"Bayern have failed to really kickstart their season in the club's first three home Bundesliga fixtures, but coachMagath believes he has a side which can benefit from the higher standard of opposition. Bayern have yet to hit top gear this season, although an unbeaten run of five games does give some cause for optimism in the Bavarian capital.If they are to beat Ajax, Bayern will need more than a slight improvement from the performance against Freiburg at the weekend.

Ajax are lying second in Dutch Eredivisie and have inspirational forward Van der Vaart in great form. However they lost at home to Juventus 1-0 in the first CL game, and will give late fitness tests to Maxwell and Steven Pienaar, who are both carrying knocks from the weekend's 1-0 win over Roda JC. For me the difference in this game is Roy Makaay, Makaay scored seven of Bayern's eight Champions League goals last season and his penalty made the difference in Bayern's first group game against Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

This is Bayern's first home game of their Champions League campaign and they should have enough to secure a narrow win. Go for Bayern @ 1.77 with Betfair [£20 Free bet]"

As for Pennant - he doesn't look fit to me. Tired at the end of the PSV game and wasted a lot of possession yesterday. He had so much space down that right hand side, Ashley Cole couldn't get near him but the delivery was poor to say the least. If he can't make use of the space he had yesterday then he'll struggle. Need more from him.

Same with Bellamy, I'm not convinced by him. On the break he can be lethal, but at Liverpool he won't get that as only 2/3 times a season when we are playing in a game geared to the counter attack. Most of the time we are on top and he needs to learn to lose his marker - runs not intelligent enough and any top centre half will keep him under control with ease at the minute. Coming out the ground yesterday Chelsea fans have to be the mouthiest and c0ckiest fans around. All 40 yr old fellas in replica tops (whats all that about??) that only started going the match 3/4 yrs ago. No time for them whatsoever. Soccer am nuggets.

LOL cos Pool have no glory hunting fans from the 70's and 80's none of them travel up to from London. As for talking about fans behaviour at games coming from a Liverpool fan that is quite a statement. Maybe if you didn't abuse women last year outside the ground you wouldn't of got a kicking and wouldn't have got abuse this year

This weeks other Previews :

Tue Sep 28 2004 Olympiakos v Liverpool TO RUN Tue Sep 28 2004 Man Utd v Fenerbahce TO RUN Tue Sep 28 2004 Bayern Munich v Ajax TO RUN Wed Sep 29 2004 AC Milan v Celtic TO RUN Wed Sep 29 2004 Rosenborg v Arsenal TO RUN Wed Sep 29 2004 Chelsea v FC Porto TO RUN