The seventh and eighth-placed teams in the Europa League's league phase meet at Old Trafford on Thursday as Manchester United host Rangers.
United's struggles on the domestic front are well documented, as the Red Devils are 13th in the Premier League standings and closer to the league basement than the top. However, those woes haven't completely transferred over to continental play as United have won their last three UEL matches and can take a big step towards qualifying for the next round with a win on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Rangers are currently in second place in the Scottish Premiership behind arch-rivals Celtic. They are unbeaten in four UEL matches and can stay in the top eight with a good showing at Old Trafford.
Manchester United vs. Rangers: Head-to-head and recent statistics
- All-time meetings: 4
- Manchester United wins: 3
- Draws: 0
- Rangers wins: 1
Manchester United hold the all-time lead in meetings between these sides, with three wins in four matches.
Manchester United vs. Rangers: Team news
Manchester United
- Injured: Lindelof, Mount, Shaw
- Suspended: None
Rangers
- Injured: Lawrence, Souttar, Kasanwirjo, Sterling
- Suspended: Diomande
Manchester United vs. Rangers: What the managers are saying
Ruben Amorim, Manchester United
(via ManUtd.com)
"I know that some important players from Rangers will not play and we have to know the new players to understand the way that they play. They play with the full-backs really high on the pitch and they have talent to score in the final thirds. It is one more difficult game but it is important for us because we want to keep in the play-offs and we need to have that [extra] time to train. I expect the same thing we faced in the last games, a really tough match, a lot of physicality and also the fans from Rangers making some noise. So we are prepared, our fans are prepared and we want to win."
Philippe Clement, Rangers
(via Rangers.co.uk)
“This is another big challenge, all the spotlights are on them and the club. It is a massive opportunity to play teams of this size, with the budget they have and top-quality players.
“We know what to expect but we have to focus on ourselves and not the noise around Manchester United.
“We need to show our qualities and get the best out of each other.
“It has been a long time since Rangers won in England, so we have to go for the challenge.”
Manchester United vs. Rangers: Prediction
United will continue to do well outside of the Premier League, although Rangers will not be easy opponents.
Prediction: Manchester United 1-0 Rangers