Reds seek to make amends

The Champions League matchday three will be played next week. This will be the first leg of encounters that are played at home and away by the same two teams.

While last season Liverpool were the only side of a quartet of English clubs who had maximum points from two outings, this year it is the Reds who have failed to gather all points.

Their counterparts, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, have chalked up the six marks but Rangers have only one point to show.

Five-time European Cup winners Liverpool lost at Fiorentina in their previous match and that unexpected setback left them with a mountain to climb to clinch a place in the knock-out stage of the tournament.

The five British teams still in the competition will clash with sides from five different countries − France, Netherlands, Romania, Russia and Spain.

Group B

Manchester United: P 2, W 2, D 0, L 0, Gls 3-1, Pts 6.

Away vs Besiktas 1-0 (Scholes). Home vs Wolfsburg 2-1 (Giggs, Carrick).

The Red Devils, who top their group, take on CSKA Moscow at the Luzhniki Stadium next week.

United are undefeated in their last 12 away matches and their last setback away came in the 2007 semi-final, 0-3 to Milan. This is only the third time that Manchester United will play a Russian side.

1992-93 (UEFA Cup, first round) Torpedo Moscow: Home 0-0, Away 0-0. United lost 3-4 on penalties.

1995-96 (UEFA Cup, first round) Rotor Volgograd: Home 2-2, Away 0-0 (2-2). United eliminated on away goals rule.

Last season, CSKA Moscow played Aston Villa in the third round of the UEFA Cup. After a 1-1 draw at Villa Park, the Russians lost 0-2.

Group D

Chelsea: P 2, W 2, D 0, L 0, Gls 2-0, Pts 6.

Home vs FC Porto 1-0 (Anelka). Away vs Apoel Nicosia 1-0 (Anelka).

Nicolas Anelka became Chelsea's saviour in both matches. The Frenchman, now in his third season at Stamford Bridge, has netted a total of four goals for the Londoners in Europe.

Chelsea, who also head their group, have not conceded a goal and they will clash with Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon Stadium.

Surprisingly, the Spaniards are at the bottom of the section with only a point. This will be the first meeting between the two sides.

The Blues are undefeated in their last five away games against Spanish sides in the Champions League:

2008-09 (SF) Barcelona 0-0

2007-08 (group)Valencia 2-1

2006-07 (QF) Valencia 2-1

2006-07 (group) Barcelona 2-2

2005-06 (2nd round) Barcelona 1-1

The Londoners' last upset came at Real Betis 0-1 in a group match after they had won 4-0 at Stamford Bridge in 2005-06.

Group E

Liverpool: P 2, W 1, D 0, L 1, Gls 1-2, Pts 3.

Home vs Debrecen 1-0 (Kuyt). Away vs Fiorentina 0-2.

Rafa Benitez was very angry with his players after the 2-0 defeat in Florence. Yet, he should have first pointed the finger at himself for playing Fabio Aurelio (unfit) in midfield. When he swapped Steven Gerrard into his position in the second half, the Reds played better.

Even against European minnows Debrecen, the Reds struggled to win 1-0 at Anfield.

Liverpool must win their home game against Lyon next week to remain in contention. The Ligue 1 side have maximum points and yet to concede a goal. The Reds must also improve their goal difference that can become vital in the end.

Liverpool will make their first acquaintance with Lyon. They only lost once at Anfield to a French side, coming in the same competition against Marseille in a group match (0-1) in 2007-08.

Lyon's last English connection came against Manchester United in the second round of the Champions League in 2007-08.

On that occasion, the Red Devils held the upperhand 2-1 on aggregate to move into the last eight.

Group H

Arsenal: P 2, W 2, D 0, L 0, Gls 5-2, Pts 6.

Away vs Standard Liege 3-2 (Bendtner, Vermaelen, Eduardo). Home vs Olympiakos 2-0 (Van Persie, Arshavin).

Arsenal will visit Dutch side AZ Alkmaar next week. Manager Arsene Wenger, now in his 13th year at Arsenal, will be going all out once more in Europe, aiming to do better than when the Gunners reached the final and lost to Barcelona in 2006.

In eight previous clashes against clubs from the Netherlands, Arsenal only lost once, at home 0-1 to Ajax in the quarter-finals of the European Cup in 1971-72.

Their home wins (all in the same competition) came against Ajax 3-0 (1970), PSV Eindhoven 1-0 (2005) and FC Twente 4-0 in 2008-09. The remaining four encounters finished as draws.

Group G

Rangers: P 2, W 0, D 1, L 1, Gls 2-5, Pts 1.

Away vs Stuttgart 1-1. Home vs Sevilla 1-4.

Rangers, bottom of the group with one point, will be hoping at least to finish third and continue their commitments in the Europa League.

Next Tuesday, the Glasgow side will clash with Romanian side Unirea Urziceni. The club, managed by former Chelsea star Dan Petrescu, will be in their first ever trip to British shores.