Ahead of Thursday's Champions League draw, we catch up with ITV Sport's anchorman Matt Smith, who gives his thoughts about Liverpool's chances and the return of European nights at Anfield.

The TV presenter tells us why the process of determining who the Reds will play is so fascinating and why the Reds will be feared on their return to European football's elite competition.

"The draw is exciting because of the way they work the four seeded pots out," said Smith. "Invariably, you get some sort of blend in almost every group.

"It's going to be tough for those seeded in pots three and four, which includes Liverpool. There will be a best and worst case scenario, but it cuts both ways because the other clubs in the first pots will be looking at who to avoid, and Liverpool will definitely be one of them.

"This is a strong Liverpool team that absolutely merits its place in the competition. The club has been striving to re-establish itself in the competition and now they get the chance to show how strong they are.

"It's hard to predict how well they'll do without knowing who they'll face in the group stage, of course, but generally 10 points is the magic number that normally sees you through and I would give them a reasonable chance of qualifying."

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