Sports Blog 15/09/2016: Football Preview – UEFA Europa League, Thursday 15th September 2016

How seriously will Jose Mourinho take the Europa League when Manchester United travel to Feyenoord at 6pm on BT Sport 3?

Despite an otherwise flawless start to the season last weekend’s loss to Pep Guardiola will have stung Mourinho, a feeling that won’t have been assuaged by Man City’s masterful mid-week win in the Champions League. In contrast Man United face the unwelcome intrusion of the Thursday night Europa League game, something Mourinho has already expressed his displeasure over. There are hints that the Special One might not be completely willing to put his all into the competition, with Wayne Rooney left behind to recuperate ahead of Sunday’s trip to Watford. That does, however, free up space for Marcus Rashford’s first start of the season, who heads to Rotterdam with a Super Mega PGM of 28-33, just behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 44-51.



Having finished around 20 points off of PSV and Ajax last season, Feyenoord, managed by Dutch legend Giovanni van Bronckhorst, are aiming for the title this time around, winning all 5 of their opening games. Not only that but they have done it in style, scoring 15 goals and only conceding 2; with 3 goals each Nicolai Jorgensen and talisman Dirk Kuyt have been their most consistent scorers, and sit at Super Mega PGMs of 19-23 and 15-19 respectively.

Thursday will be the first chance to see how Mourinho’s United bounce back from defeat, as well as an indication of how much importance will be granted to the Europa League. Unsurprisingly they go into the game with high expectations, our traders offering a Manchester United/Feyenoord (h) Goal Supremacy spread of 0.5-0.7 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.55-2.75.

Meanwhile, can Claude Puel use the competition to distract from a disappointing domestic season when Southampton host Sparta Prague at 8.05pm on BT Sport 2?

The Saints’ sloppy run of form, with 1-1 draws against Watford and Sunderland joined by losses to Man United and Arsenal, is made all the worse by the fact that Everton have enjoyed such a refreshing start to the year under Ronald Koeman. They’ve also been dealt the duff hand of a Europa League group that contains Inter Milan; not the side they once were, but still one you’d want to avoid. In terms of Thursday’s game Charlie Austin and Shane Long, at Super Mega PGMs of 36-42 and 26-31 respectively, will be looking to open their 2016/17 accounts.



They come up against Sparta Prague who, after 6 games, sit in 2nd place in the Czech First League. Sparta find themselves in the Europa League after losing their Champions League 3rd qualifying round tie against Steaua Bucharest; they do, however, have got form in Europe’s 2nd tier competition, reaching the quarter-finals last season.

It looks like Puel may get his first win in charge at St Mary’s on Thursday evening, with Spreadex offering a Southampton/Sparta Prague Goal Supremacy spread of 0.8-1 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.65-2.85.