Liverpool can officially bypass the Champions League play-off round and confirm their last-16 place by securing at least a draw against Lille on Tuesday evening.
Arne Slot‘s side have a 100 percent record in the competition with six wins on the spin, placing them at the top of the league table with 18 points.
It means all they have to do is avoid defeat against Lille to confirm their place in the last 16, with a game to spare.
Automatic progression ensures the Reds avoid the two-legged play-off in February, meaning two unnecessary games are not added to an already hectic schedule.
However, there is the possibility that Liverpool could qualify even if they fall to defeat against the French side at Anfield.
It would require results elsewhere to go in the Reds’ favour as only 11 teams can mathematically leapfrog Liverpool in the table with two games left in the league phase.
That will not be on Slot’s mind, however, as his team look to control their own destiny against Lille, who are currently on a 21-game unbeaten streak across all competitions.
The draw for the last 16 takes place on February 21, with the two-legged ties taking place across March 4/5 and March 11/12.
Slot only focusing on wins, not No. 1 spot
Liverpool are the only unbeaten side remaining in the competition and they currently hold No. 1 spot, but the new format could still mean it is not the big advantage some may think it is.
On finishing top, Slot said: “The most important thing every time we go out there, especially in front of our own fans, [is] we want to win a game.
“With this new set-up, you think that ending up No. 1 is the best position to end up with, but because it is such a strange league table – because, for example, I think I’m right, if I look at Paris Saint-Germain every week I think, ‘They have the hardest team to face’.
“So, they are quite low on the table, which is not their quality, but they are low. So maybe if you end up No. 1 you can face them. Then it’s a disadvantage.
“So, I’m not looking at the league table in a way of, ‘If we are No. 1 we probably have the easy team to face’ because that is impossible to say because of this weird format. I don’t mean [weird] in a negative way, but this strange format we are having now.
“So, we want to win but not from an idea that it will probably give us then the best lead-up for the rest of the campaign.”
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