While Liverpool needed a stoppage-time header to earn a point at Luton, Thursday’s opponents were on the receiving end of a late blow themselves.
The Reds will travel to Toulouse for the first time since a Champions League qualifier all the way back in 2007, with the double-header being the only previous encounter between the clubs until this season.
The French side currently sit 14th in Ligue 1, but the table could have looked a lot rosier for them had they not surrendered a lead in their final game before Liverpool’s visit.
Thijs Dallinga fired the hosts in front shortly after the interval, the same man who equalised for Carles Martinez Novell’s side at Anfield two weeks ago.
With just seven minutes of normal time remaining, Toulouse were on course for a vital three points which would have taken them all the way up to seventh in the league after 11 games.
A late brace from Mohamed Bayo saved the day for visitors Le Havre, including a 96th-minute winner to break TFC hearts at the death.
It leaves Toulouse hovering just one point above the relegation zone and puts them dangerously close to being dragged into a scrap at the rear end of the table.
Novell made just two changes to the side that were thrashed 3-0 away to Montpellier the previous weekend, with the goalkeeper, back four and midfield three all remaining the same in a 4-3-3 shape.
It was the same number of tweaks to the side that were beaten 5-1 by the Reds three days earlier, but on that occasion, the Ligue 1 side opted for a back five at Anfield.
Dallinga remains a threat for Thursday, with the forward currently sitting as the club’s top scorer this season on five goals in all competitions.
Toulouse currently look set to battle it out with Union SG for second place in the Europa League Group E, as they sit level with the Belgian side on four points at the halfway stage.
Toulouse XI vs. Le Havre: Restes; Desler, Costa (Diarra 68′), Nicolaisen, Suazo; Spierings, Schmidt (Sierro 77′), Casseres; Donnum (Cissoko 88′), Dallinga (Begraoui 77′), Magri (Bangre 88′)
Subs not used: Kamanzi, Gelabert, Keben, Dominguez
Fan Comments