Celta Vigo vs Manchester United. UEFA Europa League Semi-Final.
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Thursday 4 May 2017 21:03, UK
Manchester United's injury concerns have eased ahead of their Europa League semi-final first-leg tie at Celta Vigo on Thursday (kick-off 8.05pm).
Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Paul Pogba and Eric Bailly have returned to training and will be in contention when United head to Vigo in the northwest of Spain.
Jose Mourinho's side are hoping to reach the Europa League final for the first time in the club's history but Celta should prove tough opponents.
The Spanish side, led in attack by former Liverpool forward Iago Aspas, beat Barcelona at Balaidos earlier this season.
And they will want a positive result to take back to Old Trafford for the return leg next Thursday.
Smalling and Jones have not played since mid-March after picking up injuries on international duty with England.
Bailly twisted his ankle during the 1-1 draw with Swansea but trained on Wednesday, while Pogba is winning his battle with a hamstring complaint.
All four could feature on Thursday, but Luke Shaw looks set to miss the rest of the season after damaging foot ligaments against the Swans.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marcos Rojo and Tim Fosu-Mensah remain absent, while Marouane Fellaini is available as his suspension only applies to domestic matches.
Aspas, who has scored 17 La Liga goals this season, was rested for Celta's 3-0 home defeat to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday but should return.
Former United striker Giuseppe Rossi, currently on loan at Celta from Serie A side Fiorentina, is sidelined with a long-term knee injury.
These two sides are set to meet for the first time in European competition.
United have never reached the semi-final stage of a UEFA Cup/Europa League campaign before; it's the only major trophy they have never won.
Celta Vigo are also set for their maiden UEFA Cup/Europa League semi-final, they had been eliminated at the quarter-final stage three times previously.
The Spanish club are unbeaten in five matches ahead of this contest (W4 D1) while United come into this game on an eight-match unbeaten streak (W6 D2).
United have failed to win any of the last six times they have faced Spanish opposition beyond the group stages in European competition (D1 L5).
Celta Vigo have lost their last three European matches against English sides, their last victory coming against Aston Villa in 2000.
Celta Vigo have recorded eight goals from outside the penalty area this season; two more than any other side, this is 42 per cent of their total goals, the highest ratio of any side to score 10+ goals.
People are suggesting United will just go on and win this competition but they have got so much work to do now with the fixtures they've got left.
The betting obviously suggests United should come through but Celta are a decent side, with former Liverpool boy Aspas a real threat.
They're a team who score a lot of goals and they don't seem to mind getting physical. They'll be patient on the ball and wait for their opportunities.
The overriding issue for United is the injuries. With the amount of games they've got, Mourinho will set his side up keep the first leg tight.
Jose doesn't rotate too much and that takes its toll on players, having such pressure on them.
I'm going to suggest the tie is going to be left wide open. I would still expect United to qualify but this is by no means a gimme.
Charlie predicts: 2-1 and Aspas to score first - 35/1 with Sky Bet
United are Sky Bet's 6/4 favourites to establish a first-leg lead with Celta Vigo 21/10, the same price as the draw.
Mourinho's men are odds-on to make the final and, at 10/11, head the Europa League outright betting, which rates Lyon as their main threat at 9/4 while making Celta 7/1 outsiders.
Marcus Rashford heads the first goalscorer betting at 9/2 and is enhanced from 3/1 to 4/1 to net in a United win in Sky Bet's Price Boosts, which also offer Aspas at 13/2 to net first.
