Liverpool aim to finish on a flourish

Liverpool FC can no longer reach the last 16 but they will still look to deny their final opponents ACF Fiorentina first place in Group E as they seek a measure of revenge for their Matchday 2 defeat in Florence.

• The five-time winners' fate was sealed on Matchday 5 despite their 1-0 win at Debreceni VSC, as a first-half penalty from Juan Vargas gave the Viola victory against fellow qualifiers Olympique Lyonnais.

• Fiorentina therefore hold a two-point lead over second-placed Lyon and would advance as group winners should they match or better Lyon's result against Debrecen at the Stade de Gerland. A draw coupled with a Lyon win would mean the section would be decided on goal difference: Fiorentina's is currently +6, Lyon's +5. If that tally finishes level, goals scored will be decisive, with the Viola presently enjoying a four-goal advantage. 

• Liverpool, meanwhile, are assured of third place and UEFA Europa League football in the new year regardless of the result at Anfield.

Previous meeting
• Stevan Jovetić was the hero of Fiorentina's 2-0 victory against Liverpool on 29 September, the Montenegrin international's quickfire first-half double settling the contest.

Match background
• Liverpool went down 2-1 to Lyon in their most recent Group E outing at Anfield, but their supporters can take heart from the fact that their favourites have never lost two successive European home fixtures.

• Rafael Benítez's side have won their last three home meetings with Italian opposition, most recently defeating FC Internazionale Milano 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League first knockout round in March 2008. Dirk Kuyt (85) and Steven Gerrard (90) were their scorers that night.

• Liverpool have twice lifted the European Champion Clubs' Cup courtesy of final wins against Serie A opponents – both times after a penalty shoot-out, defeating AS Roma in 1983/84 and AC Milan in 2004/05.

• If Liverpool fail to score, they will record their worst ever goals return at Anfield in the UEFA Champions League group stage, finishing one shy of their tally of three from 2005/06.

• Fiorentina won 4-3 at Debrecen in their last away game in the competition and have lost only two of their previous ten matches on the road in Europe.

• The Florentine club went down 2-0 at Liverpool's neighbours Everton on their last visit to England in the UEFA Cup round of 16 in 2007/08. However, they still advanced as 4-2 winners on penalties following a 2-2 aggregate draw.

• With that defeat at Everton factored in, Fiorentina have one victory and two losses to show from matches away to Premier League opponents. In October 1999, Gabriel Batistuta's solitary strike earned them a UEFA Champions League group-stage win at Arsenal FC, while their other reverse came at Manchester United FC in the competition's second group stage in March 2000, with the Viola beaten 3-1 despite another Batistuta effort.

Team ties
• As a player, Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli was in the Juventus team that beat Liverpool 1-0 in the 1985 European Champion Clubs' Cup final, appearing for the final six minutes as a substitute.

• Prandelli experienced mixed fortunes against English opposition in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with Juventus, winning one semi-final against Manchester United (1983/84) but losing another against Arsenal (1979/80).

• Liverpool's squad includes Italian internationals Alberto Aquilani and Andrea Dossena, the latter a former team-mate of Fiorentina's Cesare Natali at Udinese Calcio.

• Aquilani scored both goals when Italy recorded a 2-1 victory against a Montenegro side including Fiorentina's Jovetić in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in October last year.

• Alberto Gilardino came on as an 88th-minute substitute for match-winner Filippo Inzaghi during Milan's 2-1 UEFA Champions League showpiece triumph over Liverpool in 2007.

• Adrian Mutu faced Liverpool once during a spell in England with Chelsea FC, finishing on the losing side in a 1-0 Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge in January 2004.

• Per Krøldrup had a short-lived spell on Merseyside with Everton in the first half of 2005/06.