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Thursday, 3 March 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Reuters: Defender Kolo Toure believes Liverpool can recover from Sunday’s painful League Cup final shootout defeat against Manchester City at Wembley and rescue their season by winning the Europa League.
Juergen Klopp’s side, seeking their first trophy in four years, face bitter rivals Manchester United this month in the last-16 of the continent’s second tier competition.
“You have to learn to lose sometimes before you win. We learn as a team together. The Europa League can save the season and the Premier League is not over yet,” Toure told British media.
Liverpool, who are ninth in the table, can quickly avenge Sunday’s defeat when they host fourth-placed City in the Premier League on Wednesday.
Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet said it was important for the five-times European champions to bounce back quickly from their Wembley disappointment.
“We have to pick ourselves up as soon as possible because we have another game on Wednesday,” added Mignolet.
“It’s not easy after (losing) a final but we have to perform, make sure we keep going in the Premier League and in the Europa League.”
Manchester United and Liverpool, English football’s two most decorated clubs, were drawn together in the last 16 of the Europa League.
The arch-rivals have won 38 league titles between them as well as eight European Cups yet both are struggling in the Premier League this season and are unlikely to relish being pitted against each other at this stage of the competition.
Bookmakers’ favourites Borussia Dortmund were also handed a tricky route into the last eight after being drawn against Tottenham Hotspur, who are second in the Premier League behind Leicester City.
Holders Sevilla, chasing a third successive title, will play Basel, while Valencia, who have enjoyed a recent resurgence by winning their last four games under English coach Gary Neville, face an all-Spanish tie against Athletic Bilbao.
Draw:
Shakhtar Donetsk v Anderlecht
Basel v Sevilla
Villarreal v Bayer Leverkusen
Athletic Bilbao v Valencia
Liverpool v Manchester United
Sparta Prague v Lazio
Borussia Dortmund v Tottenham Hotspur
Fenerbahce v Braga
Two-legged ties to be played 10 and 17 March
