Mario Balotelli will start alongside Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling in Istanbul for Liverpool's crucial second leg of their Europa League last-32 clash against Besiktas.

Balotelli, who scored the only goal in the first leg at Anfield, has been handed a rare start by manager Brendan Rodgers.

Jordon Ibe and Alberto Moreno will occupy the flanks, while Joe Allen has been installed to anchor the midfield, and Emre Can moves into the middle of the park from defence.

A back three of Dejan Lovren, Martin Skrtel and Kolo Toure will line up in front of goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, while Adam Lallana has been dropped to the bench.

Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Philippe Coutinho, Mamadou Sakho and Glen Johnson didn't travel with the team for tonight's clash in Turkey.

Meanwhile, Demba Ba has been named in the starting XI for the home side, despite concerns over a calf injury.

Besiktas XI:,Cenk Gonen; Serdar Kurtulus, Franco, Opare, Sosa; Gokhan Tore; Veli Kavlak; Hutchinson, Necip Uysal, Olcay Sahan; Ba

Liverpool XI: Mignolet; Toure, Skrtel, Lovren; Moreno, Allen, Can, Ibe; Sterling, Balotelli, Sturridge

Written by
Danielle Joynson