Manchester United will be hoping to keep their hopes of winning Group E alive when they welcome Sheriff Tiraspol to Old Trafford in their penultimate Europa League group game on Thursday night.
United, who beat the Moldovan outfit 2-0 in the reverse fixture last month, will head into the contest one place and three points behind current table-toppers Real Sociedad, who, of course, they face in Spain next week. United will qualify for the knockout stages with a point against Sheriff, but will need to win to keep their hopes of topping the group alive and avoid an unwanted play-off round in February, such is the likelihood of Sociedad beating Omonia Nicosia.
The Reds, however, will head into the clash with Sheriff, who will arrive at Old Trafford without a manager after Stjepan Tomas resigned on Tuesday, with a spring in their step, fuelled with confidence after Casemiro's late header against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. That extended the Reds' unbeaten run in all competitions to six matches.
