On Thursday, tournament favourites Liverpool host Italian side Atalanta in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final showdown.
With Jurgen Klopp exiting Anfield at the end of the season, can the Reds take another step towards a farewell treble for their beloved manager? Or will La Dea spoil the party?
In this preview, we highlight all the key stats, trends and analysis ahead of the first leg. Keep reading to discover what Forebet’s algorithm predicts.
How many, Robbo? 😅 pic.twitter.com/MAVt8RSitG— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 9, 2024
How many, Robbo? 😅 pic.twitter.com/MAVt8RSitG
Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw by Manchester United on Sunday, despite racking up 62% possession and 28 shots at Old Trafford.
Having lost just one of their last 24 Premier League matches, the Reds sit level with first-placed Arsenal on 71 points with seven games remaining.
In the Europa League, Klopp’s side have won six of their eight encounters this term, securing four successive victories at Anfield while scoring 17 goals (4.3 goals per game).
Having booked their place in the quarter-finals with an 11-2 aggregate triumph over Sparta Prague, Liverpool will be confident of reaching the last four.
As for Atalanta, they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Cagliari at the weekend, meaning they have lost each of their last two matches across all competitions.
When you look at the bigger picture, the Italian outfit have managed to win just two of their previous nine games, recording three draws and four losses in that time.
Still, Atalanta remain unbeaten in the Europa League this season, having registered five wins and three draws on their way to the quarter-finals.
It is also worth noting that Atalanta have scored nine goals in four Europa League away outings this term, meaning they average 2.3 goals per game on the road.
Head-to-head: Liverpool and Atalanta met during the 2020-21 Champions League campaign, with both sides winning away from home that season.
The Reds won the first meeting 5-0 in Italy, but La Dea gained their revenge with a 2-0 victory at Anfield three weeks later.
Team news: Liverpool’s injury list contains Alisson, Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic.
On the flip side, Atalanta are currently without 20-year-old defender Giorgio Scalvini, who has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury.
Unbeaten Atalanta will likely put up a decent fight at Anfield, but Liverpool’s impressive hot streak looks set to continue on home soil.
Forebet predicts that Liverpool and Atalanta will combine for over 2.5 goals. However, the hosts are expected to outscore the visitors.