Capello warns Inter: Beware of Benitez and his Liverpool transformers

With the Reds still smarting from their humiliating weekend FA Cup exit at home to Championship Barnsley, boss Rafa Benitez must now rouse his players for the visit of runaway Serie A leaders Inter in the Champions League tomorrow.

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Liverpool are 19 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal and currently languishing in fifth place but they have saved their best form for the Champions League, having reached two of the last three finals.

So Capello has warned the Italians to expect a battle at Anfield, insisting their poor form will count for little when they host Roberto Mancini's men.

He said: "Liverpool, when playing in the Champions League, transform themselves.

"At home they have a lot of support and that's why they must be taken very seriously."

But Inter striker Julio Cruz believes this will be the year his side rediscover their form in the latter stages of the Champions League.

They went 11 points clear after beating Livorno at the weekend but have struggled to show their best form in Europe in recent years.

They were eliminated by Valencia in the first knock-out round last year while the previous season they were ousted by Villarreal in the quarter-finals.

"We have learned from those eliminations," Cruz 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 two goals in four Champions League appearances this campaign, will partner Inter's top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic in attack against the Reds.

Honduras striker David Suazo, who scored twice against Livorno this weekend, will drop to the bench.

Both players were rested at the weekend and will be ready to take on Liverpool's defence.

Defender Maicon and midfielder Dejan Stankovic are fully recovered from their respective injuries and are also set to play.

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 said.

"Although I fear that at Anfield that will only happen at the end of the game."

Inter travel to England without midfield duo Luis Jimenez and Cesar, who are both out of action through injury.