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It’s a special international edition of Football Weekly, with your charming host James Richardson joined in the pod by Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Wilson and Raphael Honigstein.

First things first, we ask whether Montenegro will continue their excellent form with a result against England at Wembley, and round up all the other Euro 2012 qualifiers.

Elsewhere, we find out about the Bavarian Olympics, eavesdrop on Barry’s poolside chat with an, ahem, madame from Ukraine, and wonder if it’s possible to fly to Japan from Argentina without a stop-over.

Finally, we discuss Danny Murphy’s polemic against Sam Allardyce, Mick McCarthy and Tony Pulis , and – ahead of our trip to Merseyside next weekend – we bring you the latest on NESV’s takeover of Liverpool.

Follow us on Twitter, find us on Facebook, and get your tea-time fix every day with The Fiver.

James RichardsonBen GreenBarry GlendenningJonathan WilsonRaphael Honigstein

• Gerrard and Torres may not play against Steaua Bucharest
• Manager looks to rest players for Manchester United game

Roy Hodgson has dismissed concerns over Liverpool’s early-season form and is prepared to risk further criticism by making wholesale changes in Europe before Sunday’s visit to Manchester United.

Liverpool host Steaua Bucharest in their opening Europa League Group K fixture tonight with Hodgson adamant changes are necessary as he continues to assess the squad and with the trip to Old Trafford following three days later. Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, who the Liverpool manager says is in “good mental condition” despite a subdued display at Birmingham City last Sunday, are both likely to be rested against the Romanians, who are joint top of their domestic league after seven matches.

“What we will do is pretty much what Sir Alex did against Rangers,” said Hodgson. “The day you stop looking forward to games because you are too afraid of criticism if it doesn’t work out is the day you have to walk away from the job.

“We have a lot of new players playing in the team, and a new beginning is a new beginning. I came from having two-and-a-half years with the same team, same players and same ideas and same philosophy [at Fulham]. Now I am at a club where I am trying to put a team and a philosophy together. Everything is new all the time and every training session and match is a learning curve and I will learn from those things.”

Hodgson has lost only one of eight matches as Liverpool’s manager so far – and will be the first incumbent to win his first five European games with victory over Steaua – but the level of performance has been inconsistent and prompted José Reina to appeal for patience following the fortunate goalless draw at St Andrews.

“The style of play will get better,” said the manager. “Birmingham was not one of our better games but the style of play wasn’t a problem against Arsenal and that was the same style we played against Birmingham. Nothing has changed other than the fact we have lost one or two players through injury.”

The Liverpool manager admits his team “need to be more creative, need to improve defensively and need to be better at set plays. We need to be better at all the things we work at.” That, believes Hodgson, will enable Torres to recapture form as well as fitness, with the Spain striker described as “diabolical” and looking “fed up” against Birmingham by the former Liverpool captain Jamie Redknapp.

“He certainly isn’t fed up,” responded Hodgson. “I think it is very wrong for people to read someone’s state of mind from watching them play 90 minutes’ football. You have to be some wonder psychologist to be able to do that.”

Liverpool (4-2-3-1, probable) Jones; Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Kelly; Lucas, Meireles; Pacheco, Cole, Jovanovic; Ngog.

Subs from Reina, Konchesky, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Wilson, Gerrard, Rodríguez, Poulsen, Spearing, Torres, Babel.

Steaua Bucharest (4-4-2) Tatarusanu; Emeghara, Abrudan, Geraldo, Latovlevici; Radut, Anghelov, Apostol, Tanase; Stancu, Kapetanos. Subs from Lungu, Gardos, Martinovic, Bonfim, Nicolita, Bicfalvi, Matei, Surdu.

Referee C Fernández (Spain)

TV: Channel Five, kick-off 8.05pm

LiverpoolRoy HodgsonSteaua BucharestEuropa Leagueguardian.co.uk

Liverpool lurched from calamity to respectability against Trabzonspor and will look to apply a similar gloss to their Premier League start against an Albion defence beaten six times when they last left the Hawthorns. Victory would be Liverpool’s 2,000th in 4,223 league games and all their big guns are expected back having missed the trip to Turkey and Friday’s five-hour flight home. Albion last won at Anfield when Jeff Astle secured a 1-0 victory in 1967 and they have not scored on this ground since 1985, when Garth Crooks grabbed the consolation in a 4-1 defeat for a side managed by Nobby Stiles. Andy Hunter

Venue Anfield, Sunday 3pm

Tickets Sold out

Last season n/a

Referee L Probert

This season’s matches 1 Y2, R0, 2.00 cards per game

Odds Liverpool 1-4 West Bromwich Albion 15-1 Draw 5-1

Liverpool

Subs from Jones, Rodríguez, Pacheco, Aurélio, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Lucas, Wilson, Spearing, Shelvey, Kelly

Doubtful Agger (concussion), Gerrard (back), Rodríguez (virus), Wilson (virus)

Injured None

Suspended Cole (second of three)

Form guide LD

Disciplinary record Y2 R1

Leading scorer Ngog 1

West Bromwich

Subs from Myhill, Barnes, Shorey, Bednar, Zuiverloon, Cox, Méïté, Wood, Moore, S Reid, Fortuné, Tchoyi

Doubtful Thomas (ankle)

Injured Mattock (ankle, 18 Sep), Miller (thigh, 18 Sep), Cech (foot, 25 Sep)

Suspended None

Form guide WL

Disciplinary record Y3 R0

Leading scorer Odemwingie 1

Match pointers

• Liverpool have won their last 12 meetings with Albion in all competitions

• Albion have failed to score in their eight Premier League meetings with Liverpool

• 29% of the goals Liverpool conceded last season came in the 15 minutes before half-time, the highest proportion in the division

• Albion have had four shots on target so far this season – the joint lowest total in the top flight

• Liverpool have kept 17 clean sheets in their last 20 matches at home to newly promoted teams

Premier LeagueLiverpoolWest Bromguardian.co.uk