The conventional path for English soccer teams to get to the Champions League is to finish in the Top 4 in the Barclays Premier League. Manchester United and Liverpool, who are traditional powers who settle into those four slots, are taking the path far less traveled, though. In all likelihood, the only way either one gets into the Champions League next year is by winning the Europa League.
The two were drawn against each other in the Round of 16 of this tournament, the first leg of which comes on Thursday night at Anfield.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Liverpool +115
Manchester United +270
Draw +225
Over/Under 2 (over -130)
ODDS ANALYSIS
First legs of home-and-home series tend to be a little tight to the vest, and that's why the total in this game is a good half-goal lower than it would've been had these two teams played in the Premier League instead. Both teams are likely to use slightly lesser sides than what they would use on your average Saturday or Sunday domestically, and that won't help out the scoring any in all likelihood either.
Liverpool is the slender +115 moneyline favorite, though Jurgen Klopp knows that it isn't necessarily a prerequisite to win this match inside of 90 minutes with a return trip to Old Trafford coming next week.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Liverpool had to get through a relatively easy group to reach this point. The team only went 2-4-0 in the group stage against Sion, Rubin Kazan and Bordeaux, though much of that came before Brendan Rodgers was dismissed and replaced by Klopp.
After Klopp took over, Liverpool looked the better side in a 1-0 aggregate win over two legs against FC Augsburg in the Round of 32.
Manchester United finished third in its Champions League group to drop into the Europa League. Many figured that it would struggle here in the second stage of this lesser competition. It did lose at FC Midtjylland 2-1, but it returned to Manchester to win 5-1 in a match which was much more touch and go than the final score line suggests.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
We're finding Liverpool's side to be a bit watered down for the Europa League, but James Milner, Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge still have been consistent players in the fold, and that could be good enough in this match.
Louis van Gaal has been taking this opportunity in the Europa League to debut some of his junior players. Sure, we've seen guys like Memphis Depay and Marcus Rashford enter great form, Rashford of which did so in his debut for the club, but we're not all that convinced United is pushing forward that much in this fixture. Sure, the Red Devils put nine on target in the second leg against Midtjylland, but that won't be the case in what should be a nervier duel.
Liverpool is in better form at the moment, and it has already made it through its managerial problems. For as good as the Red Devils look in some moments, in others, even the youngsters look completely uninspired on the pitch.
This first leg won't decide this tie, as Man U will still end up being dangerous at Old Trafford next week, but we do think that the Reds are going to get off to a perfect start to buoy their chances of getting into the last eight of a competition it last won in 2001.
Liverpool 1, Manchester United 0
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Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The fixture between Liverpool and Manchester United is scheduled for Thursday, March 10, 2016, at 3:05 p.m. ET at Anfield. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 2.
