Liverpool vs Sparta Prague prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-03-13 20:00.
[p]Liverpool can all but bank on a spot in this season’s UEFA Europa League (UEL) quarter-finals, as they return to Anfield for their second-leg Round of 16 tie against Sparta Prague 5-1 to the good. Manager Jürgen Klopp will be happiest of all as this allows him to either rest some of his stars ahead of a packed end of season schedule, or give some much needed minutes to those who returned in their gruelling 1-1 draw with Premier League title-chasing rivals Manchester City at the weekend.[/p]
[p]The German boss could opt to give his much hyped youth players a taste of European football, which could pay dividends later in the campaign with this being the only competition Klopp’s competed in but hasn’t won in his now diminishing time at Liverpool. Whatever his decision, the expectation will be progression, especially since the Reds have progressed on all 36 occasions in which they’ve won the first-leg of a UEFA knockout tie away from home.[/p]
[p]Anfield has seen its fair share of remarkable European comebacks, just not usually for the away side, and unless Sparta can pick up just their second win in their 12th visit to England (D2, L8) that will remain the status quo. That lone victory came way back in the 1983/84 UEFA Cup, when they beat Watford 3-2, so they’ll arrive with a near-impossible task on their hands.[/p]
[p]In the ten winless games away to English clubs, the Iron Sparta have managed to score just four times, a feat that will need to be matched here just to remain relevant. There were four goals in Sparta’s last outing too at the weekend, but all four came against Brian Priske’s side as they were handsomely beaten 4-0 by Viktoria Plzeň to further sink their confidence before heading to Anfield.[/p]
[p]Key battle: Liverpool shot stopper Caoimhín Kelleher has done a fine job of deputising for the injured Alisson, conceding more than once in just three of his 20 games this season. Attempting to beat him this time will be Sparta’s Veljko Birmančević, who has scored all three of his UEL goals this season away from home. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Nine of Liverpool’s last ten home games have seen both teams score. [/p]