Date - Thursday, April 13 2017
Kickoff Time - 2005 Hrs BST
Venue - Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Brussels
Europa League form guide
Manchester United: WWWDW
Anderlecht: LWLWW
Previous Meetings
Anderlecht 2 : 1 Manchester United
Manchester United 5 : 1 Anderlecht
Anderlecht 3 : 1 Manchester United
Manchester United 3 : 0 Anderlecht
Manchester United 10 : 0 Anderlecht
All-Time Record
Manchester United wins: 4
Anderlecht wins: 2
Draws: 0
Pre-Match Pressers
José Mourinho
Paul Pogba
René Weiler
On the eve of the Manchester United reception, René Weiler explained that Anderlecht really wanted to qualify, despite the (even more) infernal timing that it would cause. "We want to beat this team but we are also aware that it will be complicated." Manchester has a lot of qualities and we will have to come out two big matches to qualify. Manchester in his championship (Editor's note: 5th and thus out of qualifying places for The Europa League has become the best way to qualify for the next C1. "In short, we can expect a lot of pressure."
In addition, Switzerland will have to dispense with its top scorer, Lukasz Teodorczyk. "He has not been able to do the full training this morning and he is uncertain, but I have complete confidence in Isaac (Kiese Thelin), he is very good and very well integrated in the team. Player with a big potential that will become more effective in front of the goal. "Even if Teo is ready to play, I might start Isaac."
Several substitutes against Ghent (Ruben, Bruno, Nuytinck ...) could start. "You talk about spin but I have more than eleven players capable of playing at a very high level. It's normal to use them in a period when you play a decisive match every three days."
And his match against Jose Mourinho? René Weiler is not impressed. "The most important thing is the players, the coaches are just here to prepare the team, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of Manchester and try to make the best match possible.
http://www.dhnet.be/sports/football...re-manchester-united-58ee13cfcd70812a656429c9
In addition, Switzerland will have to dispense with its top scorer, Lukasz Teodorczyk. "He has not been able to do the full training this morning and he is uncertain, but I have complete confidence in Isaac (Kiese Thelin), he is very good and very well integrated in the team. Player with a big potential that will become more effective in front of the goal. "Even if Teo is ready to play, I might start Isaac."
Several substitutes against Ghent (Ruben, Bruno, Nuytinck ...) could start. "You talk about spin but I have more than eleven players capable of playing at a very high level. It's normal to use them in a period when you play a decisive match every three days."
And his match against Jose Mourinho? René Weiler is not impressed. "The most important thing is the players, the coaches are just here to prepare the team, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of Manchester and try to make the best match possible.
http://www.dhnet.be/sports/football...re-manchester-united-58ee13cfcd70812a656429c9
Team News
Manchester United
Chris Smalling (knee injury), Phil Jones (toe injury) and Juan Mata (groin surgery) ruled out. Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young stayed in Manchester. Antonio Valencia and David de Gea expected to be available.
Anderlecht
Adrien Trebel not eligible (cup tied). Andy Nájar (hamstring injury), Kara Mbodj (knee injury) and Łukasz Teodorczyk (shoulder injury) doubtful.
Know the opposition
Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht (and nicknamed Paars-wit or Les Mauves et Blancs - denoting their Purple and White outfits) is a Belgian professional football club based in Anderlecht, Brussels-Capital Region - playing in the Belgian First Division A. Anderlecht can be traced back to the foundation of the football club Sporting Club Anderlechtois on 27 May 1908 by a dozen of football lovers gathered at the Concordia café.
Anderlecht are the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions, with five trophies, as well as in the Belgian domestic league, with 33 championship wins. They have also won nine Belgian Cups and hold the record for most consecutive Belgian championship titles, winning five between the 1963/64 and 1967/68 seasons - having played in the first division continuously since 1935/36. They are also ranked 12th amongst all-time UEFA club cup competition winners and tenth in the IFFHS continental Clubs of the 20th Century European ranking.
Anderlecht have been playing their matches in the Astrid Park in the municipality of Anderlecht since 1917. Their current stadium, Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, was first opened in 1983, and replaced the former Emile Versé Stadium. They play in purple and white outfits. They have long-standing rivalries with Club Brugge and Standard Liège and previously with FC Brussels.
Referee
Felix Brych.
Nostalgia Avenue
Anderlecht were United's first ever opponents in a European competition. The Reds triumphed 2-0 in the first leg in Brussels but were still anticipating a tough road to the next round of the 1956/57 European Cup, having become the first English team to enter the competition. What followed was a 10-0 thrashing for the Belgians at Maine Road, a club-record victory that still stands after 60 years - Dennis Viollet led the way with four of the goals and Tommy Taylor also bagged a hat-trick, with Liam Whelan (2) and Johnny Berry adding their names to the scoresheet.
"We were all keyed up for the return match and also a little anxious because we too were playing away from home," Busby later explained. "We had to stage the tie at Maine Road because Old Trafford did not then have floodlighting. The conditions were also a little unsettling. It had rained heavily and the pitch was covered in pools of water. We needn't have worried though. "The boys won 10-0, an incredible score which possibly had some people assuming that Anderlecht were a poor side. But this was no little team from Malta or Iceland. Belgium was a strong soccer nation and Anderlecht were its champions. "I have just got to say that we ran up what has to be regarded in football circles as a cricket score because we played darned well! I was becoming accustomed to see the great team of those days playing well, but they excelled themselves that night. It was, in fact, the finest exhibition of teamwork I had ever seen from any side either at club or international level."
