Amorim make home debut as Man United host Bodo/Glimt
Ruben Amorim will make his home debut as Manchester United manager when they welcome Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt to Old Trafford in the Europa League.
The Amorim era began in slightly underwhelming fashion for Man United on Sunday, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by newly-promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
Post-match, the manager stated that it will be a long and arduous road to the top for this Man United team, which is set to undergo huge changes over the next nine months.
For now, the focus will be on the Europa League. It took United until matchday four to get their first win of the league phase, beating PAOK 2-0 under Ruud van Nistelrooy, earning the club their first win in Europe for over 12 months.
That has moved them up to 15th, and they now look on course to finish in the top eight, with Bodo/Glimt up next, before trips to Viktoria Plzen and FCSB, as well as a home clash with Rangers.
Bodo/Glimt will make just a second trip to England – after a 3-0 loss to Arsenal in 2022-23. A result at Old Trafford appears very unlikely given United’s home record in this competition, so Bodo will be targeting three or four points in their final three against Besiktas, Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Nice, to ensure they get over the line in the top 24.
In a first-ever meeting with Norwegian opponents, Man United will seek to extend a phenomenal run of form in this competition at home, having lost just one of their last 26 here in the Europa League.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Tottenham and Roma cross swords in North London
Fresh off the back of their astonishing 4-0 win over Manchester City at the weekend, Tottenham Hotspur welcome a Roma side in disarray to North London in the Europa League on Thursday.
The international break came at the perfect time, because Spurs’ two performances prior to it were woeful, handing Ipswich Town their first Premier League win in over 20 years, and being very lucky to leave Istanbul with a 3-2 loss against a Galatasaray side that could have scored seven or eight.
That result ended their 100% record in Europe, and saw them drop to seventh, but they will fancy their chances of moving back up the standings here, considering they have won seven in a row at home in the Europa League without conceding – scoring 19.
This will be their first ever meeting with Roma, and the home side will hope that they can continue their fine record at home to Italian clubs, because Spurs have only lost once in 10 previous meetings.
Roma are in dire straits, and have a woeful record in England, winning just one of their 23 games in the country, and none of the last 15 since winning at Liverpool in 2001, and current form offers very little to suggest they could end that here.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Nice in search of first league victory against Rangers
Nice, still in search of their first league phase victory, will welcome Rangers to the Allianz Riviera on Thursday night in matchday five of the 2024-25 Europa League.
The hosts are 10th in the table, outside the qualification places, with just two points, while the visitors are 10th with seven points from their four outings.
Nice have had a mixed start to the season so far, performing well domestically in fifth place in Ligue 1 with just two losses from 12 games, while simultaneously struggling in Europe, sitting 31st in the Europa League with two defeats in four matches.
They initially suffered a poor opening to the campaign, managing just two victories from their first 11 fixtures across all competitions, but they have rebounded in recent outings.
Franck Haise‘s outfit have now secured three wins and two draws from their last five, helping them rise to fifth in the Ligue 1 table with 20 points after 12 games, from five wins, five draws and just two losses.
With only four games remaining to reverse their European fortunes and secure a spot in the top 24 for a chance at knockout football, Nice must quickly improve, beginning with Thursday’s clash against Rangers.
Nice may have struggled in the Europa League so far, but they enter this match on their best run of form this season, and with Rangers often facing difficulties away from home, we believe the hosts will secure a victory here.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Heidenheim, Chelsea lock horns in Conference League clash
Both looking to keep their 100% continental records intact, Heidenheim and Chelsea will lock horns at Voith-Arena for a Conference League clash on Thursday evening.
FCH come into the match following a battering at the hands of the German champions in the Bundesliga, whilst the Blues are enjoying a productive start to the Premier League campaign under their forward-thinking management.
Taking charge of the club in 2007, legendary coach Frank Schmidt recently admitted that he only ever dreamed of reaching the second tier of domestic football with Heidenheim, but the German minnows are now facing the reality of two-time European champions Chelsea arriving at Voith-Arena in European competition on Thursday evening.
Just a decade after residing in the third tier of German football, Heidenheim are preparing to face one of Europe’s biggest clubs at Voith-Arena on Thursday night.
Despite their inexperience on the continental stage, FCH have made a flawless start to their 2024-25 Conference League adventure, recording three straight wins over NK Olimpija Ljubljana, Pafos FC and Scottish outfit Hearts, meaning that the hosts sit sixth in the 36-team league table.
Chelsea have also posted a run of four matches without defeat so far in November since bowing out of the EFL Cup at the fourth-round stage against Newcastle United in the final moments of October.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
FIXTURES
Beşiktaş 17:45 Maccabi Tel Aviv
Dynamo Kyiv 17:45 Viktoria Plzeň
Qarabağ 17:45 Olympique Lyonnais
Manchester United 20:00 Bodø / Glimt
Midtjylland 20:00 Eintracht Frankfurt
Slavia Prague 20:00 Fenerbahçe
Sporting Braga 20:00 Hoffenheim
Twente 20:00 Union Saint-Gilloise
