Liverpool head for a decisive Champions League clash at Olympique Lyon on Wednesday with 10 players injured or doubtful for the game and coach Rafa Benitez facing the biggest crisis in his five-year Anfield reign.
Benitez hopes to have close-season signing Alberto Aquilani available but his midfield will be without captain Steven Gerrard (groin) and Albert Riera (hamstring) while defenders Martin Kelly (ankle) and Martin Skrtel (muscle) are also out.
Liverpool have lost six of their last seven matches in all competitions, including the 2-1 home defeat by Lyon two weeks ago, and their hopes of reaching the knockout stage will be hanging by a thread if they lose at Stade Gerland.
Lyon top Group E with nine points from their three matches and will qualify for the last 16 if they win.
Fiorentina, who host bottom side Debrecen, are second with six points, followed by Liverpool (3), and the Hungarians (0).
Liverpool, who have won the European Cup five times and have reached at least the quarter-finals for the last three seasons, have shown nothing like that kind of form this term, having lost eight of their 16 games in all competitions.
Their Spain striker Fernando Torres, replaced after 63 minutes despite scoring in Saturday's 3-1 Premier League defeat at Fulham is likely to play in pain with an adductor muscle injury suffered on international duty last month.
"We are trying to manage (him) because he was close to having an operation... We have to take Fernando to Lyon because we don't have too many options," Benitez was quoted as saying on the club website (www.liverpoolfc.tv) on Monday.
Glen Johnson (calf), Daniel Agger (back), David Ngog (ankle) and Fabio Aurelio (calf) are among those fighting to be fit.
TOUGH TIMES
Jamie Carragher, sent off at Fulham along with Philipp Degen, said afterwards: "These are tough times, and it hurts.
"We made up for a few things last week by beating Manchester United, but we have had two defeats since.
"We have got to sort this out this week on the training pitch because Lyon is another massive game."
Lyon bounced back from two league defeats by winning 1-0 at arch-rivals St Etienne on Saturday and are second in the French title race, two points behind Girondins Bordeaux.
Bafetimbi Gomis came on to score the winner against his former club six minutes from time, and showed that the French side, unlike Liverpool, can rely on their substitutes if needed.
France keeper Hugo Lloris produced an outstanding display, denying St Etienne several times with spectacular saves.
"Even if we were under pressure, once again, we finished very strongly, just like at Anfield," said club president Jean-Michel Aulas.
"Now we are thinking of Liverpool, it is going to be a very tough match."
Argentine striker Lisandro Lopez is expected to start up front, backed by France forward Sidney Govou and Brazilian Michel Bastos on the wings.
France midfielder Jeremy Toulalan is expected to extend his spell in central defence because Jean-Alain Boumsong is still sidelined with a groin injury.
Possible teams:
Lyon: 1-Hugo Lloris; 2-Francois Clerc, 3-Cris, 28-Jeremy Toulalan, 20-Aly Cissokho; 17-Jean Makoun, 8-Miralem Pjanic, 10- Ederson; 14-Sidney Govou, 7-Michel Bastos; 9-Lisandro Lopez
Liverpool: 25-Pepe Reina; 2-Glen Johnson, 23-Jamie Carragher, 27-Philipp Degen, 16-Sotirios Kyrgiakos; 22-Emiliano Insua, 20-Javier Mascherano, 4-Alberto Aquilani, 18-Dirk Kuyt; 15-Yossi Benayoun, 9-Fernando Torres
Referee: Frank de Bleeckere (Belgium).
(Additional reporting and writing by Julien Pretot in Paris, Editing by Ken Ferris)
Comment 1 - 15 of 15
#2 comment. get serious and quit living in the past. liverpol is no longer a force to be reckoned with or feared at all. you had a good season last year but that was the best you had in years and man united and chelsea are head and shoulders above liverpool now and all you supporters should realise that and relax abit. man united are struggling a bit this year but are still strong enough for second and arsenal are doing really well and chelsea are playing amazing and now that i get to liverpool what can i say hhhhhmmmmmmmm not much and my mom always said if you have nothing nice to say dont say anything at all so i wont hahahahaha
If I was Rafa Id certainly give Lucas a go tonight..yes he does give away too many fouls in danger areas but he certainly getting 1st team experience and liverpool are going to have to rustle up everything they can muster.Its not going to be about attractive footy..its a win any way we can. Then rest and recuperate like mad.
1..reddevils_4life99...why dont you go to school and leave the adults here to discuss the football?
James comment 10:Colleague assume yyou are Liverpool's manager.You have 10 of your best players injured including SG,Torress,Glen Johnson (calf), Daniel Agger (back), David Ngog (ankle) and Fabio Aurelio (calf) are among those fighting to be fit etc what will you do?Wont you play Lucas who even played well against ManU.James please give me your suggestions let me forward it to rafa
ESPN and yahoo sports were all give the vedio about the game.We want to see the sport games live.But it is difficult to find them on line.Yesterday ,I got a link about the satellite tv.After spending little money buying it, I can enjoy my happy time now. It can also give me chances to see the popular movies,TVshows,news and so on.
It is really good!
PS:trim.li/nk/vPA
6 OUT OF 7 LAST MATCHES LOST !!and the SHIIIIT Benitez still there alongside HIS best player his best fuuuuck shittttt ever playing LUCAS.This is Liverpool.Long Live BENITEZ even if you have destroyed Liverpool.WE Love U.We are Loyal.At this rate,We are going straight to the BOTTOM LAST place(RELEGATION) like a crazy train.and RAFA still in the driving seat.BRAVO all of us
if they dont get that billionare there all talkin about it very well could be the start of the end for liverfool i seen this before leeds anyone :) :) :)
The Bulgarian Mafia questionaire..
will Liverpool lose against Lyon??..
thumb up=Yes
thumb down=No(i'll shoot you with my Tommy Gun)..
many many years ago when i was just in my teens, i loved watching Liverpool. They were deservedly the top club in Europe. But alas times change. They are no longer feared, in fact they are looked upon as a soft touch. I hope, I really hope the team can turn around and become a force again but unless they buy in talent they dont have the cover in various positions.
Make-or-Break..............BREAK,HOPFULLY!!
my starting 11...
pepe
glen carragher agger(if fit)/Kyrgiakos insua
lucas masca
benni aqualini(hop he plays) kyut
torres(if fit)/babbel
agreed????
what's degen doing in the squad...he's not in our European squad..
something wrong with the training set up so many injuries
reddevils_4life99
What a c_o_c_k you are,we're so S.H.I.T we managed to beat you again!!
We are in your shaddow even though we are the most celebrated english club EVER!!
Get your FACTS right before you write on our teams thread's!!
C-O-C-K!!!
i hope you go out OF the champions league you scum you deserve to you moaning cheating self pity city losers
you are so S.H.I.T. I LOVE IT
GLORY MAN UNITED
LIVERPOOL FOREVER IN OUR SHADOW
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