LONDON — Premier League rivals Liverpool and Tottenham head into the final group matches of the Europa League Thursday, with both well-placed to join the likes of Inter Milan, Lyon and reigning champion Atletico Madrid in the knockout stage. The last five of 24 places are up for grabs as the competition prepares for the round of 32 to be played in February. Liverpool managed only a second win in 10 games at the weekend, but has a good chance to progress to the knockout stage in Europe. Liverpool travels to Italy to face an already-eliminated Udinese, looking to stay ahead of a Young Boys side that plays an already-qualified Anzhi Makhachkala of Russia. Liverpool and Young Boys are level on seven points from five games but the English club has the edge on the Swiss team in a tiebreaker by virtue of a better head-to-head record. In Group J, Tottenham hosts Panathinaikos. A win for either side would send them through, although Spurs need only a draw to advance. Tottenham started November badly, losing three league games in a row. Since then, manager Andre Villas-Boas has reversed his team's fortunes with three consecutive victories. Although other groups have long been decided, qualification is going down to the wire in Group E where two clubs from three — Steaua Bucharest, VfB Stuttgart and Copenhagen — will make it through. Steaua has rattled up 10 points so far but still needs to finish the job away to Copenhagen, while Stuttgart is at home to Norway's Molde. In Group G, the final games will decide if FC Basel or Videoton makes it to the next round. Basel is two points ahead and travels to Belgium to face already-qualified Genk — needing only a draw to make progress. — AP
