Europa League Double

Tonight there is interest in the Europa League both north and south of the border as Rangers host Sporting Lisbon while Liverpool travel to Sparta Prague. These are four teams all steeped in European experience and it would be no surprise to see both first legs end in cagey draws. This prospect is a juicy 10/1 shot with Coral.

Rangers will be looking to seize upon their home advantage but may find goals hard to come by without the cup-tied Nikica Jelavic, who notched a hat-trick against Motherwell at the weekend. Injury doubts also surround striker Steven Naismith who is, at the very least, unlikely to start at Ibrox.

The situation isn’t much better for opponents Sporting who lost their prolific goalscorer Liedson during the transfer window. With winger Jaime Valdes and defender Leandro Grimi also sidelined both sides must cope with being understrength.

Liverpool head to the Czech Republic as favourites but with a distinctly youthful look to their squad. Starlet Raheem Sterling may become the Reds’ youngest ever player having just turned 16 in December. He is currently on half-term holiday from school and scored five goals in a 9-0 youth team demolition of Southend on Monday.

Sterling is just one of several youngsters who may participate in Prague while Steven Gerrard and Daniel Agger have stayed at home with injuries. Kenny Dalglish would surely be satisfied if such an inexperienced squad went into the second leg at Anfield on level terms.