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Top Winners and Losers After Europa League 2019 Matchday 1 Results

Sep 19, 2019
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 19: Bukayo Saka of FC Arsenal celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Europa League group F match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Arsenal FC on September 19, 2019 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 19: Bukayo Saka of FC Arsenal celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Europa League group F match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Arsenal FC on September 19, 2019 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)

Arsenal beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 on Thursday to enjoy a perfect start to their UEFA Europa League campaign. Teenager Bukayo Saka was the star of the show for the Gunners, picking up two assists and a goal in Germany.

Manchester United were also winners on Thursday. Mason Greenwood was on target for the Red Devils in a 1-0 win over FC Astana at Old Trafford.

However, Wolverhampton Wanderers' disappointing start to the season continued against Portuguese side Sporting Braga at Molineux. Ricardo Horta's second-half goal gave the visitors a 1-0 win.

    

Matchday 1 Results

Apoel Nicosia 3-4 F91 Dudelange

FK Qarabag 0-3 Sevilla

Borussia Monchengladbach 0-4 RZ Pellets WAC

Roma 4-0 Istanbul Basaksehir

Slovan Bratislava 4-2 Besiktas

Wolves 0-1 Sporting Braga

Manchester United 1-0 FC Astana

Partizan Belgrade 2-2 AZ Alkmaar

Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 Malmo FF

FC Copenhagen 1-0 Lugano

FC Basel 5-0 FK Krasnodar

Getafe 1-0 Trabzonspor

LASK 1-0 Rosenborg

PSV Eindhoven 3-2 Sporting Lisbon

CFR Cluj 2-1 Lazio

Rennes 1-1 Celtic

Eintracht Frankfurt 0-3 Arsenal

Standard Liege 2-0 Vitoria Guimaraes

FC Porto 2-1 Young Boys

Rangers 1-0 Feyenoord

Espanyol 1-1 Ferencvarosi TC

Ludogorets Razgrad 5-1 CSKA Moscow

KAA Gent 3-2 Saint-Etienne

VfL Wolfsburg 3-1 Oleksandria

   

Winner: Arsenal's Youngsters

Unai Emery handed youngsters Joe Willock, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka starts against Eintracht Frankfurt and was rewarded with impressive displays from all three.

Willock opened the scoring for the Gunners with a deflected shot, his fourth goal in 11 senior matches, and brought energy to the Arsenal attack.

Twitter account Football Talent Scout offered a summary of his performance:

However, the day really belonged to 18-year-old Saka, who scored and produced two assists in his first start of the season for the Gunners.

Squawka Football highlighted his threat:

Smith Rowe could have got his name on the scoresheet, too, but fired a good chance straight at goalkeeper Kevin Trapp. Yet the 19-year-old still did enough to impress football writer Amy Lawrence:

Emery is likely to afford his youngsters more opportunities in the competition this season, and on this evidence, they look ready to make an impact for Arsenal.

      

Loser: Nicolas Pepe

Nicolas Pepe joined Arsenal in the summer from Lille in a club-record £72 million deal but has had a tough start to the season and was completely upstaged by Saka on Thursday.

The 18-year-old started ahead of Pepe and put in the sort of performance that suggested he will see plenty more game time this season, as shown by BT Sport (UK only):

Saka looked full of confidence, linked brilliantly with his team-mates and also showed his class in front of goal to net Arsenal's second.

It was the sort of performance that left some football writers questioning why Arsenal had bothered splashing out on Pepe:

Meanwhile, former Arsenal captain Martin Keown told BT Sport (h/t Matt Porter for MailOnline) that he thought Saka "looks better" than Pepe. 

There is no doubt that Saka put in a statement performance against Frankfurt and that could spell bad news for Pepe.

   

Winner: Mason Greenwood

Mason Greenwood was Manchester United's match-winner against FC Astana, scoring his first senior goal for the Red Devils to give the hosts victory.

The 17-year-old also made history with his strike:

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been happy to talk up Greenwood this season. The Norwegian told reporters ahead of Thursday's match that the teenager is "one of the best finishers I've seen."

The teenager struck on 73 minutes, beating his defender and firing past the goalkeeper at his near post with a low strike.

His goal brought comparisons with former Manchester United striker Robin van Persie:

Manchester United will be hoping Greenwood's goal is the first of many for the club. He has already provided glimpses of his talent this season but is sure to be given more opportunities to impress as the campaign develops.

    

Loser: Marcus Rashford

While Greenwood will have impressed with his finishing ability, his team-mate Marcus Rashford did not shine in front of goal.

The England international wasted several good opportunities to break the deadlock as the Red Devils struggled to break down the visitors.

Samuel Luckhurst at the Manchester Evening News offered his thoughts on Rashford:

There is added pressure on Rashford to score this season following the departures of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez, and he may face increased competition from his place from young Greenwood.

Rashford has three goals and an assist in five Premier League games this season, a strong record, but Solskjaer will still expect him to be more clinical in front of goal.

   

Loser: Patrick Cutrone

Wolves suffered disappointment at Molineux on their return to the main stage of a European competition, but it might have been a different story had Patrick Cutrone taken his chances.

The striker arrived from AC Milan in July and opened his account for his new club in their 5-2 defeat by Chelsea in the Premier League.

He was in from the start against Sporting Braga and had chances in the first half. The best opening he could only drill wide from Matt Doherty's pass.

Journalist Tim Spiers felt Cutrone would rue his misses:

Wolves were made to pay in the second half when the visitors scored the only goal of the match to condemn Nuno Espirito Santos' side to a third straight defeat.

It has been a poor start to the season for Wolves. They have looked defensively fragile in their opening games but will also need to convert their chances if they are to progress in Europe.

Mason Greenwood's 1st Senior Goal Leads Manchester United Past Astana

Sep 19, 2019

Mason Greenwood wrote his name into the record books as Manchester United's youngest-ever goalscorer in European competition after netting his first senior goal to help United beat FC Astana 1-0 in the 2019/20 UEFA Europa League at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

The 17-year-old's second-half strike helped a team featuring nine changes from Saturday's 1-0 Premier League win over Leicester City ensure the winners of this competition in 2017 set the early pace in Group L.

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1174784477417132036

United predictably owned possession from the off against an Astana team putting nine men behind the ball. The hosts dominated, but their play left a lot to be desired.

Rashford went close from a free-kick and was also denied by a fine stop from Nenad Eric when one on one. Aside from Rashford, United weren't getting enough men into threatening positions in the danger areas.

It didn't help there was a curious shape to the home side's front three. Marcus Rashford occupied the middle, while Greenwood, a prolific centre-forward at academy level, was shunted out wide, where he rarely looked comfortable.

In fairness to the players up top, there was a lack of quality service, particularly from wide areas. Raiding right-back Diogo Dalot was never shy about getting forward, but his poor final decisions were raising the ire of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer:

Things didn't improve immediately after a goalless first half, with Greenwood still looking lost out wide following the restart. United were still struggling to move the ball quickly enough between the lines to drag the visitors out of their compact shape.

At least Angel Gomes was looking confident and accomplished on the ball in midfield:

The 19-year-old continued to exert his influence after the break, showcasing plenty of deft touches and neat, intelligent passing. Yet even with Gomes catching the eye, United struggled to manufacture clear-cut chances.

The best the home side managed was forgotten man Fred going close from a free-kick. Solskjaer then asked experience to bail United out when he brought on Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata for Gomes and fellow 19-year-old Tahith Chong.

Despite the arrival of two senior players, it was one of the youngsters who made the difference when the previously quiet Greenwood struck on 73 minutes. A neat piece of skill fashioned a shooting chance, one the teenager took with expert coolness.

In the process, Greenwood made club history:

United went close to doubling the lead when a Lingard effort struck the bar and Dalot fluffed his lines from the rebound. Lingard also went close when Greenwood played him in late on, only for Eric to stand tall once again.

The Red Devils made it over the line, but Solskjaer's refreshed group looked far from impressive doing it, bar Greenwood, who offered a timely reminder of his match-winning quality in front of goal.

                

What's Next?

The Red Devils are away to West Ham United in domestic action on Sunday, while Astana face Zhetysu at home on the same day. Both teams return to the Europa League on Oct. 3, when United travel to face AZ Alkmaar and Astana host Partizan Belgrade.

Bukayo Saka Brilliant as Arsenal Cruise Past Frankfurt in 2019 Europa League

Sep 19, 2019

Arsenal kicked off their UEFA Europa League campaign with a 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt at the Commerzbank-Arena on Thursday.

The hosts had plenty of chances in the first half but could not find a way past goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and fell behind when Joe Willock's deflected shot flew in off the underside of the crossbar.

Frankfurt had more chances in the second half but were let down by some poor finishing and went down to  10 men when Dominik Kohr picked up a second yellow card late on for a foul on Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal made the most of their man advantage and wrapped up the win with two late goals. Saka curled home the Gunners' second from outside the penalty area before slipping in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to fire home their third.

Unai Emery made seven changes to his team and handed starts to youngsters Willock, Saka and Emile Smith Rowe in Germany. Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt brought experienced stars Bas Dost, Filip Kostic and Kohr back into their starting XI.

An eventful first half saw plenty of chances for both sides but only one goal. Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira spurned a glorious chance after just five minutes, blasting wastefully over the bar after arriving in the box unmarked.

Frankfurt went close with Kostic, Dost and Andre Silva all having sights of goal. However, the hosts were let down by a combination of poor finishing and good goalkeeping from Martinez. 

Squawka Football noted Frankfurt's attacking intent:

Yet Arsenal created chances of their own at the other end. Willock fired wastefully wide after good work from Aubameyang, while Smith Rowe placed a tame shot straight at Kevin Trapp.

The deadlock was broken on 38 minutes when Willock's shot took a deflection off captain David Abraham and looped over Trapp and in via the underside of the crossbar:

Frankfurt could have equalised just before half-time. Danny da Costa and Kohr combined to feed Silva, but his shot across goal was saved by Martinez.

The match followed a similar pattern in the second half. Frankfurt continued to pepper the Arsenal goal with shots but could not find an equaliser:

The hosts suffered a further blow when Kohr was second off with a little over 10 minutes of normal time remaining. The midfielder was handed his second yellow card of the match after bringing down Saka.

The Arsenal youngster then piled more misery on Frankfurt by doubling the visitors' lead. He curled home a superb shot from outside the box for his first Gunners goal:

The 18-year-old then nicked possession in midfield and slid in Aubameyang to roll the ball past Trapp and complete an impressive result for Emery's men.

    

What's Next?

Both teams return to domestic action on Sunday. Eintracht Frankfurt host Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, while Arsenal welcome Aston Villa to the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League. Both teams return to Europa League action on Oct. 3 with Arsenal hosting Standard Liege and Eintracht hosting Vitoria.

Unai Emery: Mesut Ozil and Sokratis Rested for Frankfurt Europa League Match

Sep 19, 2019

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has confirmed that neither Mesut Ozil nor Sokratis Papastathopoulos will feature in the team's UEFA Europa League showdown with Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday. 

Both players were involved in the Gunners' thrilling 2-2 draw with Watford in the Premier League on Sunday. For Ozil, it was his first competitive start of the season.

Despite that, neither are in the travelling squad for what promises to be a challenging match at the Commerzbank-Arena, and Emery said both have been rested rather than dropped, per Sky Sports:

"Sokratis and Mesut (are) rested for that match. We're going to play another match on Sunday.

"My decision is because he (Ozil) played, I'm thinking (of) tomorrow's first XI and after that deciding who can be the best for tomorrow. The first match he played on Sunday he played good with his capacity and skills, his first minutes for us was good. Now he is going to be helping us. Sunday we are going to play another match."

Against Watford, it was an afternoon of differing fortunes for Ozil and Sokratis, with the Gunners surrendering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Vicarage Road.

The former was involved in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's second goal. His pinpoint pass released Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who squared to the centre-forward to tap in. The Arsenal Twitter account shared the goal, noting the Gabon star's brilliant record:

Ozil played 71 minutes at Watford, and while he was typically smart in possession, neither he nor the rest of the midfielders were able to get a grip on the game by the time Watford started to apply significant pressure to the Arsenal defence.

Given his lack of time on the field, Thursday's fixture seemed an ideal chance to give Ozil some minutes, even as a possible substitute. It means Emery's decision to leave him out of the squad entirely will raise eyebrows.

Mark Mann-Bryans of the Press Association said he doesn't think the former Germany international has a future at the Emirates Stadium:

Football journalist Nick Ames offered another potential reason for Ozil's absence but called on Emery to address the issue head on:

Sokratis' omission makes more sense. Not only has the Greek defender played every minute of the Gunners' season so far, he also made a major error on Sunday that allowed Watford back into the game. Some extra time to recuperate and refocus should assist the Borussia Dortmund man.

Thursday's game will be a test for Arsenal, who were runners-up in the Europa League last season. Frankfurt were knocked out of the previous edition of the competition at the semi-final stage by eventual winners Chelsea, and their fanbase will provide a raucous backdrop to the action.

Daniel James out for Manchester United's UEL Opener vs. Astana with Injury

Sep 18, 2019
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Daniel James of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Leicester City at Old Trafford on September 14, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Daniel James of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Leicester City at Old Trafford on September 14, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed Daniel James will miss the club's UEFA Europa League clash with Astana on Thursday through injury. 

BBC Sport's Simon Stone relayed as much:

The Red Devils will host Astana at Old Trafford in the opening match of their Europa League campaign.

Per Stone, James did not take part in training on Wednesday:

Simon Peach of the Press Association relayed from Solskjaer that James suffered the unspecified injury in the 1-0 win over Leicester City last Saturday.

The manager also confirmed Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw will be unavailable against Astana, but Jesse Lingard and Diogo Dalot can be called upon after recovering from fitness issues of their own.

James arrived in the summer from Swansea City in a £15 million deal.

The 21-year-old has enjoyed a fine start to life at Old Trafford, scoring three goals in his first five appearances for the club, four of which he's started.

He also scored his second goal for Wales' senior side during the international break:

https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/1171137490541064192

The winger's performances have drawn plenty of plaudits this season, including from former players Matt Upson and Don Hutchison as well as the Telegraph's Jason Burt on BBC 5 Live Sport:

Without James and Martial, United won't have many senior options available in wide positions on Thursday.

The Europa League group stage isn't likely to be among the Red Devils' highest priorities, though, so Solskjaer may view it as a good opportunity to give minutes to younger players.

Europa League 2019: Matchday 1 Odds, Live Stream, TV Schedule and Predictions

Sep 18, 2019

The long path to UEFA Europa League glory begins on Thursday, when the group stages of the 2019-20 competition get under way.

There are some big names involved in the competition this season, with Manchester United and Arsenal high-profile representatives from the Premier League. The former welcome Astana to Old Trafford in their first match of the competition, while the Gunners face a challenging trip to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Elsewhere, La Liga leaders Sevilla travel to Qarabag, while Serie A giants Roma will host Istanbul Basaksehir.

       

Europa League Fixtures

Group A

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET Apoel Nicosia vs. Dudelange (2-0)

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET Qarabag vs. Sevilla (0-2)

      

Group B

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET Dynamo Kiev vs. Malmo (3-0)

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET Copenhagen vs. Lugano (1-0)

    

Group C

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET Basel vs. Krasnodar (2-1)

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET Getafe vs. Trabzonspor (1-0)

    

Group D

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET LASK vs. Rosenborg (1-1)

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET PSV Eindhoven vs. Sporting Lisbon (1-1)

    

Group E

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET CFR Cluj vs. Lazio (0-2)

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET Rennes vs. Celtic (2-1)

   

Group F

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET Frankfurt vs. Arsenal (2-2)

5:55 p.m BST./12:55 p.m. ET Standard Liege vs. Vitoria Guimaraes (2-1)

    

Group G 

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Porto vs. Young Boys (2-0)

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Rangers vs. Feyenoord (0-0)

    

Group H 

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Espanyol vs. Ferencvaros (3-0)

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Ludogorets vs. CSKA Moscow (1-2)

    

Group I

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Gent vs. Saint-Etienne (1-1)

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Wolfsburg vs. Oleksandria (3-1)

   

Group J

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Wolfsberger (3-0)

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Roma vs. Istanbul Basaksehir (2-0)

   

Group K 

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Slovan Bratislava vs. Besiktas (1-1)

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Braga (3-1)

     

Group L

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Manchester United vs. Astana (3-0)

8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET Partizan Belgrade vs. AZ Alkmaar (2-1)

      

Viewing Details: Matches are available via BT Sport and the BT Sport website in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the matches can be streamed through B/R Live.

     

Odds

Apoel Nicosia (8/25), Draw (4/1) Dudelange (19/2)

Qarabag (48/10), Draw (61/20), Sevilla

Dynamo Kiev (37/50), Draw (26/10), Malmo (4/1)

Copenhagen (53/100), Draw (32/10), Lugano (52/10)

Basel (23/20), Draw (5/2), Krasnodar (23/10)

Getafe (61/100), Draw (29/10), Trabzonspor (47/10)

LASK (11/10), Draw (24/10), Rosenborg (25/10)

PSV Eindhoven (19/20), Draw (11/4), Sporting Lisbon (27/10)

CFR Cluj (37/10), Draw (26/10), Lazio (77/100)

Rennes (11/10), Draw (9/4), Celtic (27/10)

Frankfurt (43/20), Draw (25/10), Arsenal (5/4)

Standard Liege (83/100), Draw (53/20), Vitoria Guimaraes (13/4)

Porto (1/2), Draw (13/4), Young Boys (55/10)

Rangers (13/10), Draw (47/20), Feyenoord (21/10)

Espanyol (33/100), Draw (41/10), Ferencvaros (85/10)

Ludogorets (16/10), Draw (22/10), CSKA Moscow (18/10)

Gent (12/10), Draw (49/20), Saint-Etienne (9/4)

Wolfsburg (9/50), Draw (25/4), Oleksandria (14/1)

Borussia Monchengladbach (3/10), Draw (5/1), Wolfsberger (75/10)

Roma (41/100), Draw (39/10), Istanbul Basaksehir (62/10)

Slovan Bratislava (26/10), Draw (49/20), Besiktas (21/20)

Wolverhampton Wanderers (61/100), Draw (59/20), Braga (46/10)

Manchester United (19/100), Draw (25/4), Astana (12/1)

Partizan Belgrade (29/20), Draw (47/20), AZ Alkmaar (19/10)

  

Odds courtesy of Caesars.

      

Manchester United vs. Astana

While Red Devils fans would likely prefer to be in the UEFA Champions League, their involvement in this competition will provide manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a chance to give some of his young players an opportunity to impress.

After all, on Saturday against Leicester City, the United squad was stretched, with a number of key players absent due to injury. Following such a tough game, some fresh faces will likely come in against Astana.

For the clash with the Foxes, Tahith Chong, Angel Gomes and Mason Greenwood were all on the bench. Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News thinks the latter deserves a chance from the start:

Astana will be underdogs for the contest regardless of the XI fielded by Solskjaer, although they have shown they shouldn't be taken lightly. The Kazakhstan outfit got the better of BATE Borisov over two legs to advance to this stage.

Even so, the 6,000-mile trip is likely to yield zero points for Astana, with the stage set for some of the Red Devils' youthful jewels to shine.

       

Frankfurt vs. Arsenal

After making it to the final of the competition before losing to Chelsea last season, Arsenal will be looking to go one better this time around. Frankfurt, who were beaten by the Blues in the semi-finals of last term's tournament, represent a big challenge first up.

The Bundesliga side may not be as fearsome a prospect as last term, though, as they lost all three members of their potent attacking trio in the summer—Luka Jovic, Sebastien Haller and Ante Rebic all moved on.

Arsenal will still face a raucous atmosphere at Commerzbank-Arena, though, and it'll be intriguing to see what team manager Unai Emery selects after their disappointing 2-2 draw with Watford on Sunday. Per Duncan Alexander of Opta, so far this season the Gunners have been soft in defence:

In a boost for Arsenal, according to Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail, defender Rob Holding is ready to play some part in the fixture, having been out of action since December with a knee injury.

With Alexandre Lacazette injured, the in-form Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the only natural option to start in attack. The Gabon international has already netted five Premier League goals, and his predatory instincts will help Arsenal take a point from the clash in Germany.

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Arsenal: Europa League Odds, Live Stream, TV Schedule

Sep 18, 2019
WATFORD, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 15: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal (14) and team mates Granit Xhaka and David Luiz react during the Premier League match between Watford FC and Arsenal FC at Vicarage Road on September 15, 2019 in Watford, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
WATFORD, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 15: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal (14) and team mates Granit Xhaka and David Luiz react during the Premier League match between Watford FC and Arsenal FC at Vicarage Road on September 15, 2019 in Watford, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Arsenal open another season in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday with a trip to face Eintracht Frankfurt in a tantalising Group F headliner.

The two teams came close to contesting last year's final but now clash at the Commerzbank-Arena hoping for an early boost to their European prospects for this season.

Arsenal are without a win in their last two away games (since the 1-0 opening-day victory at Newcastle United), while Eintracht's only Bundesliga points this season have come at home to Fortuna Dusseldorf and Hoffenheim.

Gunners manager Unai Emery has played a part in four of the last six Europa League finals (he won three with Sevilla) and returns to Europe's second-tier competition targeting a fast start.

       

Date: Thursday, September 19

Time: 5:55 p.m. BST/12:55 p.m. ET

Venue: Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany

Live Stream: B/R Live (U.S.), BT Sport Live (UK), fuboTV (U.S.)

TV Info: BT Sport 2 (UK)

       

Odds

Eintracht Frankfurt: 43-20

Draw: 5-2

Arsenal: 5-4

Via Caesars.

      

Preview

The visit to Frankfurt promises to be Arsenal's most difficult fixture of the group on paper—the Eagles made it to the semi-finals last season and were only beaten on penalties by eventual winners Chelsea.

The Gunners' early-season form has been mixed. They lost 3-1 at Liverpool in late August, but surrendering a 2-0 lead to draw at Watford on Sunday was arguably a bigger disappointment, via Sky Sports:

Emery has placed a lot of faith in Arsenal's attack this season, but journalist Charles Watts highlighted the absence of Alexandre Lacazette, who is out until October due to an ankle injury:

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in the first half at Vicarage Road, while £72 million signing Nicolas Pepe is still to open his account after five appearances for the club.

That being said, the defence should be an area of concern leading up to Thursday. David Luiz and Sokratis Papastathopoulos were at fault for each of Watford's goals, but injury analyst Ben Dinnery noted Rob Holding could soon be back after nine months out with a knee problem:

Goncalo Paciencia has scored three times for Frankfurt this season—their only player to have netted more than once—and the first Portuguese to play for the club shoulders a big responsibility in attack.

Four games into the Bundesliga season and Paciencia has already accrued as many goals as he did over the course of 2018-19, albeit he was limited to just 11 league appearances due to a meniscus injury.

The former FC Porto star issued a rallying call after his side lost 2-1 at Augsburg on Saturday:

Paciencia has helped make up the attack after Luka Jovic (Real Madrid), Sebastien Haller (West Ham United) and Ante Rebic (AC Milan on loan) all left during the summer transfer window.

Frankfurt may no longer pose the same threat in terms of personnel, but a record of two wins from two at home this season may intimidate an Arsenal team that is a lot less reliable away from home.

Manchester United vs. FC Astana: Europa League Odds, Live Stream, TV Schedule

Sep 18, 2019

Manchester United turn their attention to the UEFA Europa League on Thursday when they open their Group L campaign at home to FC Astana.

The midweek fixture gives Ole Gunnar Solskjaer an opportunity to rest some star names, though the Red Devils manager will be wary of suffering an unwanted upset in their opening group match.

This will be the first meeting between United and the Kazakh side, who advanced to this stage at the expense of BATE Borisov.

AZ Alkmaar and Partizan Belgrade make up the remainder of Group L, and they will face off in Serbia on Thursday.

       

Date: Thursday, September 19

Time: 3 p.m. BST/8 p.m. ET

Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, England

Live Stream: B/R Live (U.S.), BT Sport Live (UK)

TV Info: BT Sport 2 (UK)

        

Odds

Manchester United: 1-5

Draw: 25-4

Astana: 12-1

Via Caesars.

      

Preview

United fans won't have wanted another season playing in Europe's second-tier tournament. That being said, the visit of Astana at least gives Solskjaer's side an opportunity to start on the right foot.

A home fixture against the team most will expect to finish at the bottom of Group L presents the Red Devils with a fine chance to take an early lead in their pool (U.S. viewers only):

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1167407119689297921

Anything but a first-place finish will be considered embarrassing for Solskjaer and his team, who won 1-0 at home to Leicester City on Saturday thanks to a Marcus Rashford penalty.

The England international could be one of the big names rested for the Europa League opener, and sports writer Si Lloyd touted the emerging Mason Greenwood as a contender to take his starting spot:

The 17-year-old impressed in pre-season and has come off the bench in four of United's five Premier League games this season, but those appearances still add up to just over one half of football (47 minutes). 

Greenwood, Tahith Chong and Angel Gomes will all be vying for starts in Europe this season to enhance their first-team prospects.

Astana beat Shakhter Karagandy 2-1 on Sunday and enter Thursday's fixture sitting third in the Kazakhstan Premier League, although they're five points off leaders Tobol with two matches in hand.

Striker Roman Murtazayev and midfielder Marin Tomasov are two of Astana's biggest attacking threats, and they account for nine of the last 17 goals scored by the team in European competition this season.

Ivan Maevski is one of the more seasoned figures among head coach Roman Hryorchuk's side, and he'll hope to disrupt the hosts' creative plans in midfield.

United will likely field some younger players on Thursday, with summer signing Daniel James looking to build on his fast start of three goals in five appearances under Solskjaer.

Europa League Draw 2019-20: Schedule of Dates for Group-Stage Fixtures

Aug 30, 2019
The Europa League Trophy stands on display during the UEFA Europa Cup football group stage draw ceremony in Monaco on August 30, 2019. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP) (Photo credit should read VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images)
The Europa League Trophy stands on display during the UEFA Europa Cup football group stage draw ceremony in Monaco on August 30, 2019. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP) (Photo credit should read VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images)

Premier League powerhouse Manchester United will be confident of advancing to the 2019-20 UEFA Europa League knockout stages after the groups were drawn in Monaco on Friday.

United will meet Astana, Partizan Belgrade and AZ Alkmaar in Group L. Last season's runners-up, Arsenal, face a more difficult task topping Group F ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt, Standard Liege and Vitoria.

Italian rivals AS Roma and Lazio were drawn in Groups J and E, respectively, while Scottish nemeses Celtic and Rangers were allocated in Groups E and G.

Wolverhampton Wanderers return to the main stages of European competition for the first time since 1980 after securing qualification through the play-offs on Thursday. Their first continental campaign in almost four decades will see them go up against Besiktas, Braga and Slovan Bratislava in Group K.

Here are the 2019-20 Europa League groups:

              

The group-stage matchdays are September 19, October 3, October 24, November 7, November 28, and December 12, 2019 (all Thursdays). Visit the UEFA website to view fixtures in full.

        

Arsenal might have hoped for an easier draw as far as their schedule goes, with Eintracht especially looking likely to threaten after they advanced to last season's semi-finals.

Reporter Simon Collings pointed out the trips to Germany, Belgium and Portugal at least make for a simple schedule as far as the journeys go:

The Gunners will be somewhat disgruntled to be in this competition after coming so close to qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, losing last season's Europa League final to Chelsea.

United's draw looks routine on paper, and Pot 4 entrants AZ Alkmaar arguably look like the biggest threat ahead of Astana and Partizan Belgrade.

OptaJoe highlighted that the Red Devils have experienced some trouble with Dutch outfits in recent meetings:

Still, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Co. will fancy their chances of progressing and some potential opportunities to rest players in the winter if they wrap up qualification ahead of time.

Five-time winners Sevilla enter the competition alongside Getafe and Espanyol hoping they can regain Spain's former dominance in Europe.

No country has more clubs present in this season's Europa League than Portugal, however, and sports writer Tom Kundert dissected some intriguing fixtures:

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard will find the road to European success difficult, with Porto, Feyenoord and Young Boys blocking the route in Group G.

Old Firm rivals Celtic don't have it any easier against Lazio, Rennes and CFR Cluj, the team they lost to in the penultimate round of UEFA Champions League qualifying earlier in August.

Hoops manager Neil Lennon said he was looking forward to the tests to come:

With holders Chelsea busy elsewhere, this year's contenders now know who stands in their way as they look to lay down early markers in the competition.

Europa League Results 2019: Qualified Teams and Play-Off Schedule

Aug 15, 2019
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: Pedro Neto of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 1-0 during the UEFA Europa League Third Qualifying Round Second Leg between Wolverhampton Wanderers and FC Pyunik at Molineux on August 15, 2019 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: Pedro Neto of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 1-0 during the UEFA Europa League Third Qualifying Round Second Leg between Wolverhampton Wanderers and FC Pyunik at Molineux on August 15, 2019 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)

Wolverhampton Wanderers qualified for the 2019 Europa League play-off round on Thursday after a 4-0 victory over Pyunik.

The Premier League team won 8-0 on aggregate and will now face Torino of La Liga.

Espanyol also made short work of their opponents in the third-round qualifiers, beating Luzern 3-0 to earn a 6-0 win on aggregate.

Rangers advanced after sweeping past FC Midtjylland 3-1 for a 7-3 victory, and Eintracht Frankfurt won 1-0 against FC Vaduz to complete a 6-0 aggregate win.

                      

Thursday's Results and Aggregate Score

HJK Helsinki 2-2 Riga FC (3-3) [Riga win on away goals]

Dinamo Tbilisi 1-1 Feyenoord (1-5)

Spartak Moscow 2-1 Thun (5-3)

AIK 1-1 Sheriff Tiraspol (3-2)

Apollon Limassol 3-1 Austria Vienna (5-2)

BATE Borisov 0-0 FK Sarajevo (2-1)

Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv 2-1 Neftchi Baku 4-3)

Mlada Boleslav 0-1 Steaua Bucharest (0-1)

Shakhtyor Soligorsk 1-1 Torino (1-6)

Suduva 2-1 Maccabi Tel-Aviv (4-2)

Yeni Malatyaspor 1-0 Partizan Belgrade (2-3)

Zorya Luhansk 1-0 CSKA Sofia (2-1)

Zrinjski Mostar 1-0 Malmo (1-3)

Hapoel Be'er Sheva 3-1 IFK Norrkoping (4-2)

The New Saints 0-4 Ludogorets (0-9)

Trabzonspor 2-1 Sparta Prague (4-3)

AEK Athens 1-1 Universitatea Craiova (3-1)

Valletta FC 0-4 FC Astana (1-9)

Viktoria Plzen 2-1 Royal Antwerp (2-2) [Antwerp win on away goals]

Aris Salonica 3-1 Molde (3-4)

AZ Alkmaar 4-0 Mariupol (4-0)

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 FC Vaduz (6-0)

KAA Gent 1-0 AEK Larnaca (2-1)

PSV Eindhoven 0-0 FK Haugesund (1-0)

Strasbourg 1-0 Lokomotiv Plovdiv (2-0)

Aberdeen 0-2 HNK Rijeka (0-4)

Rangers 3-1 FC Midtjylland (7-3)

Sporting Braga 3-1 Brondby IF (7-3)

Wolves 4-0 Pyunik (8-0)

Espanyol 3-0 Luzern (6-0)

                    

Play-Off Round Draw

Champions Path

Suduva vs. Ferencvaros

Copenhagen vs. Riga

Celtic vs AIK

Ararat-Armenia vs. Dudelange

Ludogorets vs. Maribor

Linfield vs. Qarabag

Slovan Bratislava vs. PAOK

Astana vs. BATE

                   

Main Path

Torino vs. Wolves

Legia Warsaw vs. Rangers

Steaua vs. Vitoria

PSV vs. Apollon Limassol

AEK Athens vs. Trabzonspor

Feyenoord vs. Hapoel Be'er Sheva

Gent vs. Rijeka

Espanyol vs. Zorya Luhansk

Partizan vs. Molde

Braga vs. Spartak Moscow

Malmo vs. Bnei Yehuda

Strasbourg vs. Frankfurt

AZ vs. Antwerp

First leg to be played on Thursday, August 22, and second leg on Thursday, August 29.

                                           

Qualified Teams

Sevilla

Getafe

Arsenal

Roma

Manchester United

Dynamo Kiev

Besiktas

Basel

Sporting Lisbon

CSKA Moscow

Wolfsburg

Borussia Monchengladbach

Lazio

Rennes

Saint-Etienne

Olexandriya

Standard Liege

Besiktas

Lugano

                     

Thursday Recap

Wolves already had one foot in the next round after a dominant first leg, but Nuno Espirito Santo's team finished the job at home.

Three goals in 10 second-half minutes was the story of the match after new signing Pedro Neto scored in the 54th minute on his debut. Morgan Gibbs-White found the back of the net four minutes later, and Ruben Vinagre added the third after 64 minutes.

Wolves highlighted their opening goalscorer after combining with fellow new arrival Patrick Cutrone:

A clinical strike by Diogo Jota made it 4-0, completing a comfortable pair of encounters to qualify.

Rangers join Wolves in the play-off round after the goals flew in at Ibrox Stadium.

Alfredo Morelos was the hitman in form on the night, breaking the deadlock after just 14 minutes. Liverpool loanee Sheyi Ojo made it two for Steven Gerrard's team, with Rangers in full control over the Danes. Morelos completed his brace after 49 minutes before Evander gained a consolation 18 minutes from time.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 15: Alfredo Morelos of Rangers has his shoot a goal saved by Jesper Hansen of Midtjylland during the UEFA Europa League Third Qualifying Round Second Leg match between Rangers and Midtjylland at Ibrox Stadium on August 15, 2019
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 15: Alfredo Morelos of Rangers has his shoot a goal saved by Jesper Hansen of Midtjylland during the UEFA Europa League Third Qualifying Round Second Leg match between Rangers and Midtjylland at Ibrox Stadium on August 15, 2019

The Glasgow giants will now battle Legia Warsaw in an attempt to claim a place in the group phase.

Espanyol never appeared at threat of suffering a shock after completing victory over Luzern, setting up a tie with Zorya Luhansk.

Wu Lei's third-minute opener deflated the Swiss in the opening moments, and the Spaniards were home and dry after Víctor Campuzano's goal on 27 minutes. The Catalan forward added his second seven minutes before half-time, with the La Liga side cantering to an easy win.

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