Facing Inter Milan is about as hard as it gets in the Champions League but Liverpool’s task at Anfield tomorrow night is not quite as difficult as it looks on paper. The Italian champions may have stretched their lead over Roma at the top of Serie A to 11 points by beating Livorno 2-0 on Saturday but Roberto Mancini’s team have struggled to show their best form in Europe in recent seasons.

Inter were knocked out of the competition at this stage by Valencia last year and the previous season they were eliminated by Villarreal in the quarter-finals. "We have learned from those eliminations," Julio Cruz, the Inter forward, said. "We understand that we have to play to win and do things right, this is the only way to progress to the next round.

"The Champions League is a strange competition. There are teams that are considered favourites and then, for example, a team like Liverpool reaches the final twice in three years. There must be a reason why Liverpool do better in Europe than in their domestic tournament."

Cruz, who has scored twice in four Champions League appearances this season, will partner Inter's top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic in attack tomorrow. Both players were rested at the weekend but David Suazo, who scored twice against Livorno, will drop to the bench.

Maicon, the defender, and Dejan Stankovic, the midfield player, are also set to start. Stankovic will anchor Inter's midfield alongside Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso, with former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira likely to be relegated to the bench.

"The ideal situation would be to bring in Vieira when the rhythm of the game drops," Mancini, the Inter manager, said. "Although I fear that at Anfield that will only happen at the end of the game."