Liverpool were dealt a blow to their European campaign yesterday when captain Paul Ince was ruled out of tonight's UEFA Cup clash with Slovakian champions Kosice.
Ince has been sent to specialists for a precautionary scan on a knee ligament injury.
But co-manager Roy Evans has virtually admitted that Robbie Fowler will at last be involved in a first-team game.
The striker's long fitness fight has been cloaked in secrecy but Fowler travelled with the squad and Evans said: "He's in the squad of 20 and I can name seven substitutes. He's got a good chance of being in that group."
Steve Harkness is standing by to fill the midfield gap Ince has left alongside Jamie Redknapp.
Ince's England squad colleague Steve McManaman is likely to make the match despite having been troubled by an Achilles injury for several weeks.
Celtic coach Dr Jozef Venglos aims to convince the doubters that his European pedigree will herald a change of fortunes for the Scottish champions against Portuguese champions Vitoria Guimaraes tonight.
Venglos will have to manage without Norwegian striker Harald Brattbakk who has flu and wasn't deemed well enough to travel.
That should see a recall from the start for Darren Jackson, with Tom Boyd, Henrik Larsson and Craig Burley all expected to shake off minor knocks to play.
Aston Villa manager John Gregory has urged his side to cash in on their "back door" entry into the UEFA Cup and improve on the club's woeful record in Europe.
Villa look to have a relatively straightforward passage into the second round at the hands of injury-hit Norwegian side Stromsgodset who visit Villa Park tonight on the back of a 4-0 defeat by Stabaek at the weekend.
Defender Riccardo Scimeca is likely to partner Julian Joachim in attack in the absence of the injured Stan Collymore and ineligible Paul Merson, although rookie strikers Darius Vassell and Darren Byfield are included in the squad.
Madeiran island side Maritimo travel to Leeds with coach Augusto Inacio insisting they can spring a surprise.
However, despite United boss George Graham admitting he will give the Madeiran island side the credit they deserve, he knows defeat over the two legs would be a major shock.
The one familiar name in the Maritimo side is that of former West Ham striker, Alex Bunbury, with the Canadian having made four appearances for the Hammers five years ago.
Blackburn face a French side Olympique Lyonnais who moved into second place in their domestic league behind Bordeaux on Friday with a 2-1 win at Sochaux, which kept their unbeaten run intact.
Rovers will be without Republic of Ireland midfielder Damien Duff as the teenager suffered a thigh strain against Sheffield Wednesday.
Scotland skipper Colin Hendry, Dutch World Cup defender Arthur Numan and Argentinean striker Gabriel Amato are all injured for Rangers' game against Beitar Jerusalem in Israel today.
That could mean another chance for the likes of Craig Moore, Tony Vidmar, Ian Ferguson and Charlie Miller.
Beitar got a boost for the firstround first-leg match by defeating fierce rivals Maccabi Haifa 4-2 at the weekend.
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