Team News
Manchester United’s attacking options have been further depleted after Joshua Zirkzee suffered a hamstring injury in the loss to Newcastle. Amorim confirmed the striker is set to miss “some games”, joining a lengthy list of absentees including De Ligt, Diallo, Heaven (all ankle), Martinez (knee), Evans (back), and Collyer (leg). With Chido Obi-Martin unavailable for European fixtures, Rasmus Hojlund appears to be the only natural striker at Amorim’s disposal. Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho are expected to support Hojlund in the final third, with the latter finally ending a 27-game goal drought in the weekend defeat. Meanwhile, Andre Onana — omitted from the squad against Newcastle to “disconnect a little bit” after recent struggles — is likely to return in goal, replacing Altay Bayindir. In defence, Harry Maguire is tipped to come back at centre-half, while Patrick Dorgu may reclaim the left wing-back role. The midfield battle could see Casemiro and Mason Mount vie for a place alongside Manuel Ugarte, as Amorim looks to restore balance to a team in need of stability.
Lyon are dealing with their own injury setbacks, most notably to Ernest Nuamah, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with an ACL injury. Malick Fofana also remains sidelined due to a knee issue, limiting Paulo Fonseca’s options out wide. Nonetheless, Rayan Cherki has thrived in Nuamah’s absence and remains central to Lyon’s threat. With three goals and eight assists in the Europa League this season, he is expected to line up alongside Thiago Almada and either Alexandre Lacazette or Georges Mikautadze. In midfield, ex-United man Nemanja Matic could drop out for Jordan Veretout, while Akouokou is also in contention. Maitland-Niles, Mata, and Tagliafico should all start across the back line.
Form Guide
Andre Onana’s struggles continued in the first leg, with the under-fire goalkeeper culpable for both Lyon goals that earned the French side a dramatic late draw. The result came after a week dominated by headlines surrounding his public spat with Matic — and the pressure only intensified following United’s 4-1 hammering at Newcastle, their 14th Premier League defeat of the season. That loss ensured United will finish with their lowest points tally of the Premier League era. They sit 14th in the table with 38 points from 32 matches and are now mathematically incapable of reaching the top five. Even a top-eight finish appears far-fetched, making Europa League glory their only realistic route into next season’s European competitions.
Lyon, by contrast, are riding a wave of momentum. They followed up the Old Trafford draw with a comfortable 3-1 win at Auxerre, with Cherki, Mikautadze, and Lacazette all on target. Fonseca’s men sit fourth in Ligue 1 and are just one point behind third-placed Marseille, keeping them firmly in the hunt for Champions League qualification. The French side have won seven of their last nine games in all competitions, scoring 24 goals across that run. They are unbeaten in their last 12 away matches in the Europa League — nine wins and three draws — a streak stretching back to 2017. Their away form makes them a genuine threat on Thursday night.
Predicted Outcome
Manchester United are expected to go all out at Old Trafford and we predict a 2-1 win for the Red Devils. With domestic form in tatters, Amorim and his side must harness the energy of the home crowd and deliver a season-defining performance on Thursday.
