Champions League night-out

Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea were back in action in Europe to take on Debrecen, Standard Liege, Besiktas and Porto respectively. Manchester United were already through and were going to field a lineup of youngsters at Old Trafford. Arsenal needed a draw to go through to the last 16. Chelsea were all but through and it was all about who finished top of the group between them and Porto. Liverpool on the other hand were in serious danger of going out of Europe’s elite competition as they not only had to win their remaining games but also depend upon Fiorentina to lose against Lyon.

Debrecen 0-1 Liverpool
(N’Gog)
Despite winning this boring and dull affair in Hungary, Liverpool failed to qualify. Fiorentina scored a single goal in Florence to ensure the Italians go through to the knockout stage rather than the team from the Merseyside. Liverpool have certainly missed the presence of Torres and Gerrard who despite playing in crucial games haven’t been totally fit to make any serious impact. That bit has not helped with the ever increasing list of injury casualties that keep creeping up for Rafa Benitez’s team. Ryan Babel has publicly voiced his intention to leave the club in the winter break if he’s not part of the Spaniards plans. Which considering how the clubs situation is, Benitez would really want his players to stay and stick around and vie for the fourth spot in the premier league. N’Gog managed to score the only goal but it didn’t prove to be enough. The casualty list was visible right from the start as Glen Johnson had a bandaged arm, Daniel Agger’s stitched cut being covered by a headband and the dodgy fitness levels of Aurelio and Gerrard. Overall, despite their horrible luck in terms of the long list of injuries, the club hasn’t done itself any good. Benitez has been short of funds to bring in any replacements over the summer and the situation looks bleak for the winter break too, that is when the players come at a higher price. Liverpool now placed third in the table would contest the Europa league.

Arsenal 2-0 Standard Liege
(Nasri , Denilson)
Arsenal had an easy and comfortable win through goals from Nasri and Denilson. Denilson scored a peach of a goal from 25 yards out with the ball swirling in the air and changing direction right at the end to beat the Liege goalkeeper. The Belgians offered little resistance and effort on the Arsenal goal with only one effort hitting the bar to bother Almunia’s clean sheet. However, the win came at a price as left back, Kieran Gibbs suffered a broken metatarsal and he looks likely to be out for around two months. The gunners had already been without Gael Clichy and now this injury has made life difficult for Arsene Wenger with their crucial game against Chelsea on the weekend. Another scare arrived in the form of a collision between William Gallas and Andrei Arshavin with both of them requiring treatment. Gallas was subbed off during the half time break to prevent any further damages and both of them are expected to start on Sunday.

Porto 0-1 Chelsea
(Anelka)
Both Porto and Chelsea had all but qualified for the knock out stages with third places Atletico Madrid and Apoel Nicosia faltering on fourth. It was only the matter of which team would finish first and second in the group table. Anelka scored the lone goal courtesy a low cross from Malouda which the Frenchman headed in from five yards out. Anelka has scored winning goals in three occasions for the Blues in the European competition. It was his first goal in eight games and makes sure that they would be one of the top seeds when the draw for the knockout stages is made. Carlo Ancelotti does look like the man who can finally deliver the elusive crown missing from the Stamford Bridge trophy cabinet.

Manchester United 0-1 Besiktas
(Tello)
United had already qualified for the knock out stage with two games remaining and Sir Alex was going to field a mixture of youngsters with regulars for the game against the Turks at Old Trafford. Part of the starting XI were Ben Foster, Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Wes Brown, Rafael De Silva, Gabriel Obertan, Darron Gibson, Anderson, Park Ji Sung, Federico Macheda, Danny Welbeck. The only goal came through Tello in the 20th minute. Chances for United came only during the latter stages of the game with the youngsters not really proving their worth to be included in the starting XI except Obertan who has made two substitute appearances in the league. This brings United’s fantastic four year record of no defeats at Old Trafford to a halt and marks the first time since Deportivo La Coruna defeated them in the “Theater of Dreams” defeated them in the group stages of 2001.