Pjanić out to spread panic at Anfield

Miralem Pjanić will be anything but indifferent to the experience of stepping out to face Liverpool FC at Anfield on Tuesday, but the Olympique Lyonnais playmaker has faith in his side's ability to make waves on Merseyside.

Relative newcomer
Pjanić was the star performer as Lyon swept aside Debreceni VSC 4-0 in Budapest on Matchday 2, scoring from a free-kick and setting up two goals as the French outfit moved into position at the top of UEFA Champions League Group E. His club boast bountiful experience in the competition, with this their tenth successive group-stage campaign, but Pjanić himself is a relative newcomer, having signed from FC Metz in summer 2008 and having made just three appearances at this level.

'Any other game'
"I'm happy to be playing in one of world's greatest stadiums but once you're out on the pitch, you treat it like any other game," he said from Anfield. "We've got to be aware that we've got good quality in the side, although the main thing is to not drop too many points because we want to come away still top of the group. We know it's a difficult place to come but if we get a draw we'll have seven points. Liverpool have got quality throughout their side and most of the players are well known, but once you're on the pitch that doesn't matter. You just try to do your best and we know we can give a good account of ourselves, whoever we play against."

Weekend defeats
The account they gave against FC Sochaux-Montbéliard at the weekend left a little to be desired, with Sochaux grabbing a 2-0 victory at the home of the Ligue 1 leaders, but their upcoming opponents likewise came unstuck. The Reds were beaten for the fifth time in all competitions this term, 1-0 at Sunderland AFC, to leave Pjanić predicting high motivation levels in both camps. "The main thing is to put Saturday's game behind us," he said. "And though they've had a tough season so far, we can't forget we're up against Liverpool, who are a huge team. It's a massive game and we've really got to focus. It's very important for us and for them because they lost their last [Group E] match against Fiorentina."

Confidence present
Having made his first league appearance of the season against Sunderland, fit-again Liverpool defender Daniel Agger echoed those sentiments. "The results aren't there at the moment but we know what we've got to do," he said. "I think the confidence is there. We know what we're capable of, we know we're a good team – we just need to show it on the pitch." As for his own form, the 24-year-old admitted he may need a series of matches to reach his peak. "It takes time to get back to your best and to get your touch back," he said. "You need games, but I've been working hard every day in training and doing a bit extra as well. I never doubted I'd be back."