Liverpool will welcome Villarreal to Anfield on Thursday night knowing that they need another comeback on Merseyside if they are to reach the final of the Europa League.
The Reds trail their Spanish opponents by a single goal following Adrian Lopez's late strike at El Madrigal last week, leaving the tie lying slightly in the visitors' favour at the halfway stage.
Liverpool
© AFP
For 91 minutes at El Madrigal, it looked as though Liverpool had put in a textbook European away performance to pick up a good draw that they could bring back to Anfield.
The Reds didn't offer much of an attacking threat themselves, but they kept Villarreal's danger men quiet for the vast majority of the match and rarely looked in real trouble at the back.
However, one defensive lapse in stoppage time allowed Denis Suarez to set Adrian up for the goal, which completely changes the complexion of the tie and leaves Liverpool needing a win at Anfield to progress.
They have overcome greater odds than this in the competition already, though, and they need only look as far back as their last European match in front of their own fans for a reason to believe that they can reach the final.
They found themselves needing three goals in the last half-hour against tournament favourites Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals, but they duly came up with the goods to complete a memorable comeback and reach the last four for the first time since 2010.
Jurgen Klopp will be hoping for a similar Anfield atmosphere on Thursday as they look to reach the final of a European competition for the first time in nine years, while the German is bidding to become the first Liverpool manager since Rafael Benitez to win a trophy in his first season at the club.
It is not just the trophy that is on the line, though, with this competition now providing the Reds with their only remaining hope of playing Champions League football next season.
Their goal difference means that the gap to fourth place in the Premier League is now effectively 10 points with three games remaining after Liverpool fell to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Swansea City on Sunday.
Klopp had made a number of changes to his side, but the performance was arguably the worst of the German's tenure and saw Liverpool fall to back-to-back defeats for the first time since he took over at the club.
You have to go back to January for Liverpool's most recent home defeat, though, and having scored 14 goals in their last four outings at Anfield, they will be confident of having the firepower required to overturn the one-goal deficit on Thursday.
However, when it comes to playing Spanish opposition the Reds actually have a better record away from home, with just four wins from their 15 meetings against La Liga teams at Anfield (D6 L5).
Recent form: DWWWDL
Recent form (all competitions): WWWDLL
Villarreal
© AFP
Villarreal will be looking to complete a successful week when they travel to Anfield for this second leg.
Fresh from putting one foot in the final of this competition with their last-gasp win at El Madrigal, Villarreal sealed their spot in next season's Champions League with a 2-0 triumph over Valencia at the weekend.
Adrian was once again on the scoresheet at the Mestalla, adding to an earlier Samu strike to move the Yellow Submarine six points clear of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao with only two games of the season remaining.
Villarreal's superior head-to-head record over Athletic means that they cannot be caught in fourth now, capping off a hugely successful campaign that could still get even better over the coming weeks.
They certainly seem to have the pedigree required to break new ground in the Europa League this season, having equalled Liverpool's competition record of going 12 games unbeaten in a single campaign with their victory last week.
That run stretches back to matchday one of the competition, since when they have won nine and drawn three of their Europa League outings, including victories in each of their last three games.
They have only won two of their last seven away games in Europe, but every single scoreline in that time would be enough to take them through on Thursday; they haven't lost an away Europa League game by a margin that would see them eliminated since April 2011 - their last appearance in the semi-finals.
Never before have Villarreal reached the final of a European competition, despite boasting more goals (83) and more wins (27) than any other club in Europa League history.
They are one of a number of Spanish clubs to have shone in Europe this season, and at the time of writing no team from La Liga has been eliminated by a foreign side in either the Champions League or Europa League this term.
It is a record that Villarreal are now favourites to continue as they look to maintain their remarkable rise under Marcelino, who has taken them from the Segunda Division to the cusp of European glory.
Recent form: DWDWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WLLDWW
Team News
© AFP
Once again, Klopp's biggest decision surrounds Daniel Sturridge, who has been left on the bench for Liverpool's most high-profile games recently and was an unused substitute again in the first leg.
The striker played the full 90 minutes at the weekend but will be ready to start on Thursday should Klopp choose to give him the nod.
Christian Benteke came off the bench to score at the Liberty Stadium but is unlikely to have earned a starting role for this match, with Roberto Firmino expected to lead the line should Sturridge be overlooked once again.
Klopp must also decide whether to risk Emre Can following an ankle injury, but the likes of Jordan Henderson, Divock Origi, Danny Ings and Joe Gomez all remain sidelined.
Mamadou Sakho is also unavailable following his failed drugs test, which could see Kolo Toure come back into the side along with the likes of Simon Mignolet, Adam Lallana and Alberto Moreno.
Villarreal, meanwhile, are expected to be without Eric Bailly after he limped off with a groin injury during the closing stages of last week's first leg.
Leo Baptistao is definitely out for the visitors, but the likes of Bruno Soriano, Mario Gaspar and Sergio Asenjo should be among a whole host of players to return after being rested at the weekend.
Cedric Bakambu, who has nine goals in the Europa League this season, is another who is likely to come back in, as is Suarez, whose assist in the first leg saw him move onto a tournament-high six for the campaign.
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Toure, Moreno; Milner, Can, Allen; Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho
Villarreal possible starting lineup:
Asenjo; Mario, Musacchio, Ruiz, Costa; Adrian, Pina, Bruno, Suarez; Soldado, Bakambu
Head To Head
Before the first leg a week ago, these two sides had never met in a competitive fixture before, with their only previous clash of any kind resulting in a pre-season goalless draw in 2008.
Liverpool have a mixed record from 33 European games against Spanish opposition, with 13 wins, 10 draws and 10 defeats.
Villarreal, meanwhile, have only ever won once in England before, with two draws and three defeats away to Premier League opposition too. Overall their record against English clubs stands at four wins, six draws and four defeats, although the only win in their last 11 came in the first leg.
We say: Liverpool 3-1 Villarreal
That late goal in the first leg has changed things completely in the tie and makes things more difficult for Liverpool, but they will believe that anything is possible following their last European home game against Dortmund. Their need for a goal may suit the likes of Bakambu and the visitors may well register an away goal, but we feel that Anfield will spur Liverpool on to the final.
No Data Analysis info
