Europa League 'sensation' as Liverpool face Man United
Rivals meet for the first time in European competition over two legs next month
Liverpool and Manchester United might not be battling it out at the top of the Premier League but they are set for a huge showdown in Europe, after being drawn together in the last 16 of the Europa League.
The two giants of English football will face off next month, with the first leg at Anfield on 10 March, and the stakes are high as the tournament winners will qualify for next season's Champions League, something neither side is likely to achieve otherwise.
Tottenham Hotspur, the third English club left in the competition, drew Borussia Dortmund and will have a tough task overcoming the German side.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Spanish outfit Valencia, managed by Gary Neville, will face La Liga rivals Athletic Bilbao.
Liverpool and United have never met in European competition and the Daily Mail hails what it calls a "sensational clash" between the two clubs.
Reds manager Jurgen Klopp, who lost to his United counterpart Louis van Gaal in his only outing against Manchester so far as Liverpool boss, appeared excited by the prospect.
"It's great," he said. "We deserve these games. I told my staff yesterday that I wanted Man United."
However, the Liverpool boss may be fed up with Manchester by the end of next month. The draw means the Merseyside team now face four games against United or Manchester City in under three weeks, notes the Manchester Evening News.
In addition to the two matches against United, the Reds play City in the Capital One Cup final on Sunday and then in the league on 2 March.
Van Gaal, meanwhile, is unlikely to be fazed. He has won all four of his outings against Liverpool as Manchester United boss, most recently at Anfield in January.
Europa League last 16 draw:
Shakhtar Donetsk v Anderlecht
Basel v Sevilla
Villarreal v Bayer Leverkusen
Athletic Bilbao v Valencia
Liverpool v Manchester United
Sparta Prague v Lazio
Borussia Dortmund v Tottenham
Fenerbahce v Braga
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Shoot to Kill: Terror on the Tube – a 'raw' and 'riveting' docuseries
The Week Recommends Channel 4's 'gripping' two-part show explores the Metropolitan police killing of an innocent man in the aftermath of 7/7
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
'Salute to those who served'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Europe's all-inclusive holiday trend
The Week Recommends Big US chains are capitalising on the 'recent surge' in package breaks to bring upscale resorts to Europe
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten Hag
Talking Point After another loss United sacked ten Hag in hopes of success in the Champion's League
By The Week UK Published
-
English football and the etiquette of leaving the stadium early
Talking Point The belief that 'true fans stay to the end' does not always apply
By The Week UK Published
-
Manchester United and Mason Greenwood: duty of care or double standards?
Talking Point The 21-year-old footballer’s possible return has provoked an outpouring of dismay from supporters
By Jamie Timson Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man Utd win the Carabao Cup: how Erik ten Hag has ‘transformed’ the Red Devils
feature United lifted their first silverware since 2017 after beating Newcastle at Wembley
By Mike Starling Published
-
Jim Ratcliffe: petrochemical billionaire turned Man Utd bidder
Why Everyone’s Talking About The Ineos owner is the first to publicly bid for the 13-time Premier League winners
By Richard Windsor Published
-
Reactions to Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘explosive’ interview with Piers Morgan
feature Portugal captain feels ‘betrayed’ by Man Utd and believes he’s being forced out of the club
By Mike Starling Published
-
What next for Cristiano Ronaldo? How the relationship with Man Utd turned sour
Under the Radar Portugal star has ‘almost certainly’ played his last game for United as he is dropped for Chelsea clash
By Mike Starling Published