The Europa League takes centre stage on Thursday with 16 games scheduled in UEFA’s secondary competition.

They include a tricky trip to Turkey for Erik ten Hag and Manchester United, while Tottenham and Rangers both have winnable-looking assignments on their own patches.

There’s lots to look forward to and we’ve picked out our three best bets for Thursday.

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Bet of the day

Ajax to beat Qarabag @ 5/4

Ajax are in the midst of a nine-game unbeaten run and will fancy their chances of making it two Europa League wins in three outings when they face Azerbaijani side Qarabag.

Francesco Farioli’s side have scored 20 goals in seven games, winning five of them, and showed resolve to edge out Heracles in a seven-goal Eredivisie thriller on Sunday.

Qarabag, meanwhile, have lost both Europa League games. They went down 3-0 at Spurs last month despite the home side being reduced to 10 men after only eight minutes, while they were ahead early against Malmo but eventually lost 2-1.

This will be their ninth European game and, so far, their only wins in 90 minutes have come against Gibraltarian minnows Lincoln Red Imps. They have lost five of the last six since and Ajax may compound their misery.

Special of the day

Fenerbahce and Manchester United to draw @ 5/2

Man Utd are becoming draw specialists, with Ten Hag’s side ending all square in four of their last six in all competitions.

Indeed, the Red Devils can only lay claim to three wins in 10 games this season, outside of thrashing League One side Barnsley at Old Trafford in the EFL Cup.

Four of the next five ended level, including both Europa League games against FC Twente and Porto. Now Ten Hag takes his side to Istanbul to face Fenerbahce and former United boss Jose Mourinho.

Fener’s only domestic defeat this season came against league leaders Galatasaray.

In August, they were denied in the Champions League qualifiers by Edon Zhegrova’s winner in stoppage time as Lille edged them 2-1 in France, while the second leg went against them only after extra-time.

With former Red Devil Fred in midfield and veteran Edin Dzeko as well as Allan Saint-Maximin ahead of him, the hosts have enough to worry a lacklustre visiting side and it may well be a hat-trick of draws in this competition for Ten Hag.

Long shot of the day

Spurs to beat AZ Alkmaar 4-1 @ 14/1

Tottenham have won four of their last five games by more than a one-goal margin and should see off AZ Alkmaar with a bit to spare.

The Lilywhites beat Qarabag 3-0 in last month’s Europa League opener, but that is one of just three clean sheets in 11 games for Ange Postecoglou’s attack-minded side so far this season.

AZ have lost four games on the trot since late September, though they’ve at least scored in two of those.

They should find enough space behind Tottenham’s high line to create chances and get on the scoresheet, but the Londoners possess the quality in the final third to win this game with plenty to spare, especially as Postecoglou started Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke and Heung-Min Son against Qarabag at home last month.

They beat West Ham 4-1 here on Saturday and a repeat scoreline is a distinct possibility.

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