1. Is this United and Liverpool’s best hope of Champions League qualification?

IN THE PRE-MATCH press conference, Man United boss Louis van Gaal vowed to play his strongest XI for tonight’s game with Liverpool and it’s not hard to understand why.

This evening’s match and the subsequent second leg are arguably the two most important remaining games currently on the Red Devils’ fixture list.

West Brom’s first home league win over United in 32 years on Sunday put a severe dent in Louis van Gaal’s side’s unlikely top-four bid.

The setback at the weekend means the Old Trafford outfit’s Champions League hopes are looking increasingly slim. The Red Devils are sixth, two points behind fifth-place West Ham and three points behind fourth-place Man City, who also have a game in hand on their rivals.

Therefore, barring a superb run of form in either the Premier League or Europa League, it seems United are set for a year without Champions League football.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are in a similar position in seventh, three points behind United but with a game in hand.

2. Spurs ‘like a German team’?

Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli, right, is challenged by Arsenal's Hector Bellerin at the weekend. Alastair Grant Alastair Grant

Tottenham have been winning admirers both in England and abroad this season.

After they comprehensively beat his side 4-1 on aggregate in the last round of the Europa League, Fiorentina boss Paolo Sousa called Mauricio Pochettino’s team ”one of the top five sides in Europe”.

And ahead of their meeting this evening, Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel has heaped similar praise on Spurs, likening them to a German team.

“They are full of energy, aggressive, press high up the pitch and win a lot of balls inside the opponents’ half,” he said.

“They have the best goal difference in the Premier League, score more goals than any other team and concede fewer. They are very intense and compact. And they have some great individual players. They deserve to be where they are in the Premier League.

“Spurs remind me a bit of a German team. A lot of their characteristics can be seen in German teams as well. They want to win the ball high on the pitch, are very compact, press high and defend as a unit, with their attackers also chiming in. That’s pretty unique in England.”

Of course, there is probably an element of self-interest in these managers’ kind words for Tottenham, but they surely must respect Spurs on some level to devote such high praise to their exploits.

That said, Tottenham will need to display more steel than they demonstrated against Arsenal at White Hart Lane on Saturday, with the hosts ultimately wilting somewhat and reverting to negative tactics despite playing against 10 men.

3. Coutinho vital for Liverpool

If there was any doubt over Philippe Coutinho’s importance to Liverpool, Sunday’s match with Crystal Palace provided ample evidence of his influence.

Before the Brazilian entered the action, Liverpool had slept-walked their way through proceedings. The Reds initially looked creatively inert and failed to register a single shot on target until well into the second half.

Despite James Milner’s sending off coming just moments after Coutinho’s 61st-minute introduction, Liverpool actually improved with 10 men.

And the Brazilian helped provide that extra attacking spark that saw his team edge past Palace ultimately.

In tonight’s big game therefore, expect to see Coutinho — who has registered five assists this season — back in the starting line-up once again.

Tonight’s Europa League Round of 16 first-leg fixtures:

Borussia Dortmund v Tottenham (6pm)

Basel v Sevilla (6pm) 

Fenerbahce v Sporting Braga (6pm) 

Shakhtar  Donetsk v Anderlecht (6pm) 

Athletic Bilbao v Valencia (8.05pm)

Liverpool v Man United (8.05pm)

Sprata Prague v Lazio (8.05pm)

Villarreal v Bayer Leverkusen (8.05pm)

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