You'll have plenty to celebrate when you subscribe to the Liverpool FC newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

No wonder Jurgen Klopp was so delighted with the Europa League draw.

While many supporters greeted the pairing of Liverpool and Manchester United in the round of 16 with a sense of dread, the Reds boss was rubbing his hands in anticipation of the tie.

“That's great, really great,” said Klopp. “You can ask my staff. They said to me 'Who do we want?' and I said 'Man United'.”

“We played a good game against them in January but we lost 1-0. We didn't deserve that. This is a chance to make it better.”

As cures go, events at Anfield on Thursday night certainly provided significant remedial treatment.

Not, though, definitive. Not yet.

The portents will point to the fact Liverpool have never failed to progress from a European tie having won the first leg 2-0.

Indeed, they've only ever been eliminated five times – Inter Milan in 1965, Dinamo Tblisi in 1979, CSKA Sofia in 1982, Bayer Leverkusen in 2002 and Besiktas last year – having taken a lead into the away return match.

However, the weight of history isn't what makes Liverpool favourites to finish the job when they step out at Old Trafford on Thursday evening.

The manner in which Klopp's side pressed and harangued United out of their stride was reminiscent of their performance in that 1-0 Premier League loss at Anfield two months earlier.

Liverpool's record at Old Trafford has been appalling in recent times

The difference, of course, was Liverpool created more chances and, crucially, took them, despite the heroics of United goalkeeper David De Gea, who has made a habit of reserving his very best for these fixtures.

And Emre Can accepts Liverpool are now strong favourites to progress to the quarter-finals.

“Of course we are, we won 2-0!” he says. “We have to be happy about that

“Everyone was very happy with the draw to play United, we just wanted to play like recent games which we played very well.

“We did a good job and we have to keep going like that next week.

“It was a very big game for the Liverpool family. It was a great game, a great night, a great result.”

Liverpool's record at Old Trafford has, in truth, been appalling in recent times.

Reds fans will rightly savour the 3-0 win in the title-chasing season on 2013-14, or the historic 4-1 romp at their bitter North West rivals in 2009.

But those are the only times Liverpool haven't lost at Old Trafford since April 2004. That's a record of 12 defeats in 14 visits.

Extend that period further, and since last winning the championship in 1990, Liverpool have won only five of their last 30 trips down the other end of the East Lancs Road.

However, of the 18 losses in that time, only three were of the margin that would eliminate Klopp's men next week.

And if Liverpool were to score once at Old Trafford, it would leave United needing to score four to progress – something they've done only twice against the Reds since 1953.

'We don't want to defend for 90 minutes'

It's why Can has dismissed suggestions Klopp's side may rein in their attacking instincts.

“We have to keep going like in the first game,” says the Germany international, whose upturn in form has mirrored that of Liverpool in recent weeks.

“We have to press and we have to play to win the game.

“Of course, we have to try and score again. We don't want to defend for 90 minutes.

“We want to go to the quarter-final, we want to win this competition. We have played a lot of games in it already. It is very important to us.”

Liverpool have discovered their shooting boots in recent weeks, netting seven in their last three games just weeks after knocking six past Aston Villa.

It's been the perfect response to the Capital One Cup final defeat to United's neighbours City, although Can reveals the squad has put that disappointment behind them.

“That's done now,” says 22-year-old.

“This is very different. The spirit is very strong. There are good teams like Manchester United. We have to show our performances.”

'United weren't ready at Anfield'

Can played down his coming together on the final whistle with Marouane Fellaini on Thursday – “it was a small fight, that's football” – but the United midfielder had already been fortunate not to be dismissed by the otherwise card-happy referee Carlos Velasco Carballo.

The Anfield atmosphere drew praise from both Klopp and United counterpart Louis van Gaal, who has urged the United fans to follow suit.

And while Fellaini has warned Liverpool to expect a hostile reception, he admits much will depend on United matching the courage and actually acknowledging their boss.

“In the first half at Anfield we didn’t respect enough the gameplan of the manager,” he says. “That’s why we conceded a lot of chances.

“The fans will play a massive part for us. I hope they will help us go forward and score goals because we need it against Liverpool. We need the fans more than ever now.

“We need to play with... [laughs and points to his nether regions]. Against Liverpool it is always like this – lots of duels and lots of challenges.

“The team was not ready. I think the second game at Old Trafford with the fans behind us should be a different game. So it will be great to see it next Thursday.”