Gerrard is centre of attention

Monte Carlo is an appropriate place to take a punt, though necessity will dictate that Rafael Benitez gambles on Steven Gerrard this evening. "His presence can lift the team," said the Spaniard, all too aware that Liverpool are in need of a kick-start.

Limping into Nice yesterday, theirs was a squad depleted by injury, Saturday's defeat in distant Middlesbrough still dragging down confidence.

Just over a week ago, Gerrard made his comeback at Telford after spending two months recovering from a broken metatarsal. Against Monaco tonight, with effectively £5 million to play for as a reward for reaching the knockout stage, his drive will be needed.

"It's about what he brings to the mentality of the team, not just as a player but as a captain as well," said Benitez. "We could do with having all our players back, but Steven is so important to us. He's fit and he's a fantastic player."

Given the Spaniard is generally wary of talking up individuals - he prefers to heap praise on team-work - those words serve to illustrate just how pivotal Gerrard can be. The player himself insists more than mere good fortune is required tonight.

"You need luck in any competition, but to win the Champions League you need all kinds of stuff," he said. "Experience, great players, a great manager, a team that works hard with everyone pulling together wanting the same thing. We're still in it and confident that we can qualify."

Victory tonight would propel Liverpool into the next stage and land them the accompanying financial windfall, any other result prolonging the uncertainty until the home game with Olympiakos.

They will need to find goals to progress, but it is up front where they have suffered most, the hamstrung Milan Baros joining Djibril Cisse, recuperating from a broken leg, in the treatment room. Harry Kewell remains woefully short of form, while Luis Garcia has yet to convince away from Anfield.

In the circumstances, it would come as no surprise should Benitez opt to spread five across midfield tonight. "If you're too busy crying over things then you are wasting time," added Benitez. "You can't do anything about injuries, so it's far better to work with the team instead.

"When I was at Valencia we played at Celta Vigo and Osasuna and we had 13 players unavailable, but we coped and we won the league that year. Now we must cope again. We need to stay calm and analyse things. If we win, then we qualify. That's a good incentive for the team."

Liverpool will not glean much sympathy from the locals.

Deschamps lost his first-choice attacking quartet last summer - Fernando Morientes, Ludovic Giuly, Jerome Rothen and Dado Prso all moving on. While Javier Saviola is a potent replacement for Morientes, Monaco were hopeless in the Argentinian's absence at Anfield in the opening group game and, while they have registered two wins in this competition, they have failed to win in eight domestic league games.

Last Friday's 3-1 home defeat to Sochaux, a match attended by a pitiful 2,000 supporters, left them horribly off the pace in Le Championnat. "This is a chance to put things right," said the coach.

Liverpool must beware the backlash.

AS MONACO (4-2-3-1; probable): Roma; Maicon, Squillaci, Givet, Evra; Zikos, Plasil; Kallon, Chevanton, Saviola; Nonda.

LIVERPOOL (4-5-1; probable): Kirkland; Josemi, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore; Finnan, Gerrard, Hamann, Alonso, Riise; Luis Garcia.

Referee: C Bo Larsen (Denmark).