With Liverpool missing out on the top four, they instead qualified for the Europa League which means the return of Thursday night football to Anfield.
Europe’s second biggest competition is played on Thursday nights until the final, meaning Liverpool will play many of their league matches on Sundays.
In the past, teams have felt this pattern has been more tiresome than a traditional Champions League, when you play on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Other sides have dispelled this as a myth.
Let’s hope Liverpool are believing the latter come May.
Something that could help Liverpool is a fortunate landing of so-called easier fixtures around the Europa League games, the knockout stages especially.
In Group E with Liverpool are LASK, Union Saint-Gilloise and Toulouse. It’s a favourable draw in terms of travel, with Austria, Belgium and France very accessible and avoids any longer flights.
Here we take a look at who Liverpool will play either side of their Europa League games.
LASK (A) – September 21
Before: Wolves (A) – Saturday, 12.30pm
After: West Ham (H) – Sunday, 2pm
Union SG (H) – October 5
Before: Tottenham (A) Saturday, 5.30pm
After: Brighton (A) Sunday, 2pm
Toulouse (H) – October 26
Before: Everton (H) Saturday, 12.30pm
After: Nott’m Forest (H) Sunday, 2pm
Toulouse (A) – November 9
Before: Luton (A)
After: Brentford (H)
LASK (H) – November 30
Before: Man City (A)
After: Fulham (H)
Union SG (A) – December 14
Before: Crystal Palace (A)
After: Man United (H)
If Liverpool finish second in their group, they will play an extra preliminary round against a team that finished third in their Champions League group.
Europa League extra knockout round 1st leg – February 15
Before: Burnley (H)
After: Brentford (A)
Europa League extra knockout round 2nd leg – February 22
Before: Brentford (A)
After: Luton (H)
If Liverpool win their group, they will go straight into the round of 16.
Europa League round of 16 1st leg – March 7
Before: Nott’m Forest (A)
After: Man City (H)
Europa League round of 16 2nd leg – March 14
Before: Man City (H)
After: Everton (E)
Europa League quarter-final 1st leg – April 11
Before: Man United (A)
After: Crystal Palace (H)
Europa League quarter-final 2nd leg – April 18
Before: Crystal Palace (H)
After: Fulham (A)
Europa League semi-final 1st leg – May 2
Before: West Ham (A)
After: Tottenham (H)
Europa League semi-final 2nd leg – May 9
Before: Tottenham (H)
After: Aston Villa (A)
The Europa League final will take place on Wednesday, May 22, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
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