We just need a point to qualify, right? Yes, a draw would guarantee passage through to the knockout stages of the Europa League, regardless of the result between Feyenoord and Fenerbahce in the other group game. United can afford to lose if Feyenoord fail to win and, to finish top of Group A, the Reds just need to better Fenerbahce’s result. A draw for United and a Feyenoord victory would leave all three teams on 10 points, meaning the Reds would win the group due to a better head-to-head record against both of those sides. Zorya are certain to finish fourth. Teams who qualify as group winners avoid a last-32 clash against one of the four seeded teams who have been eliminated from the Champions League, as well as the other Europa League group winners. Phew!
Why haven’t Zorya been playing in Luhansk? The Chorno-Bili (‘Black and Whites’) were forced to leave their home city in 2014 because it is situated in the war-torn Donbass region of Ukraine. They’ve since been playing their home league games 300 miles away in Zaporizhia but that stadium doesn’t meet UEFA requirements, so they have been contesting their Europa League fixtures even further afield, in the southern port city of Odessa. It’s about a 1,200-mile round trip to and from Luhansk.
The games are coming thick and fast… will Jose Mourinho make many changes? You’re right. United were frustratingly held to a draw at Everton in the Premier League on Sunday and face another big game at home to Tottenham Hotspur only three days after taking on Zorya, so Mourinho will doubtless factor that into his team selection for the game in Odessa, which is a four-hour flight away. Luke Shaw wasn’t involved at Goodison Park, having been withdrawn at half-time in the preceding match against West Ham United, while Chris Smalling has missed the last nine fixtures. ManUtd.com will announce the travelling squad on Wednesday morning but one player who won’t be on board is Bastian Schweinsteiger - the German is ineligible as he was not named in United’s original Europa League squad.
What have our players been saying? “It’s a longer flight than we’re used to in Europe but we relish challenges like this. We beat them at Old Trafford but it wasn’t as easy as many people thought it might be, so we have to concentrate on our job and get the win.” – Phil Jones
What’s our record like in Ukraine? We’re unbeaten in three previous trips, which were all in the Champions League. The Reds drew 0-0 with Dynamo Kiev in September 2000 and beat the same opposition 4-2 in October 2007, en route to winning the competition that season. Most recently, Danny Welbeck scored in a 1-1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk in October 2013.
Have any clubs already booked their last-32 place? Yes, the following 13 teams have already qualified for the next round: Ajax, Roma, Schalke, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sparta Prague, Zenit St. Petersburg, Anderlecht, APOEL, Athletic, Genk, Krasnodar, Olympiacos and Saint-Etienne. Meanwhile, United’s Premier League rivals Southampton are among 22 sides still battling to progress on Thursday; the Saints need a win or a goalless draw at home to Hapoel Beer-Sheva.
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