Viktoria Plzen vs Man Utd LIVE: Europa League team news and line-ups as Red Devils try to get back on track

Manchester United travel to the Czech Republic to face Viktoria Plzen in tonight’s Europa League action hoping to respond to two consecutive defeats under Ruben Amorim.

After a promising start to his tenure, the Red Devils suffered back-to-back Premier League defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest leaving the Portuguese boss facing his first dip in form. But Amorim will be confident, especially about improving United’s standing in the Europa League despite the clube being embroiled in off-field drama.

Consecutive wins over PAOK and Bodo/Glimt have sent the team up to 12th in the league table and they are only two points away from fourth with a realistic chance of securing automatic promotion.

Their opponents tonight have an identical record to United with two wins and three draws from their first five games and sit one place below Amorim’s side meaning they would jump ahead of United should they triumph.

Follow all the Europa League action with our live blog below:

Viktoria Plzen vs Man Utd LIVE

• Viktoria Plzen host Man Utd in the Europa League with kick off at 5.45pm, live on TNT Sports

• The hosts have the same record as United in Europe this season but sit below them in the table

• United have lost twice on the bounce and hope to get back to winning ways tonight

• Man Utd XI: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez; Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Malacia; Amad, Zirkzee, Rashford

Manchester United line-ups

16:31 , Mike Jones

Man Utd XI:

Amorim explains Nottingham Forest defeat

16:24 , Mike Jones

The Manchester United boss was quick to explain where he feels his team can improve after losing to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

He said: “It is really simple. I think against Nottingham [Forest] we should pass the ball a little bit quicker, so it is with safety but a little bit more quicker when everything is blocked.

“For me the most important point is that every player should be in the good position to start when we play. We were controlling the game and we started the second half very well and if you remember one play, Leny Yoro makes a one-two, jumps and then makes a bad pass. He [gives them] a counter attack and then, a goal.

“We have to continue to play in the same way but with a low block. It is this kind of details and you have to play the ball by preparing to lose the ball sometimes. These kind of points are really important in our team because in the past, and still, in this moment you can see a lot of moments like this.

“I can remember just from the top of my head, the game against Liverpool, all the goals were mostly like that and we are doing work on that. You see the same thing last week so we are trying to improve with the ball but also the way when you can lose the ball, you are covering our own goal.”

Man Utd discover a painful lesson as Ruben Amorim’s honeymoon period abruptly ended

16:17 , Mike Jones

A historic victory for a catalytic Portuguese manager at Old Trafford. Just what Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the powerbrokers who headhunted Ruben Amorim imagined, but for one minor detail. The winner was not their glamorous newcomer but the unfashionable figure of Nuno Espirito Santo, who has steered Nottingham Forest to heights few dared to think they could touch. As for Amorim, his honeymoon period seems fleeting. The problems at Manchester United, it appears, could only be concealed for three matches.

Since then, Amorim has suffered back-to-back defeats. If losing at Arsenal had a logic, being beaten by Forest at Old Trafford was the sort of chastening setback that happened all too often in Erik ten Hag’s final 14 months in charge. Amorim’s United displayed familiar flaws and new shortcomings, contributing to their own downfall with individual errors, slow starts and set-piece failings. Much as in Ten Hag’s unravelling, United were too open, too liable to be counterattacked and left the midfield too empty. Some of this was Ten Hag-style chaos.

Man Utd discover a painful lesson as Amorim’s honeymoon period ends

Man Utd’s travelling squad for tonight’s game

16:10 , Mike Jones

Goalkeepers: Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Andre Onana.

Defenders: Diogo Dalot, Matthijs De Ligt, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro.

Midfielders: Casemiro, Toby Collyer, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte.

Forwards: Amad, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, Joshua Zirkzee.

Man Utd prepare for Viktoria Plzen

16:03 , Mike Jones

As team news approaches here’s a few pics on Man Utd preparing for tonight’s game:

Ruben Amorim makes frank admission over Dan Ashworth’s Manchester United exit

15:56 , Mike Jones

Ruben Amorim admits sporting director Dan Ashworth’s shock exit is “not the best situation” but the Manchester United head coach believes the club’s vision remains clear and unaffected.

Sunday morning brought the stunning announcement that the 53-year-old was leaving Old Trafford just 159 days after an agreement was finally struck to bring him from Newcastle.

Ashworth’s departure was met by surprise from afar as well as inside United, where the PA news agency understands there was shock from many staff despite a sense that things had not been going smoothly within the hierarchy.

Ruben Amorim makes frank admission over Dan Ashworth’s Manchester United exit

More on Ashworth’s exit

15:49 , Mike Jones

“I have felt, since day one, the support from everybody so one person leaving doesn’t change nothing,” Ruben Amorim added.

“Of course it is a bad situation like I said because you are talking about a human being, a professional that supports us as a team. I think the most important thing is that the vision is really clear and that vision does not change only because one person leaves.”

Amorim address Ashworth departure

15:42 , Mike Jones

As head coach of Manchester United, Ruben Amorim is discovering that he cannot just stick to football when it comes to speaking to the media.

So much is happening off the pitch, such as the exit of sporting director Dan Ashworth, that the manager will always have to have his say on things.

Amorim was asked about Ashworth’s departure this week and he said: “The first thing that I want to say is since the first day I have felt great support from the ownership.

“From Omar [Berrada] and then also from Jason [Wilcox], and Dan [Ashworth] was part of that. Really, really, really felt the support from them also.

“But this is football and sometimes these things happen with players and with coaches. I know it is not the best situation but the important thing is we continue in our way. The path is really clear for everybody. I think this can happen in football.”

Inside Dan Ashworth’s farcical Man Utd exit and the power struggle in the Old Trafford soap opera

15:35 , Mike Jones

Dan Ashworth has left Manchester United because Sir Jim Ratcliffe wanted to act on something he felt wasn’t working rather than wait in the hope that it would work. The stance of the club’s principal decision-maker is that there is no time to waste. It has led to shock at Carrington.

The big question at Old Trafford is whether that same seriousness will now extend to United’s leadership structure, given that things look increasingly farcical.

Personality clashes have contributed to Ashworth’s departure. He wasn’t really fitting into the structure either, although that was partly due to a case of “too many cooks”. Alongside these reasons was also doubt about some of Ashworth’s judgement.

Inside Dan Ashworth’s farcical Man Utd exit and the power struggle at Old Trafford

Predicting Man Utd’s line-up

15:28 , Mike Jones

With a Manchester derby looming at the weekend and United also in need of performing well in the Europa League, Ruben Amorim seems somewhat stuck with how best to utilise his squad.

The manager has been vocal about drilling each of his players with his 3-4-3 system so expect a fairly strong team to head onto the pitch tonight.

Possible line-up

Man Utd XI: Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez; Dalot, Eriksen, Casemiro, Malacia; Rashford, Mount; Zirkzee

What is the Manchester United team news?

15:21 , Mike Jones

Apart from Luke Shaw, United had full availability for training on Wednesday as Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof returned to the group.

Amorim could decide to rest players such as Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby against City. Marcus Rashford, who has started on the bench for their last two games, may start.

How can I watch it?

15:14 , Mike Jones

It will be shown live on TNT Sports 2, with coverage starting at 5:30pm. TNT Sports customers can also stream the match live on Discovery+. You can purchase a TNT Sports subscription via discovery+ here, for only £30.99 per month.

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When is Viktoria Plzen vs Manchester United?

15:07 , Mike Jones

The match will kick off at 5:45pm GMT (UK time) on Thursday 12 December.

Viktoria Plzen vs Man Utd

15:00 , Mike Jones

Manchester United will look to bounce back from two defeats in a row under Ruben Amorim as they return to Europa League action against Viktoria Plzen.

The list of problems Amorim has inherited on the pitch were clear in the losses at Arsenal and at home to Nottingham Forest - while there has been further drama off the pitch with the departure of sporting director Dan Ashworth.

United’s position in the Europa League standings has been improved by back-to-back wins over PAOK and Bodo/Glimt at Old Trafford and they sit 12th in the table with the chance to climb further.

That’s one place above Viktoria Plzen, who have an identical record to United with two wins and three draws from their first five games as they prepare to host Amorim’s side.

United have won away from home just once this season - at bottom-club Southampton in the Premier League.

Good evening!

11:43 , Mike Jones

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Europa League action as Manchester United look to shake off the demons of recent defeats and get back to winning ways against Viktoria Plzen.

Ruben Amorim’s side have lost twice in a row and the Portuguese boss will be keen to build some momentum ahead of the weekend’s Manchester derby.

We’ll have all the team news, line-ups and updates throughout the evening so stick with us as we build up to kick off at 5.45pm.