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Liverpool drawn against United in Europa League
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MANCHESTER United and Liverpool, English football’s two most decorated clubs, will face each other in the last 16 of the Europa League, extending a rivalry dating back to the 19th century into European competition for the first time.
The arch-rivals have won 38 league titles between them as well as eight European Cups, yet both are struggling in the Premier League this season and are unlikely to relish being pitted against each other at this stage of the competition.
Yesterday’s Europa League draw produced other mouthwatering ties. Bookmakers’ favorite Borussia Dortmund was handed a tricky route into the last eight against Tottenham Hotspur, second in the Premier League. Champion Sevilla, chasing a third successive title, will play Basel, while Valencia, which has enjoyed a recent resurgence under English coach Gary Neville, faces an all-Spanish tie against Athletic Bilbao.
Liverpool and United first played each other more than 120 years ago, but they have never faced off in European competition, adding an extra dimension to what past experience suggests is likely to be a feisty encounter.
United holds the upper hand in recent meetings and has completed back-to-back league doubles over its rival.
“It’s great,” Liverpool’s German boss Juergen Klopp told reporters following the draw. “We deserve these games. It’s not easy. I told my staff yesterday that I wanted Man United.”
For Liverpool and United the competition has taken on added significance with both having slipped off the pace in the chase for a place in the Premier League’s top four, which would secure qualification for the Champions League.
Since last season, the winner of the Europa League has been handed a back-door pass into the continent’s elite competition.
Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk was drawn against Belgian side Anderlecht, Villarreal will face Bayer Leverkusen, Sparta Prague will play Lazio and Fenerbahce take on Braga.
The two-legged ties will be played March 10 and 17.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, now a pundit on British Sky Sports, took to Twitter to stoke the rivalry in a jovial fashion. “Great Europa League draw for LFC, if we win happy days if we lose LVG will probably stay!!” he said, referring to under-fire United manager Louis van Gaal.
United reached this stage after a 5-1 win over Danish side Midtylland on Thursday in which debutant teenager Marcus Rashford scored a brace for a 6-3 aggregate victory. Liverpool managed a 1-0 win over German side Augsburg.
Also on Thursday, Villarreal stunned Italian high-flyer Napoli 2-1 overall; Valencia cruised through 10-0 on aggregate against Rapid Vienna; Sevilla progressed despite losing 0-1 away to Norwegian side Molde, and Athletic Bilbao edged out Marseille 2-1 on aggregate.
Dortmund eliminated Porto 1-0. Tottenham beat Italian side Fiorentina 4-1 on aggregate.
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