Will Harvey Elliott’s eye-catching Europa League run continue as Klopp eyes No. 6?

Harvey Elliott can keep up a highly impressive statistic when Liverpool face Sparta Prague at Anfield, as his excellent season continues.

The Reds host the Czech side in the Europa League last-16 on Thursday night, leading 5-1 from the first leg and looking almost certain to reach the quarter-finals.

Someone who could again feature prominently is Elliott, and should that be the case, his eye-catching record in the competition this season will continue.

The Reds have used 29 players in the Europa League in 2023/24 to date, but only the 20-year-old has played every minute so far.

It is a testament to his durability throughout the campaign, with so many injured players around him – he’s the only player to start in each of the last six Games.

 

Liverpool standouts in Europa League this season

Only Marseille (23) have scored more goals in this season’s Europa League than Liverpool’s tally of 22.

Meanwhile, the Reds have had more possession in the comPetition this season (63.9%) than any other team.

Away from solely Europe, Liverpool haven’t conceded more than once in any of their last eight games since the 3-1 loss at Arsenal last month.

 

Klopp’s European brilliance outlined

Klopp has taken charge of Liverpool in Europe more times than any Reds manager, with Thursday’s Game his 89th match.

This is the 56-year-old’s eighth European season with the Merseysiders and he could reach the quarter-finals for the sixth time.

Klopp has reached four finals overall, too.

 

Reds out to avoid unwanted record

No Liverpool team has ever lost a European Game at Anfield by four goals and Real Madrid are the only visiting team to score five there in European comPetition.

They won 5-2 there in the Champions League in February 2023.

The Reds have won an away first leg in Europe 38 times and never been eliminated, and have won a first leg in Europe home and away on 81 occasions, being knocked out on only four occasions.

 

Sparta’s record vs. English clubs

Sparta have faced English teams 23 times in European competition, winning on four occasions with 15 defeats and four draws thrown in.

In that sequence, they have scored 17 times while conceding 45.

One of those victories came in 2016/17 when they defeated Southampton 1-0 in Prague. Virgil van Dijk played in that game and was also in the Saints team that beat Sparta 3-0 in the group stage return.

In the last 15 meetings with teams from England, they have scored four goals in total – in six knockout encounters against them, they have been eliminated five times.

 

This season’s scorers

Liverpool: Salah 19, Jota 14, Nunez 16, Gakpo 11, Diaz 11, Jones 5, Szoboszlai 6, Gravenberch 3, van Dijk 4, Alexander-Arnold 2, Elliott 2, Endo 2, Mac Allister 4, Danns 2, Bradley 1, Quansah 1, Robertson 1, Koumas 1, own goals 6

Sparta Prague: Haraslin 14, Birmancevic 11, Kuchta 10, Krejci 8, Olatunji 7, Karabec 5, Vitik 4, Preciado 3, Sevcik 3, Wiesner 3, Kairinen 2, Laci 2, Panak 2, Pesek 2, Sorensen 2, Michev 1, Pavelka 1, Rynes 1, Sadliek 1, Sejk 1, Tuci 1, own goals 1

---

*Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).