Match Preview - BBC Sport
Champions League Group C: Liverpool v PSV
Date: Wednesday 22 November
Kick off: 1945 GMT
Venue: Anfield
Coverage: BBC Radio Five Live and this website
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is set to have Spanish winger Luis Garcia back after he returned to training following a hamstring injury.
Garcia could come in for Mark Gonzalez or Jermaine Pennant on the flanks or be used just behind a striker.
Craig Bellamy is set to start up front for the Reds as he is given match time to try and improve his form.
Daniel Agger is expected to retain his place in the centre of defence ahead of Sami Hyypia.
SCOUTING REPORT ON THE OPPOSITION
Who are they? One of Dutch football's big three, along with Ajax and Feyenoord, and the team to beat at the moment having won the last two Eredivisie titles.
Recent form: They are top of the league again, have not lost for 17 matches and have not conceded a goal in 649 minutes - 10 hours and 49 minutes. In those seven matches they have scored 23 goals at the other end - roughly one every 27 minutes.
European record: The club dubbed 'The Farmers' won the Uefa Cup in 1978 and the European Cup in 1988. They won that title under Guus Hiddink, who worked wonders when he returned as coach in 2002 and guided them to the 2005 semi-final before quitting at the end of last season.
How did they get here? Hiddink bowed out of life as PSV boss with another Dutch championship which ensured a 10th consecutive Champions League campaign.
Ones to watch: Ronald Koeman, who was a PSV player when they won their only European Cup, masterminded a 2-0 win for Benfica at Anfield last season and will want more of the same this time around. Peruvian forward Jefferson Farfan has scored nine league goals and eight in total in his last 10 starts, while Ivorian Arouna Kone is also on a hot streak of form with nine in nine. At the other end, that impregnable defence features former Liverpool misfit Jan Kromkamp.
Did you know? PSV won the European Cup in 1988 despite not winning any of their final five matches in the tournament. They progressed from the quarter and semi-finals on the away goals rule and beat Benfica in the final on penalties.
They say: "It is important that we have qualified but we have to still use our brains because we want to finish top."
Ronald Koeman, PSV Eindhoven coach
BIG MATCH STATS
Definitions of terms used:-
Champions League (CL) - only group phase matches and beyond of this competition which began in 1992-93.
Champions Cup/Champions League - all matches played since it began in 1955-56 including qualification matches.
European matches - all matches played in the major European tournaments (Fairs Cup, Uefa Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, Champions Cup, Champions League).
Uefa Super Cups, Intertoto Cups and the old Intercontinental Cup competition are excluded.
Qualification
Liverpool and PSV have both secured a ticket to the next round.
Head-to-heads
Liverpool and PSV's only previous meeting was a goalless draw in Eindhoven on their opening group match of this season's Champions League. That game was one of four in this season's group stages in which nobody was booked, after each club had played four matches.
Liverpool are unbeaten at home against Dutch opposition (two wins, one draw). PSV have visited English opponents on 10 occasions, winning three, losing six and drawing one.
European history
This season is Liverpool's fifth in the Champions League and their 34th in European competition. They have been crowned champions of Europe on five occasions.
PSV won the Champions Cup in 1987-88. Last season they made it past the group phase in the Champions League for the second year in a row, after eight unsuccessful participations. This is their 11th Champions League campaign, and their 38th in European competition.
Current European form
Liverpool have won their last three Champions League matches and are unbeaten in this season's competition. They are undefeated in six matches in Europe.
PSV have also won their last three matches in this competition and are unbeaten in four CL games.
Player and disciplinary info
Jamie Carragher (45) and Jerzy Dudek (44) are the most experienced CL players in the current Liverpool squad. Luis Garcia has scored 10 CL goals, more than any other player in the Liverpool squad. Peter Crouch and Luis Garcia have both netted three times in the CL this season.
Carlos Salcido (PSV) is one caution shy of a suspension. Captain Phillip Cocu (74) and defender Michael Reiziger (73) are PSV's most experienced players in the competition.
Other miscellaneous facts
If PSV concede one goal, they will have let in 100 in the Champions League.
The Merseysiders go into this match on the back of a goalless draw at Middlesbrough in the Premiership, while PSV beat Excelsior 4-0 in the Dutch Eredivisie, and hold a three point lead over Ajax at the top of the table.
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