21.02. (Thu) 21:05 Liverpool - Zenit

PROBABLE LINEUPS

LIVERPOOL
Reina
Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique
Gerrard, Lucas, Allen
Sterling, Suarez, Downing

ZENIT ST PETERSBERG
Malafeev
Anyukov, Neto, Hubocan, Lombaerts
Witsel, Danny, Denisov
Shirokov, Kerzhakov, Hulk

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will be forced to make at least two changes from the side which beat Swansea City 5-0 on Sunday - with both Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho cup-tied after appearing in Europe earlier in the season for Chelsea and Inter respectively.

Martin Skrtel could come in to face his former club in place of Jamie Carragher, while Joe Allen and Raheem Sterling may well also get an opportunity to impress from the start. Fabio Borini misses out after being ruled out for the rest of the season after dislocating his shoulder against the Swans.

For the visitors, Luciano Spalletti could well name the same starting line-up as that which started the first-leg tie in Russia. This would mean scorer Sergey Semak will again have to settle for a place on the bench.

Axel Witsel is poised to start in midfield alongside Danny and Igor Denisov, while Hulk will again be expected to support Aleksandr Kerzhakov by coming in from his wide position.

DID YOU KNOW?

Liverpool have lost three games in the Europa League this season - with fellow Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala and Serie A outfit Udinese joining Zenit in beating the Reds.

Martin Skrtel made 92 appearances and scored three goals for Zenit before moving to Anfield in 2007.
The Reds have won the Uefa Cup (now the Europa League) three times - back in 1973, 1976 and 2001.
Luis Suarez is 4/1 to score the first goal in the game with Coral.

Aleksandr Korsakov , has an impressive scoring record for the club - he has netted 52 times in 94 matches so far.

Zenit won the Uefa Cup back in 2008 - when they beat Rangers 2-0 in the final at Manchester City’s stadium.

Current boss Luciano Spalletti has been in control of the club since taking over in December 2009. He has previously managed a host of Italian sides including Sampdoria, Udinese and Roma.

Prediction

The hosts head into the match on the back of a convincing win in the Premier League but are likely to face a much tougher task in the Europa League. The first goal could be important and if the visitors can grab an away goal then that could well be enough to send them through. Liverpool to win on the night but Zenit to progress overall.

Editor's Prediction
Liverpool 3-1 Zenit

21.02. (Thu) 21:05 Chelsea - Sparta Praha

PROBABLE LINEUPS

CHELSEA
Cech
Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Bertrand
Ramires, Lampard
Marin, Mata, Oscar
Torres

SPARTA PRAGUE
Vaclik
Zapotocny, Hybs, Svejdik, Pamic
Vacha, Matejovsky, Jarosik, Husbauer, Krejci
Lafata

For the home side, Demba Ba is cup-tied having appeared for Newcastle in the competition this season, so Fernando Torres should lead the line.

Chelsea may start with a strong side as they look to wrap up the tie, with manager Rafael Benitez expected to rotate if a victory is secured.

Meanwhile, the Blues have no new injury or suspension worries ahead of this game, with David Luiz available again.

For Sparta, Jiri Jarosik missed the first leg with injury but should be fit for this game and, despite his poor finishing in the first leg, striker David Lafata should continue up front.

DID YOU KNOW?

The first leg of this tie was Chelsea’s first game in this competition since the 2002-03 season.
Brazilian Oscar was on the pitch for less than a minute before he scored the winning goal in the first leg last week.

Before the first-leg clash, these teams last met in the group stage of the 2003-04 Champions League, with the Blues taking four points from the two games.

Chelsea are 5/1 to win the game 2-0 with Coral.

Sparta Prague have never won a major club competition organised by Uefa.

Sparta captain Marek Matejovsky spent two seasons with Reading in the Premier League, making 51 appearances for the Royals and scoring twice.

The club’s most famous run in a European competition came in the first ever Champions League in the 1991-92 season, when they defeated Rangers and Marseille to reach the semi-final stage.

Prediction

They may have struggled in the first leg, but the Blues will be confident of securing victory in front of their home fans. Things may be difficult if Sparta score an early goal, but regardless Chelsea should take a relatively comfortable win.

Editor's Prediction
Chelsea 2-0 Sparta Prague

21.02. (Thu) 19:00 Metallist - Newcastle United

PROBABLE LINEUPS

METALIST KHARKIV
Goryainov
Villagra, Gueye, Torsiglieri, Fininho
Torres
Marlos, Blanco, Cleiton, Willian
Cristaldo

NEWCASTLE UNITED
Krul
Santon, Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Haidara
Tiote, Anita,
Marveaux, Sissoko, Obertan
Cisse

Metalist, like the first leg, are playing outside their league season so have no fresh injury concerns or suspensions to contend with.

The home side’s only Ukrainian-born player from last week’s starting line-up, goalkeeper Olexandr Goryainov, impressed on Tyneside last week and will line up between the sticks once more.

Newcastle, meanwhile, are still without Youan Gouffran (shin) and Hatem Ben Arfa (hamstring), so Alan Pardew is likely to name the same XI that drew a blank in the first leg.

There are no fresh injury worries for the Magpies, but Danny Simpson (toe) is sidelined alongside Dan Gosling, Ryan Taylor and Haris Vuckic (all knee).

DID YOU KNOW?

Last week’s match was the first meeting between these two sides in Uefa club competition.
The last time Metalist faced English opposition was in the 2007/08 Uefa Cup when Myron Markevich's side lost 4-3 on aggregate to Everton
.
The hosts have only lost at home once in their last 11 European games; the last of which came in last year’s last 16 against Olympiakos.

Metalist like to leave it late: five of their nine goals since the start of the group stages have come on or after the 75th minute.

Newcastle are without a win in five European away games, having drawn three and lost two.
Papiss Cisse had two goals disallowed in the first leg, meaning he failed to add to his only strike in this year's competition, against Bordeaux in October.

Cisse is 6/1 to score the first goal in the game with Coral.
Last week's 0-0 draw ended Newcastle's run of scoring in each of their previous 14 home games; a run which goes back to 2004.

Prediction

Alan Pardew felt somewhat aggrieved after last week’s tie, when Papiss Cisse had two goals ruled out, but will have been encouraged by what he saw and will believe his side can get on the scoresheet. They take on a Metalist side lacking in match practice, and they were visibly tiring towards the end of last week’s match, but the added fervour of the home crowd could have an impact. However, Newcastle could sneak this one on away goals.

Editor's Prediction
Metalist 1-1 Newcastle United

21.02. (Thu) 19:00 Olympique Lyonnais - Tottenham Hot.

PROBABLE LINEUPS

LYON
Vercoutre
Reveillere, Bisevac, Lovren, Umtiti
Fofana, Gonalons
Lacazette, Grenier, Lopez
Gomis

TOTTENHAM
Friedel
Walker, Gallas, Caulker, Naughton
Dembele, Parker
Lennon, Dempsey, Bale
Adebayor

Lyon manager Remi Garde has no fresh injury concerns ahead of Les Gones’ second-leg clash with Tottenham, though Yoann Gourcuff (hamstring) remains sidelined.

Steed Malbranque was not in the squad for Lyon's 4-0 win over Bordeaux on Sunday, while his replacement, Clement Grenier, grabbed two goals and an assist which could see him start against Spurs.

Tottenham are without their top scorer in the Europa League Jermain Defoe (ankle), while Younes Kaboul (knee) is still several weeks away from returning to first-team duty.

With Tom Huddlestone (knee) a doubt for the match and Brazilian enforcer Sandro (also knee) out for the remainder of the season, Scott Parker and Mousa Dembele are likely to continue in midfield.

Andre Villas-Boas may rotate his squad with one eye on Monday night's Premier League clash with West Ham, so Steven Caulker and Kyle Naughton could slot back into the defence.

Spurs' Portuguese boss has opted to rotate his goalkeepers in Europe, which means Brad Friedel is likely to start and thus deny ex-Lyon shot-stopper Hugo Lloris a reunion with his former club.

DID YOU KNOW?

Lyon have beaten Tottenham at home before, securing a 1-0 win over Bill Nicholson's Spurs in the 1967-68 European Cup Winners' Cup first leg – a replica of that scoreline on Thursday would send the French side through.

That 1-0 win over Tottenham was Les Gones' last home win over an English side, over 46 years ago. It is also their only home win over English teams, having drawn five and lost one of the other six encounters.
Lyon have won their last four European home games, recording victories in all three of their Europa League group games at the Stade de Gerland this year and beating APOEL in the last 16 of last season's Champions League.

Les Gones have averaged more shots at home in the Europa League, 20.3 per game, than any other side, with 39.3 per cent of those on target. By comparison, Spurs have averaged just 3.3 shots on target per Europa League away match.

The French club are managed by Remi Garde, who spent three years at Tottenham's fierce rivals Arsenal between 1996 and 1999 (and signed for the club on the same day as Patrick Vieira).

Tottenham are unbeaten in Europe this year after seven matches, recording four wins and three draws. The White Hart Lane outfit have progressed to the next round in 46 of the 49 occasions where they have taken a first-leg lead in European competition.

Gareth Bale's two free kicks at the end of either half handed Spurs victory over Lyon in the first leg; he is 7/1 to score two or more goals in the second leg with Coral.

The 23-year-old became the first Tottenham player since Robbie Keane to score an injury time winning goal in Europe, with the Irishman having struck in the 91st minute in a 3-2 win over Braga in March 2007.

Emmanuel Adebayor spent seven years in France with Metz and Monaco. In his six games against Lyon, including the match at White Hart Lane, he has failed to record a single goal or assist. The only team he has faced more times than Lyon without scoring against is Sunderland (eight without a goal).

Spurs are unbeaten in their last four Europa League away matches, though they have not won away since beating Shamrock Rovers 4-0 in December 2011. Of the side that claimed victory over the Dubliners, only Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Harry Kane and Jake Livermore are still at the club and fit to play against Lyon.

Prediction

Neither keeper was worked especially hard at White Hart Lane, but Lyon, fresh from striking four times against Bordeaux, are more attack-minded at home, while Tottenham have counter-attacked to good effect on their travels this year. Les Gones will have to work hard to penetrate Spurs' increasingly solid defensive shape, and risk being stung on the break if they over-commit. As ever, how Lyon deal with Gareth Bale could decide the match.

Editor's Prediction
Lyon 1-1 Tottenham