Stoke City to target Liverpool 'hangover' after Dortmund trip

Stoke will alter their approach this weekend in a bid to capitalise on any Europa League hangover Liverpool may suffer, assistant manager Mark Bowen has revealed.

Thursday's quarter-final, first leg clash with Borussia Dortmund promises to be an emotional affair, with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp returning to the club he led with success before making the move to Anfield in October.

Liverpool's trip to Germany is followed by a Premier League clash at home to Stoke on Sunday, with the Potters two points ahead of their opponents going into the game, albeit having played two games more.

"That could be, from our point of view, a big factor," Bowen said of Liverpool's Europa League match on Stoke's official website.

"I don't know off the top of my head what the stats are but it's a fact that a lot of clubs who play away in the Europa League on a Thursday then have problems the following Sunday.

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"That will be in our mind, in our game plan and the way we approach the game.

"We'll be looking for the players to start the game fast and take it to them because you'd hope that maybe they might have some sort of hangover from Thursday's game."