In the first leg, Liverpool triumphed 5-1 against Sparta Prague, but the scoreline didn't quite capture the full story of the match. Despite taking an early lead with Alexis Mac Allister's penalty, Liverpool had to endure some intense pressure from Sparta Prague. Yet, they managed to hold firm through some heroic defending and Sparta Prague's own wastefulness.
Although Sparta Prague's Conor Bradley did inadvertently contribute to Liverpool's cause with an own goal, Liverpool had already established a commanding lead with Darwin Nunez's brilliant brace. Luis Diaz and Dominik Szoboszlai added more goals in the second half, making Liverpool's position even more secure.
Jurgen Klopp knows that the result could have been much tighter, but unless Sparta Prague can summon the spirit of Barcelona's 2016-17 comeback, Liverpool should comfortably advance to the next round.
Liverpool has been dominant in the Europa League, winning all three of their group stage matches and boasting an impressive streak of eight consecutive victories at home. They could join Chelsea as the only English team to achieve nine straight home wins in the Europa League.
However, Liverpool's momentum was halted with a draw against Manchester City, relinquishing their lead in the Premier League title race to Arsenal. Despite this setback, Liverpool remains formidable at home in the Europa League.
On the other hand, Sparta Prague has a dismal record away from home, suffering 17 losses in their last 21 continental matches on foreign soil. Their recent defeat to Viktoria Plzen further highlights their struggles away from home.
Unless Sparta Prague pulls off a miraculous upset at Anfield, they are likely to exit the Europa League at the last-16 stage for the first time in their history. Their only victory on English soil dates back to 1983-84 against Watford, and their previous visit to Anfield in 2010-11 ended in defeat, sealing Liverpool's progression with a Dirk Kuyt header.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Ibrahima Konate had to leave last week's first leg match early due to a hamstring issue and consequently missed the draw against Man City over the weekend. Unfortunately, he's also expected to sit out the upcoming match against Sparta Prague, but there's optimism that he might recover in time for the FA Cup clash against Manchester United.Several other players are currently sidelined due to various injuries: Ben Doak, Joel Matip, Stefan Bajcetic, Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones, Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ryan Gravenberch, and Thiago Alcantara are all undergoing treatment. Additionally, Jayden Danns is recovering from a concussion.
Mohamed Salah, who hasn't been in the starting lineup since New Year's Day, is likely to be given a break, especially considering his exclusion from the Egypt squad for the upcoming international break. However, Cody Gakpo, James McConnell, Bobby Clark, and Kostas Tsimikas could be considered by Klopp for the match.
In the first leg, both Liverpool and Sparta Prague faced defensive concerns. Sparta Prague's Asger Sorensen had to be substituted just before halftime due to injury, and he also missed their subsequent defeat to Viktoria Plzen. Right-back Andreas Vindheim is sidelined long-term, but Ladislav Krejci is available despite being sent off in their recent domestic match.
Key attackers Jan Kuchta and Veljko Birmancevic are expected to return to Sparta Prague's starting lineup after being on the bench in their previous match. Angelo Preciado, who was serving a Fortuna Liga ban, will also be back on the right-hand side.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Liverpool possible starting lineup:Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Szoboszlai, McConnell, Clark; Elliott, Gakpo, Koumas
Sparta Prague possible starting lineup:
Vindahl Jensen; Vitik, Krejci, Panak; Preciado, Kairinen, Solbakken, Zeleny; Birmancevic, Kuchta, Haraslin
EXPERT PREDICTION
Liverpool 2-0 Sparta Prague
While Liverpool might be a bit fatigued, they're unlikely to ease up. With several talented youngsters expected to get a chance to shine against a Sparta Prague team lacking confidence, another comfortable victory and a spot in the quarter-finals seem probable for Klopp's team.
