Liverpool, Leverkusen aim to play up to favourites tag in Europa League

PARIS: Liverpool and Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen are the standout contenders to go all the way in this season's Europa League with both teams this week heading east for last-16 ties they will be expected to win comfortably.

Jurgen Klopp's side are one of four British teams still alive in the competition and hoping to go all the way to this season's final, which will be played in Dublin on May 22.

However, while Brighton and Hove Albion, West Ham United and Rangers all face difficult last-16 ties, it would be a major surprise if Liverpool slipped up against Sparta Prague and missed out on the quarter-finals.

Sparta are top of the Czech league and have had some fine results in Europe this season, qualifying from their group ahead of Real Betis and then eliminating Galatasaray in the knockout round play-offs.

Yet Liverpool are in fantastic form and still in contention to win a remarkable quadruple in Klopp's final season as manager at Anfield.

Having won the League Cup, the Reds are top of the Premier League and also through to the last eight of the FA Cup.

The biggest danger for them heading to the Stadion Letna in Prague is that their minds may be on Sunday's huge meeting with Manchester City, who sit a single point behind Klopp's men at the top of the Premier League.

They lost their last two away games in the group stage, at Toulouse and in Belgium to Union Saint-Gilloise, and Klopp may again choose the Europa League to give an opportunity to some of his exciting youngsters.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah has played just once since returning injured from the Africa Cup of Nations and this game could also come too soon for the Egyptian.

Liverpool are aiming to secure a place in the March 15 draw for the quarter-finals, which would