Thursday 8 December 2016 18:09, UK
Manchester United's Europa League game against Zorya Luhansk this evening is set to go ahead after the pitch passed a morning inspection.
An inspection was called for 10am local time (8am GMT) ahead of United's final Group A match at Chornomorets Stadium in Odessa due to sub-zero temperatures in Ukraine.
United defender Daley Blind said the pitch was "like a rock" when going out to train on Wednesday evening.
However, officials deemed the surface suitable for the game to take place after the routine inspection and it is now expected to kick-off at 6pm (GMT).
UEFA officials said afterwards that the pitch had improved overnight after hot air was blown under the covers. The fact the temperature is set to rise above zero also gives the governing body hope.
An official from Zorya, said: "Everything depends on the weather. The pitch is not brilliant at the moment. We are expecting temperatures to be two or three degrees and everything should be okay."
The match is being played in Odessa, which is almost 600 miles away from Luhansk, due to the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Jose Mourinho's side need a point to confirm their place in the last 32 of the competition, but the United boss has questioned UEFA's decision to allow the match to be played in Ukraine at this time of the year.
He said on Wednesday: "The pitch is hard, the pitch is icy.
"I think UEFA know the conditions of the pitch and everyone knows the conditions in Ukraine and Eastern Europe in mid-December are more difficult.
"So if UEFA was worried about it, they should change the fixtures and not allow it to be played here in mid-December.
"I think that is a problem. They are trying, they are putting some warmth on top of it, but people cannot make miracles, so let's hope everything goes well."
Manchester United are yet to win on the road in Europe this season, losing both of their away fixtures against Feyenoord and Fenerbahce, but claimed victory in all three of their home fixtures.
Another defeat away from Old Trafford would prove terminal to their Europa League chances, should Feyenoord beat Fenerbahce.
With that in mind, Mourinho stressed the importance of his side arresting the slide in their away form against Zorya.
"I only can speak about my matches here and we lost at Feyenoord, which we should have won," he said.
"In Fenerbahce, another difficult place to go, we conceded in the first minute which gave them the best conditions to win.
"If we want to qualify, then we cannot lose three matches away. We need points."
