Will Liverpool ever win Again

Delgado strike condemns Liverpool
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Lyon sub Maxime Gonalons levels the scores
Scoring Summary
Liverpool
Lyon
Yossi Benayoun (41)
Maxime Gonalons (72)

César Delgado (90)
Match Stats
Liverpool
Lyon
Shots (on Goal)
16(5)
19(7)
Fouls
12
8
Corner Kicks
6
5
Offsides
1
3
Time of Possession
53%
47%
Yellow Cards
1
3
Red Cards
0
0
Saves
5
4
Match Information
Stadium: Anfield, England Attendance: Match Time: 19:45 UKOfficial(s): Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Referee)
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Teams
Liverpool
Lyon
25 Pepe Reina
1 Hugo Lloris
5 Daniel Agger
28 Jeremy Toulalan
23 Jamie Carragher
3 Cris
22 Emiliano Insua
20 Aly Cissokho
34 Martin Kelly
13 Anthony Reveillere
21 Lucas
17 Jean Makoun
20 Javier Mascherano
6 Kim Kallstrom
24 David Ngog
8 Miralem Pjanic
8 Steven Gerrard
10 Honorato Campos Ederson
15 Yossi Benayoun
9 Lisandro López
18 Dirk Kuyt
14 Sidney Govou
Substitutes
12 Fabio Aurelio
Remi Vercoutre 30
10 Andriy Voronin
Francois Clerc 2
19 Ryan Babel
Michel Fernandes Bastos 7
37 Martin Skrtel
Bafetimbi Gomis 18
1 Diego
César Delgado 19
28 Damien Plessis
Maxime Gonalons 41
26 Jay Spearing
Ishak Belfodil 39
Substitutions
Fabio Aurelio for Steven Gerrard (25)
Maxime Gonalons for Cris (43)
Martin Skrtel for Martin Kelly (74)
Bafetimbi Gomis for Honorato Campos Ederson (61)
Andriy Voronin for Yossi Benayoun (85)
César Delgado for Lisandro López (86)
Yellow Cards
David Ngog (45)
Cris (34)

Sidney Govou (55)

Anthony Reveillere (90)
· Club Squads: Liverpool Lyon
Updated: October 21, 2009, 8:01 AM UKLiverpool conceded an injury-time goal which puts their Champions League future in grave doubt.
• Benitez: Gerrard start was no gamble• Harris: Liverpool sink further into the mire• Jolly: Problems mounting at Anfield
An injury-ravaged home side had produced a display of spirit and effort which did not deserve to see them finish as losers. But they have now lost four games in succession for the first time since 1987 as their season plunges into despair.
Captain Steven Gerrard's groin problem forced him off in the first half, as Liverpool lost this Group E match to a side who now top the group with nine points. Liverpool led at the break through Yossi Benayoun, but Lyon slowly edged their way towards victory with goals from substitutes Maxime Gonalons and Cesar Delgado.
An air of nervous tension hung over Anfield, such were the levels of distress from fans unused to their side losing with such regularity. The beach-ball embarrassment of the defeat at Sunderland just about summed up Liverpool's indifferent season. Their form has been poor, a situation made worse by having their squad systematically deprived of its best players. Fernando Torres was again out, while Glen Johnson was missing with a groin injury. At least Gerrard was back - but that lasted only 25 minutes.
Teenager Martin Kelly, Whiston-born and academy produced, made his full debut at right-back, having had just a handful of minutes prior to this as a late substitute against PSV Eindhoven in Holland last December in this competition. Facing them were a clever, experienced team - full of neat passing, solid possession and pacy movement which threatened a fragile Liverpool.
It needed a close-range save from Jose Reina to keep out a powerful header from Argentina striker Lisandro before patched-up Liverpool - who had David Ngog in Torres' role - continually wasted possession. Former Liverpool and Lyon boss Gerard Houllier watched from the directors' box as the Reds struggled, while co-owner George Gillett was also in the posh seats, fresh from his trip to Saudi Arabia.
And there were signs of Liverpool defiance, a Dirk Kuyt headed disallowed for offside from Gerrard's deep cross. That was virtually the only contribution from the skipper, who trudged off to be replaced by Fabio Aurelio. The groin injury sustained on England duty had given way again.
It needed a performance of defiance, spirit and sheer desire from Liverpool to survive this. And there were signs to warm the Kop. Defender Cris was booked for a foul on Kuyt, the Dutchman's knee crashing into his head as he fell. The Brazilian did not last much longer, carried off in a daze.
Liverpool were beginning to show genuine fight now, and somehow France number two 'keeper Hugo Lloris kept out an Ngog effort after fine work by Kelly, Kuyt and Aurelio. Aurelio had a powerful header saved by Lloris' left-hand from Kelly's run and cross, before Liverpool took a 41st minute lead. Benayoun showed calmness to lift the ball over Lloris from eight yards, after Aurelio's cross evaded Kelly in the six-yard box.
Ngog was booked for a foul on Jeremy Toulalan, then Lyon skipper Sidney Govou was cautioned for flattening Emiliano Insua. Benayoun, with a fine header, and Ngog - from eight-yards - could have stretched Liverpool's lead in the second period, while Lloris needed to be at full stretch to keep out Kuyt's header from Aurelio's cross.
Lyon sent on striker Bafetimbi Gomis to partner Lisandro in place of Ederson - and they began to stretch Liverpool. Bosnian teenager Miralem Pjanic, followed relentlessly by Lucas, was starting to find space to produce the sort of tricks which have helped his country into the World Cup play-offs.
The pressure increased and Lyon equalised in the 72nd minute. Liverpool failed to clear a corner, Reina made two outstanding saves from Toulalan and Govou before the ball reached substitute Gonalons, who dived to head home. The hosts then lost young Kelly with an ankle injury, with Martin Skrtel taking over in a defence under increasing pressure.
Benitez sent on Andriy Voronin for Benayoun, to boos from the Kop, as Liverpool searched for a second. But the decider came in injury-time from substitute Cesar Delgado, arriving at the far post to sidefoot past Reina from Govou's cross.
Benitez: Gerrard start was no gamble
Rafael Benitez insisted he did not take an unwise gamble on Steven Gerrard's fitness in tonight's 2-1 Champions League defeat at home to Lyon.
"It was not a gamble to play Gerrard," Benitez said. "He wanted to play and had trained normally for two games.
"He was given the all-clear by the doctor, and what happened was just bad luck. He felt something wrong in his groin, and it was wise to come off.''
Benitez will tomorrow oversee a succession of scans for his injured stars before being able to start preparation for Sunday's visit of Premier League champions Manchester United.
Liverpool have staged miracle survivals in the group stages of Europe before - and will need another one now.
Benitez recalled: "We have come back before - and we can do it again. We now must be ready for the next match. I have confidence that we have the quality to overcome these problems.
"We have to push players now, to keep working and to maintain our confidence. We just had too many problems before and during the game. Losing Glen Johnson before the match, and then Gerrard and Martin Kelly during the match, was just too much to contend with.
"It was a difficult game with all our problems, and we had done well to be leading at the break. Then we had two or three chances soon after the interval. Had we scored, it would have changed everything.''
Benitez also explained his decision to take off Benayoun and send on Andriy Voronin in the closing stages - a choice that was booed by the Kop.
"The fans know Yossi is a good player, but I felt he was getting a little tired and I wanted to use some fresh legs,'' he said. We needed to change something, to put a fresher man on - and it was a chance worth taking.''
Captain Jamie Carragher insisted Liverpool would bounce back after a fourth straight defeat in all competitions at home to Lyon.
Carragher told Sky Sports: "It's a massive disappointment, a bad result which leaves us a lot to do. We're going through a tough patch but we've been through them before, we will come through no doubt.
"We have great fight and character. We had a lot of young lads out there tonight, if we could have hung on (for a draw) it would have been a good result.''
Despite their poor run, Carragher feels facing Barclays Premier League leaders United at Anfield could be the ideal fixture.
"It's always a great game, they are a top side,'' he added. "That could be the game we need.''
Lyon chief Claude Puel was delighted with his side's victory, having had Brazilian defender Cris carried off in the second half with concussion.
"Cris has had scans on his head. He was unconscious, but he has improved. Despite that problem, it was an excellent performance. It was a tough match, decided by fine details.
"They put us under a lot of pressure with crosses and high balls into the box, and they took the lead. But we kept our organisation and our shape, and slowly maintained more possession.
"We were the better side in the second period - and we deserved the win. But I do not believe we have already qualified. Liverpool will have to win when they come to Lyon in a fortnight - that will be a very hard game for us, because Liverpool will be going for it and attacking.''