Liverpool and their Premier League counterparts West Ham United and Brighton can all clinch spots in the knockout phase of the Europa League this Thursday with a round of group games to spare, while troubled Ajax face elimination from the competition.
The Anfield side could have already wrapped up their place in the next round earlier this month, but they succumbed to a 3-2 defeat by Toulouse amid a euphoric atmosphere in France, albeit only after having a last-gasp equaliser ruled out by the VAR.
That victory was celebrated, understandably, by Toulouse and their supporters as one of their greatest ever results, but it should go down as nothing more than a minor setback for Jurgen Klopp and his team.
Having won their previous three outings in Group E despite massive changes to the line-up each time, Liverpool need only avoid defeat at home against LASK of Austria in order to secure progress before their final match away to Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium next month.
Indeed they will qualify regardless provided the Belgians do not win in Toulouse at the same time, but there is also a chance the Reds could wrap up top spot in the group — that would ensure they advance straight to the last 16 rather than having to participate in an extra round of play-offs.