MANCHESTER UNITED are back in European action this evening with a clash against minnows Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League.
United got their campaign off to a bad start last week, losing 1-0 to Real Sociedad at home, so they’ll be looking for a more positive outcome tonight.
- Start time: 5/45pm BST
- TV/Live stream: BT Sport 2
- Sheriff XI: Koval, Zohouri, Kiki, Radeljic, Kpozo, Badolo, Kyabou, Diop, Akambi, Atiemwen, Outtara
- Man Utd XI: De Gea, Malacia, Varane, Martinez, Dalot, McTominay, Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Sancho, Ronaldo, Antony
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What time does Sheriff vs Man Utd kick off?
- Sheriff Tiraspol are set to entertain Manchester United TODAY – Thursday, September 15.
- It is scheduled to kick off at 5:45pm UK time – 7:45pm local time.
- Zimbru Stadium in Chsinau, Moldova is the allocated arena for this fixture and it has a small capacity of just 10,000 seats.
- This will be the first time these two clubs meet but Sheriff were beaten twice by English opposition Tottenham Hotspur in the 2013/14 Europa League campaign.
Man Utd starting XI:
Five changes from Erik ten Hag as Varane and Martinez return to the back four, with Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Jadon Sancho returning also.
1. de Gea, 20. Dalot, 19. Varane, 6. Martinez, 12. Malacia, 39. McTominay, 14. Eriksen, 21. Antony, 8. Fernandes, 25. Sancho, 7. Ronaldo
Credit: @ManUtd Sheriff subs:
1. Celeadnic, 4. Crespo da Silva, 11. dos Reis Pereira Vizeu Do Carmo, 12. Moumouni, 17. Mudasiru, 28. Rodrigues da Silva dos Santos, 33. Pascenco, 42. Guedes Borges
Sheriff starting XI:
Having been able to make several changes for their league game on the weekend, Stjepan Tomas was able to rest a lot of his key players.
35. Koval, 20. Zohouri, 15. Kiki, 6. Radeljic, 2. Kpozo, 10. Badolo, 18. Kyabou, 8. Diop, 61. Akanbi, 80. Atiemwen, 7. Ouattara
Credit: Reuters
Sheriff looking to lay down law
Not since being eliminated by Viktoria Plzen in Champions League qualifying have Sheriff suffered defeat in any competition.
Since bombing out of Europe’s elite competition, the Moldovan side have won six and drawn two of their eight encounters since.
The Moldovan giants will be looking to continue their fine form this evening.
Chișinău ready for Red Devils’ arrival
The Zimbru Stadium is all kitted out ready for the Europa League game against one of the biggest names in European football.
ten Hag’s star-studded United team will be looking to set the record straight this evening.
The small ground should offer a lively atmosphere with the game expected to be a sell-out with 10,400 fans in attendance.
Credit: Reuters ten Hag lauds United fans
The Man Utd manager has spoken about how great the support is from the United fans.
Following his team to Melbourne, Bangkok and Perth in pre-season they now follow The Red Devils to Moldova.
Tonight’s journey should be given far more credit with it being close to the Ukrainian border in the current climate.
Dutchman well aware of challenge
The Man Utd manager was asked of his team’s approach tonight following their defeat in their opening group game of the competition:
Pressure is for every game, we have to win every game. When you lose the first game, you have to win the second, so we know what our task is. We always play a strong team, so also tomorrow we will play a strong team.
Erik ten Hag
Keep the run going
Man Utd have scored in their last 15 European games and have not failed to score on the road since prior to the covid-19 pandemic.
Goals seemed hard to come by at Old Trafford in their last Europa League outing and the Dutch manager will be keen to see his attacking players firing on cylinders again.
The stern defence of Sheriff Tirapsol will ask questions of that record in Moldova tonight.
The Cristiano Conundrum
For the majority of the transfer window, the incoming signings were overshadowed by their wantaway striker looking to play Champions League football this term.
ten Hag could be seen to slump in his chair, every press conference, as more questions were fielded about the Portuguese striker’s time at Man Utd.
Tonight will offer Ronaldo to show why he is regarded as one of the best strikers in Europe.
Welcome to Sheriff vs Man Utd
Erik ten Hag takes his Man Utd team to Moldova this evening, hoping to get their first win of their Europe League campaign against Sheriff Tiraspol at the Zimbru Stadium.
Having lost their opening group game, losing 1-0 to Real Sociedad at Old Trafford, their hosts tonight ran out convincing 3-0 winners over Omonia Nicosia.
Pressure will be on the United manager to bounce back from the Real Sociedad defeat which ended their run of four consecutive wins, ten Hag will be keen to get his side off to winning ways in Europe this season.
Sheriff have come through their last two fixtures without any fresh injury concerns and only goalkeeper Dumitru Celeadnic should be absent following a positive covid-19 test.
United’s injury concerns are far more complicated with striker Anthony Martial still dealing with an achilles problem.
The Frenchman has been left out alongside Facundo Pellistri, Donny van de Beek, Martin Dubravka, Marcus Rashford, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Brandon Williams.
Luke Shaw’s foot injury has cleared up in time for him to be included in the squad, while Marcus Rashford’s absence should mean Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line for United this evening.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
