Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez hopes to defy the odds once again to progress through to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Benitez, whose side’s destiny is out of their control after three defeats in Europe, believes that Liverpool can reach the knockout stages for a fifth successive year under his leadership.

But to do so, Liverpool will be reliant on Lyon avoiding defeat at Fiorentina and must themselves beat Hungarian champions Debrecen at the Ferenc Puskas stadium, a feat that the Spanish coach believes to be realistic given the club’s record in Europe.

“We have produced miracles before, we can do the same again,” he told a press conference.

“It will be difficult, maybe another miracle. But all we can do is our job.

“If we can then play against Fiorentina with options of winning and qualifying next week, that will be fantastic. Hopefully we can do it.”

He pointed to similar turnarounds in recent campaigns, where latter group matches have become must-win ties, and claims that this gives his side the experience and belief to succeed.

“Last time in this position we managed to qualify and it was amazing. “It will be the same if we do it again.”

“We had to win our last three games two years ago in the group stages, now it is only two.

“We achieved success in a great way: scoring four against Porto, eight against Besiktas and four in Marseille.

“That was magnificent. This time if we go through it will be just the same feeling.”

Benitez expects to field talisman Steven Gerrard, whose experience in such desperate occasions will be much needed, and backed the totemic midfielder to lift his team in Hungary.

“If anyone can do it, Gerrard can. But the whole team believe it is possible,” he added.

Fears over the captain’s fitness were assuaged: “Gerrard was tired at the end against Manchester City on Saturday, it had been a difficult game for him because he had not trained with the team for three weeks. He will be okay for tomorrow.”

The Spanish coach declared that will be focused solely on achieving success in Hungary, and will not be thinking of events in Italy.

“For us it is easy and simple. We have to score and win, we do not need to worry about what may happen in the future.

“We must not worry about what is happening in Florence, we have to concentrate on doing our own job and winning the match.”

Benitez hopes that Lyon will be spurred on by a motivation to top the group, and hopes that Fiorentina’s poor history against the French side will continue.

“It is an advantage to qualify in first place, so Lyon will want to do that,” he said.

“They are good professionals and want to win. It will be good for the club and give them more money, too, they will want to be top because you never know what the draw will throw at them.

“It will be good for the Lyon coach and his players to want to be top, I have confidence that they will try to do that.”

Asked if failure to qualify would result in his departure from Anfield, Benitez laughed and declared: “No, I don’t think so.”