Liverpool 6-1 Sparta Prague (agg 11-2) – Europa League: Live score team, news and updates

The Ajax defence is at sixes and sevens as Villa bundle their way through, and Duran hits a fierce strike that crashes against the underside of the bar and just goes over the line.

There’s another injury for an Ajax player as Rensch is limping heavily, and they look doomed now.

Another injury for Villa as Diego carlos is forced off. At least he is able to walk off unassisted.

Gakpo is still looking for that hat-trick as he is played in by a lovely ball down the side from Elliott.

Gakpo tries to beat the keeper at his near post but he stands firm and tips the ball behind. The corner comes to nothing.

It’s gone from bad to worse for Ajax as Mannsverk receives a second yellow card for stopping a counter-attack and is sent off.

Villa look to be crusing into the ECL quarter-finals.

Solbakken takes a blow to the face as Tsimikas pings a ball that hits him straight in the face.

Liverpool want to take off Salah but only have one substitution left and Clark is struggling.

They are forced to change their plans as Musialowski is handed his debut to replace the injured Clark.

Sparta opt to take no risks and bring Vydra on for Solbakken.

Just under 20 minutes gone in the second half at the Amex and Brighton have been unable to find another goal.

Time is running out for De Zerbi’s men to turn that tie around.

Gakpo spurns a big chance for his hat-trick after being played through by Elliott.

He has more time that he thins but hits it first time with his left foot and scoops the ball high and wide.

Villa have breathing space!

Ajax give the ball away cheaply and Villa pounce with Luiz finding Bailey who gets half a yard and slots the ball into the bottom corner.

Klopp is furious as he wanted to take Quansah off but the referee played on and then Quansah picked up a booking for a studs-up challenge.

Klopp also gets booked for his protestations, as Quansah is then replaced by Van Dijk.

Sparta make their own change as Tuci comes on for goalscorer Birmancevic.

Huge chance for Duran to double Villa’s advantage as he gets in behind, but he puts his shot well wide.

Lost his composure at the vital moment, will that come back to haunt Villa?

Liverpool fans have just been singing for Virgil van Dijk and they are about to get their wish.

A bit of a surprise given Liverpool face Man United in just three days, but Klopp is clearly happy to share the minutes around between his players.

Haraslin and Sadilek on for Laci and Kuchta for the visitors.

Another goal for the hosts.

Sparta fail to clear a corner and Elliott fires a shot back in. Gakpo adjusts his body well to flick the ball home.

He looks a little sheepish as he celebrates but that looked a nice finish. Give yourself more credit, Cody!

Back underway at Villa Park and the hosts have made a change at the break with Tielemans coming on for Rogers.

Liverpool have five for the second time in a week.

Salah plays a lovely ball round the corner and Szoboszlai drives into the box.

He lets fly and with the aid of a deflection beats the keeper at the near post.

Sparta Prague start the second half.

With the tie in the bag, on come McConnell, Tsimikas and Elliott for Endo, Gomez and Nunez.

Sparta have also made one change with Panak on for Rynes.

Brighton have pulled one goal back in the first half but need at least another three to take the game to extra time.

An uphill task for the Seagulls.

Villa ride their luck right on the stroke of half time as Cash clears a Brobbey effort off the line.

But it’s so far so good for Villa thanks to Watkins’ header. Their talisman has been forced off through injury, though. Can Emery’s men hang on in the second half?

Considering his injury setbacks since the turn of the year, Salah is producing incredible numbers once again this season.

Four goals in the first 13 minutes, but Sparta have improved since then and got a consolation before half time.

But this is now 9-2 on aggregate, and Liverpool are storming towards the quarter-finals.

From out of nowhere, a goal back for Sparta.

The ball is played through and Birmancevic just has a bit too much pace and strength for Endo, and he pokes the ball into the bottom corner.

Something for the away fans to cheer about.

Liverpool are continuing to go for a fifth.

Clark dribbles into the box and forces a good save from the goalkeeper. The youngster is really enjoying himself out there.

Danny Welbeck has just scored a delightful curling effort from the edge of the box.

Brighton lead on the night but still trail 4-1 on aggregate.

Gakpo plays the crossfield pass and Salah crosses it on the volley straight into his path.

Nunez is alone in the six yard box but scoops his effort over the bar.

An awful miss, but Klopp will be very happy with what he’s seen from his team.

Sparta have been much better in the last 10 minutes.

Kuchta is allowed to turn on the edge of the box and gets a shot off, but his effort goes well wide.

This is such a shame for Watkins as he has not been able to run off that earlier knock.

He limps off and is going to be replaced by Duran.

Brighton have been on top at the Amex but Roma have just had a goal disallowed.

Baldanzi thought he had scored with an acrobatic effort, but it is ruled out for a high foot.

He’s fit enough to play on, and now he’s scored!

It’s a corner from Douglas Luiz and Watkins peels off his marker to plant a header into the far corner.

Villa lead on the night and in the tie for the first time!

Bailey almost gives Villa the lead against Ajax but his shot just goes the wrong side of the post.

The good news for Villa is that Watkins is back up after his earlier knock and has been able to play on.

Liverpool are still pushing for more goals, but Sparta haven’t given the ball away 20 yards from their own goal in the last five minutes. Progress.

Still looks like there will be plenty more goals for the Reds tonight, though.

There are other games going on tonight, and Liverpool haven’t scored for the last two minutes so we can quickly mention them.

No goals yet for Brighton or Villa in their matches, but Ollie Watkins has just gone down injured.

Let’s hope it’s not too serious for the England striker after his international call-up earlier today.

Poor Sparta, they are not helping themselves.

hey give the ball away again and Nunez finds Salah.

He cuts the ball back and the defender is caught on his heels, allowing Gakpo to get in front of him to fire home.

Nearly a fourth for Liverpool as they break quickly again and Gakpo clips the ball to the back post to Nunez.

It’s just a fraction too high and Nunez can’t direct his effort on target.

I would say this could get ugly but it already is.

Sparta try to play out from the back again and give it away. Salah has all the time in the world to pick his spot and never looked like missing.

20 goals for the season for Salah and not many will have been easier than that.

Two in a minute for Liverpool!

Sparta try to play out from the back but Salah intercepts and pokes the ball into the path of Clark who slots home.

What a moment for the teenager, his first senior goal for Liverpool!

Nunez loves playing against Sparta Prague!

Liverpool work it well down the right and Szoboszlai cuts it back to Nunez.

He hits it first time and finds the corner of the net.

Liverpool play the ball back to Gomez, who despite bein 40 yards out is still urged to shoot. He is still waiting for his first ever Liverpool goal, remember.

He puts a goal ball into the box instead, but Gakpo miscontrols it and the attack peters out.

An early corner for Sparta but it’s easily cleared away by the hosts.

Liverpool get us underway.

We are just a few moments away from kick-off as the teams emerge from the tunnel at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp is delighted to have Mohamed Salah back in starting contention tonight as the Egyptian completes his full return from a serious hamstring injury.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Klopp said: ‘It’s s about Mo is ready to go, Dom [Szoboszlai] makes sense to get more minutes and it’s not like we have plenty of options,

Mac Allister and Endo play all the time, we try ot make changes and get best legs and that’s the outcome.’

Tonight’s Anfield opponents have only made one trip to Liverpool before and will have to do a lot better than their previous draw 1-0 defeat in 2011 if they want to stand any chance of qualifying for the next round of the Europa League.

That game 13-years ago was in the same competition as tonight’s clash with Kenny Dalglish the Reds manager at the time.

Dirk Kuyt scored thw inning goal to send Liverpool through and Jamie Carragher even featured as a substitute. It feels like only yesterday but a whole lot has changed since then.

Liverpool fans will be delighted to see the Egyptian back in the fold from the start tonight.

Salah has only made one other start since the turn of the year, a 4-2 home win over Newcastle in the Premier League on New Year’s Day, before suffering a hamstring injury while at the African Cup of Nations.

The 31-year-old is pivotal to Liverpool’s silverware chances during the end-of-season run-in and provides Jurgen Klopp with a huge boost after regaining fitness.

Putting him against Sparta Prague is possibly a risky move but I don’t expect him to play the full game.

West Ham are sailing against Freiburg with a 3-0 lead on the night in the second-leg of their Europa League clash and look to be heading into the next round where they wait for Liverpool – and possibly Brighton to join them.

You can follow the remaining moments from that game below.

That’s team news done and here is how things stand ahead of the three games tonight that we will bringing you all the key updates from.

• Liverpool should enjoy a regulation 90 minutes as they lead Sparta Prague 5-1 on aggregate after their first-leg victory in Czech.
• Aston Villa’s clash against Ajax hangs in the balance with the score currently level at 0-0 after a stalemate in Amsterdam.
• Meanwhile, Brighton have one-foot out the Europa League exit door after being thrashed 4-0 by Roma in Italy, but could a great comeback be on?

Here’s how Ajax lineup for their trip to Villa Park as Jordan Henderson starts for his first appearance back in England since previously leaving Liverpool for Saudi Arabia.

The midfielder will want to put in a big performance on the day that he was named in Gareth Southgate’s England team.

The Seagulls have it all to do tonight as they seek to overturn a 4-0 first-leg deficit against their Italian opponents.

Roberto de Zerbi has named his starting team that he hopes will be able to pull off the remarkable fate as Danny Welbeck is trusted to lead the line.

The Reds are in the building as they arrive at Anfield for tonight’s Europa League clash. They might be leading 5-1 on aggregate but there is still set to be some atmosphere in the famous ground.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has named his team to face Ajax at Villa Park with the aggregate score level at 0-0 after a tough first-leg in Amsterdam.

John McGinn starts and it will be his last action for a while after he was sent off against Spurs at the weekend.

Liverpool have taken the unusual move to name their line-up for tonight’s Europa League clash over an hour before the 8pm kick-off and it’s a strong team named by boss Jurgen Klopp.

The most surprising inclusion is the return of Mohamed Salah as he starts at Anfield after previously only being fit enough to make the bench for last weekend’s Premier League clash against Man City.

Reds fans will be desperately hoping he comes through this one unscathed.

Good evening and thank you for joining us for all the action from tonight’s Europa League and Conference League knockout games featuring three England teams.

Our main focus will be on Liveprool as they host Sparta Prague at Anfield, while we will also be bringing you key updates from Brighton v Roma and Aston Villa v Ajax.