Europe’s second tier soccer competition, the UEFA Europa League, could see British participation all but extinguished as the three remaining clubs are in far from good positions entering tonight’s second legs.
The best placed are Scottish side Rangers who managed a goalless draw away at PSV in the first leg and may fancy their chances of reaching the last eight.
It’s a position they don’t usually find themselves in though. The Glaswegians are used to being in a tight spot and may struggle in a position that almost makes them favorites to go through.
Wide-forward Steven Naismith may return for Rangers and the side knows it can prevail as long as they score more goals than the Dutch side.
Kicking off at the same time but with a one goal deficit from the first leg will be English side Liverpool.
This time last week all the talk was as to whether Andy Carroll would start for the Merseyside club and boss Kenny Dalglish would be crazy not to start the England international in tonight’s game.
With no Steven Gerrard, and the side looking rather toothless in the first leg in Braga, Carroll should be able to rough up the away defence into conceding at least one goal. The primary concern for the red half of Merseyside will be not conceding, as that will then create a situation where they need two goals.
Finally there’s Man City’s tie with Dynamo Kiev, with the home side needing to haul back two goals before they’ll even get a faint whiff of extra time.
Mario Balotelli should have recovered from his bout of grass sickness to make another start for the Citizens, but it’s a tough ask for a side that aren’t renowned for their attacking prowess. All it needs is a virtuoso performance from Carlos Tevez to see them through but not even that’s a dead-cert with City anymore.
