Crunch match for broken Reds

Liverpool head for a decisive Champions League clash at Olympique Lyon on Wednesday with 10 players injured or doubtful for...

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 three matches and will qualify for the last 16 with a win. Fiorentina,who host 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. Fernando Torres,replaced after 63 minutes despite scoring in Saturdays 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 dont have too many options, said Benitez.

Glen Johnson calf,Daniel Agger back,David Ngog ankle and Fabio Aurelio calf are among those fighting to be fit. 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 by beating Manchester United,but we have had two defeats since. We have got to sort this out this week because Lyon is a massive game.

Arsenal look to advance

Arsenal can clinch a spot in the knockout rounds with a win over AZ Alkmaar on Wednesday. A victory would effectively render the teams remaining two Group H matches meaningless,allowing the Gunners to focus on the Premier League. Gael Clichy has been ruled out with a back injury.

They lead Group H with seven points from three matches,one more than Olympiakos,who can also qualify by beating Standard Liege if the Gunners win.

Alves available for Barca

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Barcelona right-back Daniel Alves is available for their Group F match at Rubin Kazan. The Brazilian damaged his right thigh muscle in a 2-1 home defeat by the Russian champions last month but was given the all-clear. Pep Guardiolas side top the group on goal difference. Inter Milan will be looking to climb off the bottom of they group when they visit Dynamo Kiev in a game overshadowed by a swine flu outbreak in Ukraine.

Wednesdays matches: Debrecen vs Fiorentina; Lyon vs Liverpool; Rubin Kazan vs Barcelona; Dynamo Kyiv vs Inter Milan; Sevilla vs Stuttgart; Unirez Urziceni; Arsenal vs AZ Alkmaar; Standard Liege vs Olympiakos