But having assessed both the English teams in the group, Vercauteren said: “Chelsea and Liverpool are nearly the same.

“Maybe Chelsea are a little better at the moment, I have to say that after the league game between the clubs recently! But people must not forget that Liverpool drew with Chelsea in their group match.

“Chelsea are outstanding and people say Liverpool are not, but I do not see it like that.

“There was a big points gap last season and a growing one this time in the Premiership, but I believe the clubs are very close. We will certainly expect as hard a game as we had against Chelsea.”

Vercauteren has good memories of playing against the Anfield club having scored in Anderlecht’s European Super Cup victory over Liverpool in 1978.

But he said: “I cannot take any consolation from that, you cannot compare sides from different generations and I only think of today and the future, not the past.

“But I do take comfort from the fact that any team can beat anyone if they are at their best.

“We have lost our last nine Champions League group games and it is possible that we could go through the entire campaign losing them all.

“And if we lose this one it will take a miracle for us to get through. We would have to win in Seville against Betis and beat Chelsea in Brussels.

“But as Liverpool showed in Istanbul, on one day with one chance and all the luck, you can achieve anything.”

Liverpool, who expect to have defender Sami Hyypia back in the side to extend his amazing run of having figured in every minute of the Merseysiders’ last 52 European matches, know that a victory will virtually ensure they qualify for the next stage.

If they do win, one more victory from three games will settle qualification, but Norwegian full-back John Arne Riise – whose brother Bjorn played for FC Brussels last season – believes they have a fight on their hands.

He said: “We know if we win then Anderlecht are almost out and a win will keep us top of the group, but we know Anderlecht will make it hard for us because this is their last chance.

“We must do our job, and take advantage of the space when they attack us, because they will have to come forward.

“We must be strong in defence and play to our full potential, and take the opportunities when they come along to claim the three points.”

Anderlecht will be without key defender Vincent Kompany with a hamstring injury, but Liverpool have Fernando Morientes and Harry Kewell back in the squad, giving boss Rafael Benitez a selection headache for the first time this season with four strikers all fit.