!

21 Shout for handball against Brown but nothing doing, then the Pompey skipper clatters opposite number Gerrard but again it's a corner and no free-kick.

19 Another good run by Babel who links well with Torres but the Spaniard can't find a telling ball.

18 Aquilani bursts into the box to get onto Maxi's ball. His right foot shot flies just wide of the post. Decent effort by the Italian.

16 Best move of the game so far sees Aquilani and Torres combine to set up Gerrard from 20 yards but his effort is way over. Decent opening for the Liverpool skipper there.

14 Insua curls in a cross but Ashdown leaps high to claim it.

12 Maxi hits the deck after a crunching tackle from Hreidarsson but the Reds fail to make any headway from Aquilani's free-kick.

10 Babel bundles over Rocha as he attempts to drive into the box. The atmosphere at Anfield is strangely quiet at the moment as Johnson tries to swing over a cross but it is straight into the keeper's hands.

8 Piquionne charges at the home defence menacingly but his shot dips over Reina's bar. Thanks for your Monday songs. David and Michael have both sugested Monday Monday by the Mamas and the Papas. If we get a break in play I'll bring you more...

6 Another chance for Gerrard to launch one into the Pompey box. Torres can't quite get a head to it but that delivery was fabulous. The hosts have certainly started on the front foot here.

5 Reina flaps at a long ball into the Liverpool box. Dindane has a go but his deflected effort goes over. Amazingly no corner is given.

3 Another Gerrard free-kick falls at the feet of Torres who strikes it goalwards. The ball strikes Rocha's arms but no penalty given in spite of the Spaniard's appeals.

2 Gerrard whips in the free-kick from the right but Wilson is able to flick it away from the danger area.

1 We are away with Liverpool attacking the Kop End. Torres makes an early run at the Pompey defence and is pulled back by Wilson. Dangerous position this.

The Kop belt out You'll Never Walk Alone as Tom comes up with another song title - Manic Monday by the Bangles (and Prince). Let's hope it's not Panic Monday if the Reds fail to win this evening.

As the teams walk out, ex-pat Mark, now in Colorado, has come up with I Don't Like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats to sum up Liverpool's Monday misery. Any improvement on that?

No great surprise that Sky Bet make Liverpool hot favourites tonight. They go 1/4 for a home win while you'll get 12/1 if you fancy a punt on Pompey. It's 9/2 the draw.

For the record Liverpool tend to be shocking when playing on a Monday. Anyone care to suggest a suitable song title to sum up their horrors at the start of the week? I'll start you off. Can anyone beat Blue Monday by New Order? Answers on a postcard (ok email will do!) to chris.harvey@bskyb.com

Chris has had his say and reckons it's a real chance to Liverpool to send some lambs to the slaughter and is going for a 3-0 victory. Andrew adds: "Glad to see Aquilani and Maxi both in the starting line-up and I'm going for a Liverpool 2-0 win."

Mike Thomas (now there's a name to make Reds fans tremble) says: "As a Liverpool fan who was brought up in Portsmouth I am torn, but I do think this is the team Rafa should have had as his starting 11 for most of the season bar injuries. Pompey are doomed so go the Pool!" Reds fan Darren adds: "Great to see Rafa picked Aquilani at last. Going for a 2-0 win to Liverpool with Gerrard and Babel scoring."

Word on David James is he's failed to shake off a calf strain hence a second start for Jamie Ashdown in the Pompey goal. England fans (and Liverpool for that matter) will be delghted Portsmouth old boy Glen Johnson is back from injury to press his claims for a World Cup place - that said he won't have to press that hard with alternatives so thin on the ground!

Jabba is delighted with the Liverpool team and says: "Finally we've got our strongest line-up out! Good to see Aquilani starting too! 2-0, Torres and Rodriguez to get the goals!" while Paul predicts a 5-0 win for the home side.

Alex says: "I'm going for a close encounter with quite a few goals. I hope Liverpool win and a large margin would be nice. Liverpool to capitalise on City's lucky escape yesterday and finish 4th/5th in the season." Lee from New York adds: "Really interesting game tonight..Portsmouth got nothing to lose and neither have Liverpool really.They won't make the top 4 or win in Europe..Benitez has lost the dressing room....its over."

Pompey fan Scott has been in touch to say: "I think it will be a 2-2 draw with Gerrard and Torres scoring and O'Hara netting for Portsmouth .I'm also backing them to stay up this season with a dramatic comeback."

So here are the starting line-ups. Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Mascherano, Aquilani, Rodriguez, Gerrard (c), Babel, Torres. Portsmouth: Ashdown, Finnan, Wilson, Rocha, Hreidarsson. Diop, Brown (c), O'Hara, Dindane, Belhadj, Piquionne.

Aquilani in in Shock news from Rafa Benitez. Alberto Aquilani starts tonight! The £20 million Italian takes his place in the Liverpool line-up while Maxi Rodriguez and Ryan Babel also play in an attack-minded Reds side.

Teams I am still awaiting details of the two sides but I'll bring you news as soon as I get it.

Thanks for joining me for coverage of this crucial Premier League encounter. I'm looking for your match predictions plus any thoughts on whether Liverpool can still push on and claim that coveted fourth spot. You can email me chris.harvey@bskyb.com

Updates will appear here at 2000 GMT