Debrecen vs Liverpool

Debreceni VSC V Liverpool

Tuesday 24^th November – 19:45 GMT

Group E

Respective situations:

Debreceni – It’s now theoretically impossible for the Hungarian’s to progress any further in the competition but, however, a berth into the UEFA Europa League is a still a possibility, albeit a very slim one. For Debrecen to drop down into the Europa League they will need not only have to beat Liverpool on Tuesday night, but they will also have to beat Lyon in France, and hope Liverpool don’t beat Fiorentina at Anfield on the final match day. To put it bluntly, they would need a miracle. Bottom place in Group E beckons.

Liverpool – The five time winners of the competition have their backs to the walls as their fate within the tournament doesn’t fall into their own hands. Not only do they need to win both their remaining Group E fixtures, the first in Hungary, but they will also need Lyon, the current leaders of the group, to do them a favour in Florence, at least holding Fiorentina for a draw on Tuesday night. However although that does seem likely at first glance, Lyon have already qualified for the next stage of the competition after drawing with Liverpool on the previous Match Day, so perhaps their hearts won’t be in it and their distinct lack of hunger could be Liverpool’s downfall.  

Even if Lyon do frustrate Fiorentina in Italy on Tuesday night, Liverpool would still need to beat Fiorentina on the final Match Day, at Anfield. What a night that could be.

Debrecen

Group E Position: 4^th

Group E Form: LLLL

I’ve dreaded this game for some time as we simply know next to nothing about the Hungarian’s, despite our love for most European leagues. However, the Hungarian divisions doesn’t really attract too many eastern European followers, mainly because they don’t get the coverage due to their lack of appearances in the big competitions – The Champions League & UEFA Europa League. Nevertheless, that could actually play into their hands, or it could of, shall we say. They were somewhat of an unknown quantity before Group E kicked into life but that certainly isn’t the case any more, and now they have unfortunately earned the reputation of being the beating boys, the team everyone enjoys playing against as it should be an easy set of three points.

Although Debrecen have been a poor outfit thus far, they have still put up some form of resistance in some of their Group E encounters, none more so than against Fiorentina, a side Liverpool desperately need to slip up, also on Tuesday night. Debrecen scored all five of their goals against ‘Viola’ although they shipped plenty in return during the two meetings – nine in fact. On the same token, Debrecen unwillingly boast the worst defensive record in the group stages of the competition, with 14 goals conceded in just four outings. However, Liverpool were the only team out of the three big guns in the group not to put at least four past them so perhaps they do have what’s required to frustrate the Reds’ on Tuesday night.

Not only do Debrecen have the worst defensive record out of the 32 teams competing at this stage but they are also one of just two teams without a single point to their name. The other being Maccabi Haifa in Group A. They clearly haven’t got the funds back home to purchase the talent or even grow some home grown players of their own to compete at the biggest stage and this has shown in their Champions League displays of late, although, they did put in a creditable performance against Liverpool at Anfield, a game they lost 1-0. That was their highlight of the competition so far but they will be hoping to go one better on Tuesday by recording their first ever point baring result in the Champions League proper.

Liverpool

Group E Position: 3rd

Group E Form: WLLD

We have already summed up Liverpool’s predicament and we can clearly weigh up the difficulty of the task ahead of them. Were it completely in their hands then you would fancy the Reds’ to sail through, but that’s certainly not the case, far from it. Liverpool have been struggling all over the shop, with their severe drop in form in the Champions League being elegantly replicated back while in Domestic action, with Liverpool’s league title ambitions all but dead in the water after a disastrous run of results. Normally, however, when results back home have gone astray, Rafael Benitez has look upon the Champions League as an escape clause from the pressure cooker back home in England, but that hasn’t been an option this time around and their fate within the competition could all but be sealed with a Fiorentina win elsewhere.

Were Fiorentina to beat Lyon in Florence, or Liverpool failed to get the better of the Hungarian champions, then Liverpool would exit the competition at their earliest departure point for nearly seven years. Their last five Champions League campaigns has seen them bypass the group stages, some occasions easier than others it must be said, but an early exit is well and truly on the cards on Tuesday. However, we can’t keep focusing on results elsewhere as firstly, Liverpool will need to secure the win they so desperately need on the road in Hungary. Their away record thus far stands at 0-1-1, with the Reds’ still without an away win after a defeat in Fiorentina (2-0), and a draw in Lyon (1-1).  

If this game was based on form then Liverpool wouldn’t stand a chance as their fortunes both in this competition and back home have been dire. However, Rafael Benitez’s does have the injury card to play as a whole host of players have come down with various knocks and injuries. So far this season, just about every player in the Liverpool camp has suffered some form of an injury setback but it’s been the ones to their key players which has hurt them the most, the ones to Steven Gerrard & Fernando Torres – Their talismanic duo.

Fernando Torres missed Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Man City at the weekend and looks likely to miss the trip to Hungary, also, although, Steven Gerrard did play the whole 90 minutes and will captain Liverpool in Hungary as they aim to keep their Champions League dreams alive. If we’re honest, his lack of match fitness shown in the weekend’s game as he didn’t have his usual swagger about him. However, he will enjoy the vast amounts of space the Hungarian outfit will give him and he could be the driving force behind an expected demolition job on Tuesday.

With Fernando Torres out, the forward debate could rumble on as Benitez racks his brain over whether to start with David N’gog, a young French U21 international who has yet to really find his feet, or Andriy Voronin, a Ukrainian international who has fluffed several golden opportunities that Rafa’ has handed him this season. The former looks the most likely after starting on Saturday but he’s only scored four goals this season, and it does appear the goalscoring mantle will be passed down to the midfielder’s – Yossi Benayoun, Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt, once again, although, Liverpool have amassed just 3 goals thus far, a worse tally then Debrecen themselves who have 5.

Match Verdict:- Liverpool to WIN – 1.36 Bet365

Anything but would not only be a major shock around Europe but also the nail in the coffin as far as Liverpool appearances in the Champions League go. It’s a must win game and we, along with everyone else, expect them to win and win well. Steven Gerrard will have no excuses after playing 90 minutes at the weekend, their defence have struggled to keep clean sheets but won’t have many better opportunities then against Debrecen, while our main concerns are with their blunt forwards. However, even they should prosper on Tuesday night, although it maybe a lot closer then we expect due to their severe lack of confidence, despite the fact that it should be a cricket score.

Match Odds:

Debrecen VSC – 10.00 PaddyPower

Draw – 5.00 PaddyPower

Liverpool – 1.36 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Bet: Yossi Benayoun Anytime Goalscorer – 3.75 WilliamHill