Liverpool to advance into Europa League knockouts if avoid LASK defeat

With 9 points, Liverpool leading Group E before matchday 5, Reds' nearest opponents Toulouse have 7 points

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) – Group leaders Liverpool on Thursday will play against Austrian underdogs LASK in a home match in the second-tier UEFA Europa League as the English club will proceed to knockouts if they avoid a defeat.

With nine points, Liverpool are leading Group E before the fifth matchday. The Reds' nearest opponents Toulouse from France have seven points.

Liverpool will win the group if the English team beat LASK, and Toulouse will not win against Belgium's Royale Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday in a home match.

Third-place Union SG have four points and LASK bottomed the group with three points.

The group stage will end after the sixth matches on Dec. 14.

The eight group winners will automatically qualify for the last 16, while the group runners-up will play a knockout round playoff with eight third-placed clubs in the UEFA Champions League group stage for the rest eight tickets.

Liverpool last won the competition in 2001 when it was the UEFA Cup.

Introduced in 1971, the UEFA Cup was rebranded the Europa League in 2009.

The Liverpool vs. LASK match at Anfield will start at 2000GMT.

Italy's Atalanta and Germany's Bayer Leverkusen secured knockout stage in the 2023-24 Europa League.

- Thursday's fixtures in Europa League

Freiburg - Olympiacos

Backa Topola - West Ham United

AEK - Brighton Hove Albion

Sparta Prague - Real Betis

Atalanta - Sporting

Sturm Graz - Rakow

Maccabi Haifa - Rennes