Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can seal qualification for the knockout stages of the Europa League tonight if Manchester United secure victory against Partizan Belgrade.
While the United manager refuses to rule out a top-four finish, this increasingly looks like being his best chance of clinching a place in next season’s Champions League.
He has so far used Europe’s secondary club competition as an opportunity to blood youngsters like Mason Greenwood, Brandon Williams and James Garner - and he is likely to hand all three starts at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
This could also be an ideal opportunity to rest Marcus Rashford, with the England international forced to carry the burden of United’s attacking threat in the absence of Anthony Martial.
Solskjaer has called on his side to hit the goal trail against Partizan after their struggles up front for much of the campaign.
“We just have to start tomorrow and hope Partizan don’t remember this with joy,” he said. “I played in quite a few games at home that if you get a good start you fill your boots.
“Hopefully we can get off to a good start tomorrow. Front-foot football, like we’ve done.
"We’ve had so many games where we’ve been 1-0 up, hopefully now it’s about ‘let’s get the second or third,’ rather than take a step back and get the result. I would rather these boys go for it and make a mistake or two.”
Victor Lindelof has added to Manchester United’s injury concerns after being ruled out with a knock.
The Swedish centre-back joins Paul Pogba, Luke Shaw, Axel Tuanzebe, Nemanja Matic, Diogo Dalot and Eric Bailly on the sidelines.
Solskjaer emphasised United’s intentions to go all the way in a competition that provided Jose Mourinho with the highlight of his time at Old Trafford, saying: “The last time we were in it they won, which made us go through to the Champions League.
"Any tournament, trophy, you can get your hands on (you want to win) and we’ve started really well and want to get all the way to Gdansk.”
As for Partizan, Zoran Tosic will be hoping to make an impact at Old Trafford as a former United player - and the Red Devils would do well to be wary of his set-piece ability.
Man Utd XI: Romero; Young, Maguire, Rojo, Williams; McTominay, Garner; Greenwood, Lingard, James; Martial.
Partizan XI: Stojkovic, Miletic, Ostojic, Pavlovic, Urosevic, Zdjelar, Natkho, Tosic, Soumah, Asano, Sadiq
