Manchester United vs FC Rostov, Europa League 2016/17: Where to watch live, preview, betting odds and possible XI
Manchester United host FC Rostov in the Europa League clash on Thursday.
Manchester United take on FC Rostov in the second leg of the Europa League round of 16 clash at Old Trafford on 16 March (Thursday).
Where to watch live
Kick-off is at 8:05pm GMT. Live coverage of the match is available on BT Sport 2.
Overview
Manchester United were knocked out of the FA Cup following a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea in the quarter-final clash at Stamford Bridge. They will be looking to avenge that defeat when they take on the Russian side in the second leg.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be back in contention along with Ander Herrera as the duo will miss the next two domestic games. However, the two are likely to start against Rostov in the midweek European fixture.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored the away goal in the first leg, which ended in a 1-1 draw. He is likely to retain his place in the starting lineup as Jose Mourinho will be looking for nothing less than a win on Thursday.
Rostov enter this tie after settling for a goalless draw against Terek Grozny in the league tie. Aleksandr Bukharov's equaliser in the second half saw them avoid a defeat in the first leg against the Premier League side.
The visitors are without an away win in this season's European competition and their record will be a matter of worry for manager Ivan Daniliants. United have enjoyed an impressive record at home in the Europa League and they will be looking to extend that run when they face the Russian side.
Rostov will be hoping to keep a clean sheet as that would be sufficient for them to qualify for the next round of the competition. However, a goal or two from United could make it difficult for them to progress.
What managers say
Jose Mourinho: "It was a very good performance in relation to the conditions. It was impossible to play better, impossible to play a passing game. We played what the game demanded and we played well. l remember as a kid some matches like this in Portugal on these type of pitches. To see my players coping with it and the humility to fight for every ball is a good feeling for me. I said before the game that I didn't want to go more and more into this. It is done. There are no injuries. The result is open to the second leg and one more experience for every one of us because our football life is full of experience and this is a new one for us," Mourinho was reported as saying by the Daily Mail.
Ivan Daniliants: "We Conducted two different halves. In the first, we could not more. They were shackled and away from the opponent. There was not enough aggression. Then loosen up, make amendments. usual "Rostov" can be found in the second half. We managed to score and play 1-1," Daniliants told Rostov's official website.
Betting Odds (betfair)
- Manchester United: 1/4
- Draw: 5
- FC Rostov: 16
Team News
Manchester United
Possible XI: De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Rojo, Shaw; Herrera, Pogba; Mata, Mkhitaryan, Rashford; Ibrahimovic.
FC Rostov
Possible XI: Dzhanayev; Mevlja, Navas, Kudryashov; Terentjev, Erokhin, Prepelita, Noboa, Bayramyan; Bukharov, Poloz.
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