Former European champions Liverpool will play Scottish side Hearts in an all-British Europa League play-off tie after the Reds cruised into the final qualifying round of the competition with a 4-0 aggregate win over FC Gomel of Belarus, while Hearts qualified for this stage by virtue of winning the Scottish Cup.
Liverpool and Hearts last met way back in 1929, with the Scottish side running out 3-2 winners in an Anfield friendly. Though, they have never played each other in a competitive fixture.
v Hearts have never gone through in a European tie with the scores level on aggregate. They have gone out five times under the away goals rule.
v The Edinburgh side secured their place in European competition after hammering city rivals Hibs 5-1 in last season's Scottish Cup final.
v Hearts became the third Scottish and fifth British side to compete in European competition when they first participated in 1958.
v Liverpool qualified for the competition by defeating Championship side Cardiff City on penalties in last season's League Cup final.
v The Reds are most successful British side in European history with five European Cups and three UEFA Cup wins.
v They have met Scottish competition on 12 occasions in European competitions registering six wins, three draws and three defeats.
Heart of Midlothian FC
Heart of Midlothian Football Club (commonly known as Hearts) is a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. Russian-Lithuanian businessman and banker Vladimir Romanov has been the major shareholder of Hearts since he bought Chris Robinson's stake in 2005. They are the current holders of the Scottish Cup having beaten Hibernian 5–1 in the first all-Edinburgh final in 116 years. John McGlynn took over as the manager of Hearts on 26th July 2012.
Hearts will be without keeper Mark Ridgers who is facing three months out with a knee injury. McGlynn has signed former Aston Villa shot-stopper Peter Enckelman as cover and the Finn has been granted permission to be involved against Liverpool.
Hearts could also be without skipper Marius Zaliukas who suffered a dead leg against Inverness. If the Lithuanian center-back fails a fitness test then Darren Barr is set to be deployed alongside Andy Webster.
Hearts is currently placed second in Scottish Premier League.
Key Players: David Templeton, John Sutton, Andrew Driver, Arvydas Novikovas
Liverpool FC
Liverpool FC is going into the Europa League play-off after a disappointing first weekend away at the Hawthorns, where they were defeated 3-0. Brendan Rodgers will have to play smart if they have to defeat Hearts in the two-legged tie, as they have a meeting with Manchester City and Arsenal after the away and home leg Europe ties respectively in a week’s time.
Liverpool are expected to rest the mainstream players like Luis Suarez, Jamie Carrager and Steven Gerrard among others because the Reds will be facing Manchester City at Anfield come Sunday. While the Spanish left-back, Jose Enrique, hasn’t recovered from the knock he picked up while training prior to last weekend’s opening fixture against West Brom and will stay behind at Melwood to receive treatment.
The absence of Luis Suarez is likely to mean a first start of the season for Andy Carroll. The £35million front man’s future remains uncertain but with no suitable offer on the table ahead of next week’s transfer deadline Rodgers intends to utilize his talents.
Key Players: Daniel Agger, Jonjo Shelvey, Andy Carroll
Probable Line-Ups
Hearts: MacDonald; Paterson, Webster, Barr, Grainger; McGowan, Templeton, Taouli; Driver, Sutton, Novikovas
Liverpool: Reina; Kelly, Agger, Coates, Robinson; Henderson, Shelvey, Adam; Sterling, Carroll, Downing
Last three matches
Hearts
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Liverpool
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2-0 (W)
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St Johnstone (SPL)
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0-1 (W)
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FC Gomel (UEL)
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1-1 (D)
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Hibernian (SPL)
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3-0 (W)
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FC Gomel (UEL)
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2-2 (D)
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Inverness CT (SPL)
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3-0 (L)
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West Bromwich Albion (EPL)
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Prediction
Heart of Midlothian FC 1-1 Liverpool FC
#WECOMENOTTOPLAY
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