Manchester United round off their Europa League group stage by hosting AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night.
It may well be seen as a dead rubber and an unwanted distraction amid a Premier League resurgence.
But United cannot afford to take their in-form opponents lightly on a night where the result still carries some significance.
Six league wins in a row for the visitors
Alkmaar are second in the Dutch Eredivisie and on rampant form, with six league wins in a row coming into their Old Trafford trip.
Since their last league loss in October, AZ also thumped Astana 6-0 at home and 5-0 away – this is a team absolutely on fire.
Perhaps the most impressive statistic is that AZ haven’t even conceded a league goal during this run, which included a 4-0 thrashing of PSV Eindhoven on their own patch.
If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is thinking of making changes, he must be conscious of the fact he is facing an absolutely red-hot opponent, scoring for fun and remaining incredibly tight at the back.
The importance of momentum
The result still matters somewhat to United. Having lost last time out against Astana – the worst team in Group L – Solskjaer’s side must avoid defeat against AZ to go through in top spot.
That would likely ensure a more comfortable match in the Round of 32, as well as retaining the feel-good factor around the club right now.
The likes of Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire need a rest but Solskjaer may also want to consider the importance of keeping momentum going into the Christmas period.
Perhaps Thursday’s opponents are not a big name to get pulses racing on a chilly December evening but they can be very dangerous and must not be taken lightly.
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