Football: Spurs, Liverpool eye knockouts

PARIS: Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur head a list of nine clubs vying for the five remaining berths in the last-32 of the Europa League as the group stage reaches its climax today.

Tottenham must simply avoid defeat at home to Group J foes Panathinaikos to advance, while victory at Udinese would assure Liverpool’s progression from Group A, although a draw would suffice should Young Boys fail to beat already-qualified Anzhi Makhachkala. Brendan Rodgers’ men travel to eliminated Italian side Udinese, hoping to get three points that will put them through to the next stage of the tournament.

Liverpool control their own destiny but a second defeat to Udinese – the Serie A side won 3-2 at Anfield – would spell the end of the road for the Reds.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2012.