A midfield masterclass from Bruno Fernandes and Fred guided Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United to the last 16 of the Europa League, crucially against traditionally ‘weaker’ opposition.

The clash needs no introduction, the two clubs have a decorated past in both English and European football.

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata is calling on his teammates to pull out all the stops and win the Europa League in order to secure a Champions League berth next season.

Juan Mata produced his best performance to date in a Manchester United shirt in the crucial 2-1 win away to Liverpool last March, a result which sparked United’s push for a top four place.

‘We have created a lot of chances but failed to score’ appears to be the line which has come out of the majority of Louis van Gaal’s post-match interviews this year.

Sir Alex Ferguson did not have a goalless draw in his final 116 games in charge of Manchester, while Louis van Gaal, by contrast, amassed three stalemates in a week last month and so far nine of his 66 games in charge have resulted in dead rubbers.

Jesse Lingard says it was a ‘dream come true’ to score his first Manchester United goal in the Red Devils’ 2-0 win over West Brom on Saturday.

Manchester United’s Ander Herrera is willing to do all he can to land a place in Vicente Del Bosque’s Euro 2016 Spanish side.

Juan Mata has said that he is ‘very happy’ living in Manchester, describing the city as ‘laid back’, whilst praising its culture and history.

After the euphoria surrounding Anthony Martial’s dazzling start to life at Manchester United, Juan Mata’s excellent run of form has quietly gone under the radar.

Manchester United comprehensively beat Sunderland 3-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday, as they returned to the top of the Barclays Premier League for the first time under Louis van Gaal.