LIVERPOOL travel to the Czech Republic for their Europa League knockout clash against Sparta Prague.
SunSport betting experts have previewed the contest, and carefully selected our best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses for the last-16 showdown.
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Liverpool are back in Europa League action with a testing to take on perennial Czech champions Sparta Prague at the epet ARENA.
The Reds have had a pretty good time since finishing top of their Europa League group back in November.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League, won the Carabao Cup at Wembley and progressed to the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Liverpool are fighting on all fronts and are still carrying numerous injuries to many of their first-team players including Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo both returned from the bench against Nottingham Forest at the weekend — although Jurgen Klopp is unlikely to take any risks given their blockbuster showdown against Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday.
Klopp’s young guns could again take the field this Thursday against Sparta Prague, who have only won ONE of their last 16 meetings with English clubs in Europe (D4, L11) and that win came against Southampton.
Odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Winning the Europa League is perhaps bottom of Jurgen Klopp’s list of priorities in his final months at Liverpool. The Reds have a genuine chance of beating Manchester City to the Premier League title, and Sunday’s encounter could go a long way to clinching the ultimate domestic prize.
There’s no doubt that youngsters like Jarell Quansah, James McConnell and Bobby Clark will take to the field and they could well find it difficult to take down a side like Sparta Prague – especially on home turf.
The Czech champions have won 16 of their last 18 matches in all competitions, and are unbeaten in their last 16 on home turf – keeping nine clean sheets in the process. We think Klopp and Co. will be happy enough with a draw and finish the job back at Anfield next week.
Sparta Prague’s Angelo Preciado certainly doesn’t mind a tackle or two.
The 26-year-old has committed 12 fouls in his 526 minutes of Europa League action this season, that’s the 12th-highest of any player in the competition.
He’s picked up two bookings in the competition for his troubles, and leaves him with five yellows in 19 appearances. He was also given a straight red against Slavia Prague last weekend.
Ok, it could be viewed as a bit of a punt – but given Sparta Prague nearly always score at home and Liverpool will be understrength and have bigger fish to fry – this could represent value.
Veljko Birmancevic, 25, has scored 11 goals in 32 appearances since joining on loan from Toulouse. The Serbia international has struck three times in the Europa League – once as the first goalscorer against Real Betis.
He’s had eight attempts on target in the Europa League this year, and only eight players can better that tally by a single effort.
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