Liverpool travel to the Netherlands to take on FC Utrecht in the second round of fixtures in the Europa League on Thursday night, with both side's European form considerably better than their results on domestic duty.
Utrecht will have been pleased with their start to Europe League competition. Having overturned a two-goal deficit to eliminate Celtic 4-2 on aggregate in qualifying, the Dutch side started life in Group K with a resolute goalless draw against Napoli in Italy to secure a valuable away point.
Ton du Chatinier's side have not begun the new Eredivisie campaign looking like a Europa League side, losing four of their first seven games and kicking their heels in the bottom half of the table, 12th in a league of only 18 teams. They were overcome by AZ Alkmaar most recently, and also needed a penalty shootout to get the better of fellow strugglers De Graafschap in cup competition.
Utrecht made the home advantage count against Celtic however, and have proved difficult to beat at the Galgenwaard Stadium in domestic competition. They will be hoping to pile on the misery for Thursday's visitors.
Liverpool look for landmark win
The Reds have suffered an awful start to the season by their own high standards. Out of the League Cup at the hands of Northampton last week and sitting 16th in the Premier League after six games, the suggestions that manager Roy Hodgson is out of his depth have, perhaps prematurely, already begun.
Having bossed clubs around Europe, Hodgson knows his stuff on the continent, and the Reds will be hopeful of putting all their problems behind them in Holland on Thursday night, in their 300th Uefa club competition fixture.
All the omens are good for Hodgson's side, too. Having beaten Steaua Bucharest 4-1 in their opening fixture after a shaky spell, they now face a Dutch side and boast a fine record against teams from the orange nation, losing only once in 12 games, to Ajax back in 1966.
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Utrecht
The hosts are carrying no new knocks following their loss to AZ Alkmaar, and could even opt to field a three-man attack, such is their positive outlook at home.
Possible starting XI: Vorm; Nesu, Wuytens, Schut, Cornelisse; Asare, Lensky, Silberbauer; Duplan, Van Wolfswinkel, Danso.
Liverpool
Hodgson will be without Paul Konchesky, who limped out of the 2-2 draw with Sunderland on Saturday, and with Fabio Aurelio still struggling for fitness, Daniel Agger is set to deputise at left-back.
The Reds boss has also suggest Raul Meireles, Dirk Kuyt and Fernando Torres could all start on Thursday, meaning David Ngog may miss out despite his goalscoring form in the competition this season.
Possible Starting XI: Reina; Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger; Poulsen, Meireles; Kuyt, Gerrard, Joe Cole; Torres.
Dutch hosts hope for Celtic repeat
The hosts are carrying no new knocks following their loss to AZ Alkmaar, and could even opt to field a three-man attack, such is their positive outlook at home.
Hodgson will be without Paul Konchesky, who limped out of the 2-2 draw with Sunderland on Saturday, and with Fabio Aurelio still struggling for fitness, Daniel Agger is set to deputise at left-back.