Reds miracle fails to materialise

The soul searching taking place at Liverpool this season will intensify after the five-time kings of Europe crashed out of the UEFA Champions League group stages despite winning 1-0 at Debrecen.

Rafa Benitez's Reds travelled to Hungary with their boss admitting his side needed a miracle to reach the last 16, and the Spaniard's worst fears were confirmed as Fiorentina defeated Lyon in Florence to qualify at the expense of his team. 
 
The three points for the Italians in Tuesday's other match in Group E rendered events in Budapest completely irrelevant as a first-half goal from French striker David Ngog will now take a back seat to plans for the Europa League.
 
Ngog handed Liverpool the perfect start after just four minutes, applying a glancing touch to Jamie Carragher's header across goal from a Fabio Aurelio cross, but he and his team-mates were left to rue the late draw in Lyon at the beginning of November.
 
Benitez will take solace in ending a winless run that stretches back to the Premier League success over Manchester United in October but he will also know that a failure to reach the knockout stages for the first time in his tenure will only increase tension in a wretched season.
 
This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the views or position of Liverpool Football Club.