Red Devils Face Eredivisie's FC Twente in Europa League Opener

Manchester United Prepare for Europa League Opener Against FC Twente at Old Trafford Manchester United will kick off their 2024-25 Europa League campaign on Wednesday night with a clash against Eredivisie side FC Twente at Old Trafford. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams, with United boasting an impressive record of just one defeat in nine home games against Dutch opposition. Match Preview Despite finishing eighth in last season's Premier League, Manchester United secured their spot in this year's Europa League by winning the FA Cup final against Manchester City. This marks their seventh appearance in the competition since it was rebranded in 2009. So far, United’s season has been a mixed bag, with three wins, three losses, and one draw in seven games across all competitions. They followed dominant victories over Southampton (3-0) and Barnsley (7-0) with a frustrating goalless draw against Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday. Erik ten Hag voiced his frustration after the game, claiming his team "dominated" the first half but ultimately failed to deliver in the final third. That result leaves United 11th in the league table after five games, trailing the top four by three points. Now, their attention shifts to the Europa League, where they will face FC Twente in the first of eight group-stage matches in the expanded 36-team tournament. Other teams in their group include Porto, Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce, PAOK, Bodo/Glimt, Viktoria Plzen, Rangers, and FCSB. United have a strong home record in the Europa League, having lost only one of their last 24 games at Old Trafford. They'll be aiming for a positive start to the competition, and are considered one of the favorites to win the tournament, with hopes of repeating their 2016-17 triumph. On the other hand, FC Twente finished third in the Eredivisie last season, their highest position in a decade. They’ve made a solid start to the new campaign, securing 11 points from six games and winning their last two matches against Heerenveen and Almere City. Twente’s most recent outing saw them crush Almere 5-0, with Sem Steijn netting twice, and Sam Lammers, Ricky van Wolfswinkel, and Anass Salah-Eddine also finding the back of the net. The Dutch side now sits fourth in the Eredivisie, seven points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven. This season marks Twente’s return to European competition for the first time since the 2012-13 Europa League group stage. They narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification earlier in the season, falling 5-4 on aggregate to Red Bull Salzburg in the third qualifying round. Under head coach Joseph Oosting, who took over in July 2023, Twente have won 27 of their 48 games. However, they face a challenging task to end their seven-game winless run in the Europa League when they visit Old Trafford. Historically, the Tukkers have struggled against English clubs, with just one win in 13 meetings – a 1-0 victory over Fulham in 2011. Team News Manchester United continue to deal with injuries, with summer signing Leny Yoro (foot) sidelined, while Luke Shaw (calf), Tyrell Malacia (knee), and Victor Lindelof (toe) remain doubtful, although Lindelof and Malacia have returned to training. With United managing three consecutive clean sheets, Ten Hag might rotate his defense, potentially bringing Harry Maguire into the lineup alongside Matthijs de Ligt or Lisandro Martinez. In midfield, Manuel Ugarte or Casemiro could start, replacing Kobbie Mainoo or Christian Eriksen. Marcus Rashford, who was left out against Palace, could return to the starting lineup, having scored three goals in his last two appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, Amad Diallo, and Antony are also competing for spots on the wings, while Joshua Zirkzee may lead the attack as Ten Hag continues to ease Rasmus Hojlund back into action. For FC Twente, midfielder Michal Sadilek remains unavailable after a leg injury sustained in a bicycle accident before Euro 2024, while Younes Taha is out with a broken leg suffered during a recent Eredivisie draw with PEC Zwolle. Coach Oosting is expected to stick with a largely unchanged side, with Bart van Rooij continuing at right-back alongside Mees Hilgers, Max Bruns, and Anass Salah-Eddine. Sem Steijn, who has been in fine form with seven goals in eight games, will likely operate behind striker Sam Lammers. Possible Manchester United Starting Lineup: Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Dalot; Ugarte, Mainoo; Antony, Fernandes, Rashford; Zirkzee Possible FC Twente Starting Lineup: Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Hilgers, Bruns, Salah-Eddine; Eiting, Regger; Rots, Steijn, Van Bergen; Lammers