Manchester United get their make-or-break Europa League quarter-final against Lyon underway this week.
The Red Devils are fully aware that success in Europe’s second-tier competition is now their only remaining hope of saving their season.
Ruben Amorim‘s side, who are already out of the FA Cup, sit 13th in the Premier League standings with just seven matches left.
United’s dismal draw with rivals Manchester City drilled home the acceptance that a top-seven finish is near impossible.
The Europa League, therefore, offers not only their final route to silverware but also Champions League qualification with glory.
United haven’t found the net in either of their two fixtures since returning from the international break, but have never lost to Lyon in four games in major European competitions.
The Ligue 1 giants will fancy this time is different after a 2-1 comeback win against Lille on Saturday left them fifth in France’s top-flight.
Lyon vs Man United: Bru beauty
Red Devils captain Bruno Fernandes remains a rare shining light for his side this season and proved so again during a drab derby.
The club’s ‘Portuguese Magnifico’ completed 93 percent of his passes while creating more chances than any other player on the pitch.
He will undoubtedly continue to shoulder the responsibility in Europe as well, such is his record in UEFA‘s secondary competition.
Fernandes has been involved in 41 goals in the UEFA Europa League, the most of any player in the competition’s history (24 goals, 17 assists).
He also has the most goals and assists in the knockout stages (16 goals, 11 assists), while his 11 assists are the joint most by a player in the knockouts, along with former teammate Juan Mata.
- Lyon have never beaten Manchester United in four attempts in major European competitions (D2 L2) only facing Barcelona more often without winning in Europe (P8 D3 L5).
- Manchester United’s two away visits to Lyon have both been in the UEFA Champions League and on both occasions they came from behind to draw, from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in September 2004 and 1-0 down to draw 1-1 in February 2008.
- Lyon’s 4-0 win over FCSB in the second leg of the last 16 was their biggest win in Europe since beating Apollon Limassol 4-0 in November 2017. They’ve scored 23 goals in this season’s UEFA Europa League, only scoring more in two major European campaigns – 29 in 2004-05 and 28 in 2016-17.
Lyon vs Man United: Team news
The home side were dealt a blow after announcing that winger Ernest Nuamah had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament.
Malick Fofana is also set to be sidelined for the first leg, but several former Premier League stars are expected to feature.
Nemanja Matic will reunite with his old side, alongside ex-Arsenal duo Alexandre Lacazette and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
The visitors, meanwhile, have played down concerns over Harry Maguire after his early withdrawal during the Manchester derby.
England teammate Kobbie Mainoo has been unavailable since February but could return alongside Matthijs de Ligt.
Ayden Heaven, Amad Diallo, Jonny Evans, and Lisandro Martinez all remain long-term absentees in the treatment room.
- Manchester United have lost just one of their last 21 UEFA Europa League matches (W14 D6), losing 3-0 away to Sevilla in April 2023. That defeat also remains the only time in those 21 games they have failed to score.
- Manchester United haven’t lost the first leg of any of their last 11 major knockout ties (W5 D6), since a 1-0 home defeat to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League in April 2019. Each of their last three away first leg matches have been drawn.
Lyon vs Man United: What has been said?
Andre Onana has confidently claimed Amorim’s side are ‘way better’ than their Europa League opponents.
Put to him that United’s season rests on the competition, the goalkeeper said: “100 per cent. We all know the importance of this game, so we will go there with a winning mentality.
“It’s not our best season but we still have something big to win, so we will go for it.
“It’s (Lyon) a very good team, we know some of them, but I don’t think we have to focus about them. It’s more about us, what we’re going to do.
“I think we are better than them, we just have to go there and show who we are.
“If we go there with a winning mentality and we are focused, we stay compact, together and we follow the game plan, we will be winning the game.
“Of course, it’s not going to be easy, but I think we are way better than them.”
- Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca will become the fifth manager to take charge of 50+ UEFA Europa League games after Unai Emery (93), Jorge Jesus (68), Jose Mourinho (58) and Jindrich Trpisovsky (52); three of the previous four have suffered defeat in their 50th game with Emery the exception in the 2015 final with Sevilla.
- Lyon’s Rayan Cherki has assisted eight goals in the UEFA Europa League this season, a joint record by a player in a season along with Atlético de Madrid’s Diego in 2011-12. Additionally, only Dries Mertens (39) has created more chances than Cherki (38) this season, with only two players creating 40+ chances in one season: Kevin De Bruyne in 2014-15 for Wolfsburg (52) and Hakim Ziyech in 2016-17 for Ajax (40).
Lyon vs Man United: talkSPORT coverage
This Europa League quarter-final first-leg will take place on Thursday, April 10.
Kick-off at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais is scheduled for 8pm.
talkSPORT will have live coverage of all the action from France.
Hugh Woozencroft will be your host, while commentary comes from Alex Crook and former Watford striker Troy Deeney.
To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
Listen via the talkSPORT app here, or on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
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The game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports too.
