English football great Michael Owen has claimed that his former club Liverpool are a dark horse in this seasons' edition of the Champions League and should be a club that teams aim to avoid playing against.

The Reds secured their place in the quarter-finals of Europe's premier club competition following their 5-0 aggregate win against FC Porto, which concluded on Tuesday night.

This marks the first time that the Merseyside giants will play in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in nine years.

"Liverpool are set up perfectly for this type of football where it's knockout football," Owen told BT Sport.

"On their day, they can beat anyone and convincingly as well.

"It's going to be important. Any leg or any draw they get if they are going back to Anfield in the second leg, I just fancy Liverpool regardless.

"Even if they're 2-0 down for instance, we've seen it before.

"Dortmund for example, only happened a couple of seasons ago. Anfield is a magical place.

"Stevie [Gerrard] used the words dark horse and that's probably very apt.

"Nobody in this competition will want to face Liverpool."