Manchester United’s hopes of Champions League qualification rely on beating Lyon in the Europa League.
There is huge pressure on Ruben Amorim to win the Europa League this season as it is Manchester United’s only realistic route back to European football.
Slumped down in 13th in the Premier League table, the Red Devils face a near-impossible task to charge up the standings and qualify for Europe.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 12 |  Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace | 28 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 36 | 33 | 3 | 39 |
| 13 |  Man UtdManchester United | 29 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 37 | 40 | -3 | 37 |
| 14 |  TottenhamTottenham | 29 | 10 | 4 | 15 | 55 | 43 | 12 | 34 |
Therefore, the Europa League has become a priority. United remain unbeaten in Europe and an emphatic 5-2 aggregate win over Real Sociedad means Ruben Amorim’s side are through to the quarter-finals.
Now, United will face Nemanja Matic in the final eight with the first leg against Lyon taking place on April 10th. The second leg at Old Trafford is a week later on the 17th April.
Rayan Cherki sends warning to Ruben Amorim
Lyon will be relying on 21-year-old attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki to lead them to victory when they face United in the Europa League.
Cherki has been pivotal to Lyon’s success this season, scoring eight goals and providing 18 assists across all competitions. He has been particularly effective in the Europa League, where he has contributed to 10 goals in 10 games.
United were linked to Cherki in January, and now the French midfielder could end United’s European hopes if he stars in the Europa League quarter-finals.
Cherki will head into the clash full of confidence, especially after his masterclass performance for France’s Under-21s this week.
| Minutes played | 79 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Passes completed | 88% (53/60) |
| Big chances created | 2 |
| Shots taken | 4 |
| Dribbles completed | 50% (2/4) |
| Duels won | 50% (4/8) |
France Under-21s won an eight-goal thriller on Friday, beating England’s Under-21s 5-3 in an international friendly. Cherki was at the heart of France’s success.
Man United midfield face huge test vs Lyon
Amorim will come up against a confident and high-scoring Lyon side in the Europa League next month, and keeping Cherki quiet will be a top priority.
United’s midfield will have a big task on their hands but there could be some good news in terms of injuries.
Kobbie Mainoo could return from injury in time to face Lyon in both legs. The details of his setback have been vague, but they caused him to miss out on a call-up to Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad.
Elsewhere in midfield, Casemiro was not called up by Brazil so he has had a well-deserved rest over the international break. He will be in contention to start against Lyon.
Manuel Ugarte previewed the Lyon clash for United and explained the biggest difference between the Premier League and Ligue 1. After facing Lyon as a PSG player, his experience could be vital against them in the Europa League.
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