Manchester United are heading into matchday eight in the Europa League, facing FCSB at The National Arena in Bucharest.
United need at least a draw in their Thursday fixture. Just one point will secure them automatic qualification and avoid adding two play-off fixtures to their calendar. Ruben Amorim and his men could definitely do without this, as depending on the final days of the transfer window, they could be going into February fixtures with a smaller squad than when they started the year.
This is FCSB’s first-ever meeting with United and the Romanian side has lost their last seven games against English sides by an aggregate score of 20-2. Although, they have been unbeaten in their last four Europa League matches and sit second in the Romanian top flight in terms of goal difference.
They have lost just one of their matches in this competition in 2024/25, however, it was a heavy defeat as they went down 4-0 at Rangers, the team United beat last time out. In comparison, out of their seven games in the Europa League, United have had four wins on the bounce.
More recently Captain Bruno Fernandes stepped up to deliver in Thursday’s game, coming through with the winning goal in stoppage time. Fernandes’s effort saw him become just the second player to score more than 10 goals in the UEFA Cup/Europa League for United, after Marcus Rashford who has scored 14.
Following this result and the Reds ’1-0 win against Fulham in Sunday’s Premier League game, United are now on a two-match win streak and are fighting to make it to three-in-a-row for the first time this season.
Samuel Luckhurst, Chief Manchester United writer for the Manchester Evening News, commented on the effects that losing their midweek fixture will have on the Reds.
“Securing a top-eight finish would ensure United have a sparse February of five games and three free midweeks. Their best performances under Ruben Amorim came at Liverpool and Arsenal when they had a six and seven-day gap between matches to prepare. If they fall out of the top eight, then it is a crammed seven games in 26 days in February.
“FCSB-United is the only fixture between teams in the top 12 of the Europa League, so there is plenty of jeopardy in United’s final league match before the knockouts”
The Romanian side is currently in eighth spot which leaves them marginally within the safety zone for automatic qualification, they will be looking to pick up points and put up a fight against the away side. Whereas, the Reds climbed from ninth to fourth place in the table after winning their last Europa League fixture against 2-1 Rangers.
When asked about how important a win is for United and their struggling finances, Luckhurst commented:
“The Europa League has to be United’s priority as it offers deliverance amid a wretched Premier League season. If they win the competition then they are back in the Champions League next season. If they don’t, they will go two seasons without Champions League football since they re-entered the European Cup in 1993.
“FCSB-United is the only fixture between teams in the top 12 of the Europa League, so there is plenty of jeopardy in United’s final league match before the knockouts”
Two seasons without the Champions League would “cue a reduced budget for the summer transfer window and, most probably, more redundancies at a club where morale has plummeted over the past 12 months.” as Luckhurst explained. With the current financial pressure on the club and fans having to pay more to see a team who are failing, United is still fragile.
While FCSB is currently in eighth spot which leaves them marginally within the safety zone for automatic qualification, whereas the Reds climbed from ninth up to fourth place in the table after winning their last Europa League fixture against 2-1 Rangers.
Finally, Luckhurst shared his score prediction: FCSB 1-2 United. With only one point needed to guarantee their automatic qualification, we’re hoping to see a focused United squad on the pitch in Bucharest as they face off for a 20:00 GMT KO on Thursday 30th January.