Fowler's two goals gave the scoreline respectability for Liverpool, but strikes from Necati Ates, Okan Buruk and Sasa Ilic secured a deserved victory for the home side.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez had already stated his intentions by leaving four key men, including captain Steven Gerrard, out of the squad for what had become a meaningless final group game against the Turkish giants.

In the same stadium that hosted Liverpool's Champions League Final victory over AC Milan in May 2005, Benitez used the opportunity to hand youngsters Lee Peltier and Daniel Guthrie invaluable European experience and the Spaniard also recalled Fowler and Jerzy Dudek to the starting line-up.

With the Dubai International Capital group now undertaking a period of due diligence ahead of a proposed 450 million pound takeover of the Anfield club, the youngsters and fringe players knew this game was an opportunity to prove their value to Liverpool should Benitez be handed a major transfer fund by the DIC.

And Fowler, struggling to make an impact having dropped to fourth choice striker this season, made his mark by opening the scoring for the visitors when he bundled his first-ever Champions League goal into the net on 22 minutes.

The former England forward, a club legend from his first spell at Anfield, had remarkably never scored in the Champions League before he guided Craig Bellamy's cross past Colombian keeper Farid Mondragon with his hip.

Liverpool's lead lasted less then two minutes, though, as the home side responded with two quick goals to take the lead.

The first came from a mistake by Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, whose sloppy back-pass was intercepted by Necati Ates 20 yards from goal. The Galatasaray forward then slipped the ball beyond Dudek to haul the home side level.

Another defensive failure contributed to Okan Buruk's wonderful volley three minutes later. Gabriel Paletta's poor clearing header from Sabri's corner dropped to the midfielder 25 yards out, but he beat Dudek with a stunning first-time strike into the bottom corner.

Having drawn one and lost four of their previous five group games prior to this clash, Galatasaray had already lost hope of sneaking into third spot and claiming a UEFA Cup spot.

Their sorry European campaign, and a weekend defeat at the hands of bitter rivals Fenerbahce, gave the home side an edge that Liverpool lacked and Eric Gerets' team were unlucky not to increase their lead on 53 minutes when Umit Karan headed Ergun's free-kick against the far post.

But the goal that the Turkish outfit deserved came on 79 minutes when more problems in the Liverpool defensive quarter were exposed by Mehmet Guven, whose cross inside the penalty area was converted past Dudek by Sasa Ilic.

Fowler ensured a nervous finish to the game for Galatasaray when he headed in from Jermaine Pennant's cross on 89 minutes, but the home side held on to claim the win.