Can Manchester United and Southampton ensure safe passage to the Europa League last 32 this Thursday?

United are first up, travelling to a freezing Odessa to taken on the already eliminated Zorya Luhansk at 6pm on BT Sport 3. A rocky campaign means that Mourinho’s side haven’t confirmed their place in the next round of the competition, though they only need a point against their Ukrainian opponents to knock out Feyenoord regardless of the Dutch team’s result against group-toppers Fenerbahce.



On paper a United win should be a no-brainer; however, they only squeaked past Zorya at Old Trafford thanks to a goal from Zlatan Ibrahimovic (who heads into Thursday at a Super Mega PGM of 59-59), and face a pitch so frozen the game was almost called off. Zorya have also proved tough to beat at home, drawing against both Fenerbahce and Feyenoord.

Mourinho won’t be happy that this Ukrainian trip has to be taken seriously given that it comes a few days before a vital Premier League game against Tottenham. Nevertheless, it is hard to see United struggling despite the weather, with Spreadex offering a Manchester United/Zorya Luhansk Goal Supremacy spread of 1.5-1.7 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.55-2.75.

With Inter Milan already out (in part thanks to an astonishing double victory by the Israeli champions) and Sparta Prague safe in Group K’s top spot, Southampton then find themselves in a similar situation to United at 8.05pm when they host Hapoel Be’er Sheva on BT Sport 2. Things are admittedly a bit more complicated for the Saints than they are for Mourinho and co., however: while a 0-0 result would put Southampton through, the moment Hapoel score Claude Puel’s side need to win to progress. That is because, with both sides on 7 points and their first match in Israel finishing 0-0, the tiebreaker would come down to goals scored away from home.



It’s been a mixed campaign for Southampton, the highlight being a 2-1 home win over Inter; in the Premier League things have been a bit more mixed, a series of sloppy results leaving them stuck in 12th place. Charlie Austin has been one of the best parts of their season, his 9 goals in all competitions leaving him with a Super Mega PGM of 48-56.

The Saints would do well not to underestimate Hapoel, who have been arguably one of the most surprising sides in Europe this season. However, they should have the strength to push through to the knockouts, with Spreadex offering a Southampton/Hapoel Be’er Sheva Goal Supremacy spread of 1.1-1.3 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.45-2.65.