Debrecen vs Liverpool – Champions League Tuesday

Liverpool’s uphill fight to get out of the Champions League group stages starts on Tuesday night, with an away fixture against Hungarians Debrecen. This could just be the perfect game for the struggling reds, who can’t seem to buy a win at the moment. Debrecen are sat at the bottom of Group E, with zero points, and have conceded a hefty 14 goals in their four Champions League games. They faced off against Liverpool on match day one at Anfield, showing some promise and battled hard, only falling to a Dirk Kuyt goal, after Liverpool had bombarded the Debrecen net in the first half. While the Reds were definitely the better side, the Hungarians earned themselves a warm round of applause from the Anfield crowd for their performance, and could easily have snatched an equaliser.

The task now facing Liverpool is clear. They need to win, for anything less will mean that they will be eliminated from the competition. Lyon top the group with 10 points, followed by Fiorentina on 9 and then Liverpool back in third with just four points. They fought well for a 1-1 draw in Lyon on Match Day 4, but were unlucky not to hold onto their lead against an unusually lack-lustre French side. Liverpool’s final game is against Fiorentina at Anfield, and one way or another that could be a crunch match. As Fiorentina and Lyon face each other on Tuesday night, a wrong result there could almost mean curtains for Liverpool anyway. If Fiorentina get themselves a point, it will leave them on 10 points, the maximum amount which Liverpool could get with two wins in their final two games. The trouble is, that Liverpool have a far inferior goal difference to the Italians.

In fact, despite starting the campaign as favourites to win the group, Liverpool have only scored three Champions League goals in their four games. That is in stark contrast to Lyon’s eight and Fiorentina’s eleven. Fernando Torres, Liverpool’s world class Spanish striker has been struggling with injury and they miss him. The importance of Torres is paramount, just by looking at the stat of his seven goals in his last five appearances. The same can be said of Gerrard, and both players have been short listed for Fifa World Player of the Year.

Debrecen sit fifth in their domestic league. A win on the weekend, ended a run of three defeats, which doesn’t put them in good stead to receive the visitors from Anfield, but they will know of the Red’s troubles. Liverpool have to be up for this, and the Anfield team were guilty of missing some important chances in their 2-2 draw against Manchester City on the weekend. That was their third draw in a row, and are without a win now in their last five games since defeating Manchester United in the Premier League. The run is now just one win in ten games. Despite not being high scorers, Liverpool are usually good for at least one goal at home.

Injury worries are not helping their cause though, as they lost Glen Johnson before Saturday’s fixture, and Ryan Babel and Daniel Agger during it. Add to that the all important absence of Fernando Torres and Liverpool have to muster together an inexperienced bench. Still, Rafa Benitez will be heartened by the performance they put up against other Champions League hopefuls for next season, Manchester City, and they had their chances to win it. Again though, their lack of clinical edge in front of goal without Torres cost them dearly.

Debrecen to win: 9/1 at Paddy Power
Draw: 4/1 at Paddy Power
Liverpool to win: 4/11 at Bet365

Betting Advice: Liverpool need to win this, and even with their injury woes, should do. They could also do with turning it into a big win. Lyon hit four past them, then Fiorentina hit four and then five past Debrecen, and Liverpool need that to try and turn around their goal difference. It’s hard to see that happen, but they should be able to squeeze out a couple of goals. The Reds are struggling for a win, and they are not going to get an easier game at the moment to change that. It is an away fixture though, and they may be a little light up front. Rafa Benitez has to be a man under pressure, and if their Champions League goes the same way as their Carling Cup and probable Premier League hopes, then the Anfield crowd will justifiably have a lot to moan about. They will also be hoping that Lyon can do them a favour and beat Fiorentina.
Liverpool to win by 2 goals: 11/4 at BlueSquare