Liverpool need to overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat from the away leg against Lille to keep alive their hopes of winning the Europa League trophy. The Merseysiders kick-off the return-leg at Anfield on Thursday at 20:05 hours (GMT). An even contest in France was settled by a free-kick from Hazard in the 84th minute. The attacker’s curling delivery evaded everyone in the box before creeping in at the far post.

Fernando Torres played the full 90 minutes and was a live-wire up front. Lille keeper Landreau was in superb form and kept Liverpool at bay throughout the first-leg tie.

Ahead of Thursday’s second-leg match, Lille defender Adil Rami is wary of the threat posed by the Liverpool number ‘9’. “You have to be so careful with him. He's good in the air, he's strong and he imposes himself. Above all, you can't let him turn because when he does he runs at 2,000 kilometres an hour!”

The French side arrive for the match at Anfield on the back of a 1-0 win at home to Grenoble in the league. The win kept Lille fifth, but the victory closed the gap at the top of the Ligue to just two points behind leaders Bordeaux, who have a game in hand.

For their part, the Reds will be buoyed by their recent 4-1 thrashing of Portsmouth. Torres struck his 14th and 15th goals of the season in Monday night’s win, as well as having a hand in Liverpool’s two other goals scored by Babel and Aquilani.

The draw for the quarter-finals will be held on Friday in Nyon, and Liverpool hope that their name will be in the hat for the last eight of the Europa League.