Former European champions Liverpool and PSV Eindhoven face a battle to reach the group stages of the Europa League in the second legs of their qualifying playoffs on Thursday.
English side Liverpool travels to Turkey with only a 1-0 lad from its first leg against Trabzonspor at Anfield last week, courtesy of Ryan Babel's goal.
In unfamiliar territory after failing to qualify for the Champions League last season, Liverpool risk missing out on making the group stages of Europe's second-tier club competition.
"Whether the margin of victory is enough, only time will tell, but we can at least go there with a lead and having not conceded a goal," manager Roy Hodgson said.
Liverpool is yet to win in the Premier League this season, its 3-0 defeat at Manchester City following a goalless draw at home to Arsenal.
The five-time European champion should welcome back attacking midfielder Joe Cole from domestic suspension but is set to be without Javier Mascherano, who "isn't in the right frame of mind at the moment to play," according to Hodgson, after being the subject of a bid from Barcelona.
PSV fared worse in its opening match in the playoffs, losing 1-0 to Russian side Sibir Novosibirsk after having Francisco Rodriguez sent off in the first half. The Dutch club, which won the European Cup in 1988, conceded a goal to Aleksandr Degtyarev in the second minute of injury time.
PSV at least recovered from its European setback by winning in its domestic championship, 3-1 against AZ Alkmaar on Sunday.
"We're happy to have bounced back from the defeat at FC Sibir. I asked the players to switch over and that's what they've done," coach Fred Rutten said.
Rodriguez will miss the second leg after being handed a one-match ban following his sending-off.
Meanwhile, fallen Italian giant Juventus has a 2-1 lead over Sturm Graz to take into the return leg thanks to a stoppage-time winner by Brazilian striker Amauri.
Aston Villa, which is level at 1-1 with Rapid Vienna, will look to avoid being eliminated in the Europa League playoffs by the Austrian team for the second year running.
Fellow English side Manchester City will be without first-leg match-winner Mario Balotelli for its return match against FC Timisoara, which lost 1-0 in Romania last week. The Italy forward is still nursing an injury sustained late in the first leg.
Elsewhere, Turkish sides Fenerbahce and Galatasaray are struggling to make it through. Galatasaray drew 2-2 at home to Karpaty Lviv of Ukraine and Fenerbahce lost 1-0 at PAOK Salonika in the first leg. (The Associated Press)
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