Europa League Action

Manchester City and Liverpool both get their Europa League action underway with matches today. 

Manchester City travels to Austria today to face Austrian Bundesliga opponent SV Salzburg in opening matches for the Europa League crown.  Salzburg is led by 21 year old striker Jakob Jantscher who has 3 goals in 4 games in Austrian Bundesliga competition this year.  He is also a member of the Austrian National Team. 

City backup goaltender Shay Given may get the start today to give the amazing Joe Hart a day of rest after all the work he has had to do to keep City afloat as the new players try to gel with the club.  Emmanuel Adebayor will sit out today with an injury.  On the positive side, Wayne Bridge is expected to see his first action of the year after picking up an ankle injury during the tour of America.

Prediction: Manchester City 2 SV Salzburg 0

Liverpool gets a home match to start Europa League action with a matchup versus Romanian football squad Steaua Bucuresti. 

Strikers Bogdan Stancu and Romeo Surdu have eight of Steaua's 11 league goals between them. Highly-rated 19 year-old midfielder Mihai Radut has started in all seven of Steaua's league games and was awarded his first international cap when Romania called him up in June.

Liverpool will be without Dirk Kuyt (shoulder) and Fabio Aurelio (Achilles) and Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard will most likely sit as well to rest for saturday's match versus Man U.  Expect a similar strategy from Bucuresti to that of Rangers versus Man U.  Play stiff defense and hope to hold on for a 0-0 draw.  Although the Reds have struggled to put a capable offense on the pitch at times, I fully expect them to get that first goal and clamp down defensively to hold on.

Prediction: Liverpool: 1  SV Salzburg 0