Man United and Tottenham Eye Strong Starts in Europa League

Manchester United and Tottenham are set to begin their Europa League campaigns this week, hoping to turn around their disappointing starts to the Premier League season.

Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United have shown little improvement from last season’s struggles, as they currently sit outside the top 10 in the Premier League with just seven points from five matches. The Dutch manager narrowly kept his job after leading United to their worst-ever Premier League finish of eighth last season, with an FA Cup final victory over Manchester City providing a lifeline.

Despite significant spending in the transfer market, United’s fortunes on the pitch have yet to improve. Their Europa League opener against Dutch side Twente on Wednesday offers an opportunity to reverse their fortunes. Last weekend’s goalless draw at Crystal Palace dampened the optimism that followed their 3-0 win over Southampton and League Cup victory over Barnsley, but Ten Hag remains optimistic.

“The performance is good, but we are not happy with the score. We are disappointed with the score,” Ten Hag said after the Palace stalemate. “But I know one thing for sure in football, it’s a long way to go. When you play with the quality we now deliver, the points and goals will come.”

United’s return to the Europa League comes after a poor showing in last season’s Champions League, where they finished bottom of their group. Anything less than a win against Twente, who are back in European competition for the first time since 2012, would increase the pressure on Ten Hag and his team.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are also seeking relief in the Europa League after a shaky start to the season. Fans have grown frustrated after two consecutive Premier League defeats to Newcastle and Arsenal, despite a promising start under Ange Postecoglou 12 months ago. A 3-1 win over Brentford at the weekend provided some respite, but Spurs are eager to end their 17-year wait for a major trophy. They face Azerbaijani club Qarabag on Thursday and see the revamped Europa League as a prime opportunity for success.

“I keep saying to people, ‘Show me a success story and I’ll show you a struggle.’ People forget the struggle and look at the end bit,” Postecoglou commented last week.

Elsewhere, Roma, facing internal turmoil, will host Athletic Bilbao. The Serie A club has enjoyed strong performances in Europe recently, reaching at least the Europa League semi-finals in three of the last four seasons. However, fans were outraged by the sacking of coach Daniele De Rossi, venting their anger at management and players during Sunday’s win over Udinese. The dismissal caused such uproar that CEO Lina Souloukou, who resigned on Saturday, had been placed under police protection after receiving online threats.

Other notable Europa League fixtures include 2022 champions Eintracht Frankfurt taking on Viktoria Plzen and four-time European champions Ajax facing Besiktas in Amsterdam.