Match reports
Cluj booked their place in the knockout stages by defeating a makeshift Celtic side in Romania. Second-half goals from defender Andrei Burca and midfielder Damjan Djokovic inflicted Celtic's first Group E defeat.
Neil Lennon's side had already secured top spot in the group, so the manager made a number of changes, with 18-year-old Scott Robertson starting in midfield, and 16-year-old Karamoko Dembélé comimg on as a late substitute.
"Obviously I'm disappointed to lose the game but [I'm] very pleased with what I got out of the game," Lennon said. "Scott Robertson made his debut and had a terrific debut. For such a young player he showed such maturity and composure."
Mönchengladbach are top of the Bundesliga but their European campaign is over after defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir. Enzo Crivelli's last-gasp winner sent the Turkish side through, with Roma also sneaking through after a 2-2 draw with Wolfsberger.
In Group C, Getafe won their eliminator against Krasnodar 3-0, with all three goals coming in the last 15 minutes. Basel topped the group after a 2-0 win over Trabzonspor. In another decisive contest, Ludogorets edged through from Group H after drawing 1-1 with Ferencvaros
In Group A, Apoel surprised Sevilla, winning 1-0 in a game between two teams who had already qualified. In Group D, LASK Linz grabbed top spot from Sporting with an emphatic 3-0 win, while PSV and Rosenborg drew 1-1. In Group G, there were five goals in the first 33 minutes, and none after, as Porto beat Feyenoord 3-2 to top the group.
Malmö got the win they needed in a cross-border derby at Copenhagen, who still crept through after Dynamo Kyiv were held at home by Lugano. Elswhere, two goals from Joris Gnagnon earned Rennes victory over Lazio, ending the Italians' faint hopes of progress.
Right, I’m checking out. Election results are about to start coming in, and I have a lot of weeping to do. Bye!
Gerrard also says that “something’s imminent” on his contract. “It’s down to the club to announce it when they’re ready.”
Steven Gerrard is about as downhearted as a chuffed person could be:
I’m very pleased. I think we certainly deserve it. I don’t think we were good tonight, in the second half. We created enough chances to have a bigger advantage, even at the end. I thought we stopped doing what we’re good at in the second half, which is either finding space or keeping the ball, and then it was just wave after wave, and it was direct, first balls and second balls. Credit to them, they never gave up. We didn’t expect them to. These were the dark horses in the group. A very difficult group, so credit to the boys getting out. Let’s give credit where it’s due, this club’s suffered a lot. It’s the first time we’ve had knockout football in Europe since 2011. This is another step in the right direction. I’m very pleased, I’m very proud but I won’t overcelebrate.
Ewan Murray was at Ibrox. Here’s his report:
Given nothing attached to the Old Firm can be viewed in isolation, it was impossible to ignore a sense of redemption as Rangers - eventually - wandered into the Europa League’s last 32. The harrowing circumstances of a League Cup final defeat to Celtic just days earlier was - briefly at least - forgotten as Steven Gerrard delivered yet another indicator of progress at Ibrox. This marks the first time since season 2010-11 that Rangers have featured in Europe beyond Christmas. If ending Celtic’s domestic stranglehold is key to perceptions of Gerrard’s tenure, delivering returns on other fronts is wholly welcome, not least from a financial perspective.
Much more here:
Paul Doyle was at Molineux. Here’s his report:
Diogo Jota ensured Wolves finished their group campaign in style, springing from the bench to plunder a hat-trick in 12 minutes. Leander Dendoncker also found the net as Nuno Espírito Santo’s men blew away Besiktas with a powerful second-half performance.
Wolves’ ability to play like this even without several regular starters is one of the reasons why they can be confident of advancing further in this competition no matter whom they are pitted against in Monday’s draw for the knockout stages.
Much more here:
Paul Wilson was at Old Trafford. Here’s his report:
Mason Greenwood had a night to remember as Manchester United dismantled AZ Alkmaar’s challenge with a barrage of second half goals. The 18-year old-striker scored two of them and won a penalty for another as Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side cantered to victory in their final Europa League game.
For 45 tortuous minutes such a free-scoring spectacle had appeared the last thing the evening might produce, but once United broke the deadlock their opponents capitulated alarmingly and Solskjær’s experimental selection was fully justified. The United manager can do no wrong at the moment, and though at first this encounter looked as though it might interrupt his sequence of wins it ended up the most emphatic of his three in a row.
Much more here:
All the final scores:
Group G
Porto 3-2 Feyenoord
Rangers 1-1 Young Boys
Group H
Espanyol 010 CSKA Moscow
Ludogorets 1-1 Ferencvaros
Group I
Gent 2-1 Oleksandriya
Wolfsburg 1-0 Saint-Etienne
Group J
Borussia Monchengladbach 1-2 Istanbul Basaksehir
Roma 2-2 Wolfsberger
Group K
Slovan Bratislava 2-4 Sporting Braga
Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 Besiktas
Group L
Manchester United 4-0 AZ Alkmaar
Partizan Belgrade 4-1 Astana
All of which means that every British side in European competition this season has progressed through to the knockout stages of whatever competition they entered. Truly, this nation just keeps covering itself in glory. What? Oh.
Final score: Rangers 1-1 Young Boys!
It’s all over! Rangers are in the knockout stages as the runners-up in Group G!
Rangers go down to 10 men!
A second booking for Ryan Jack, and Rangers must negotiate the final 90 seconds of stoppage time with 10 men!
Final score: Wolves 4-0 Besiktas!
Wolves win the game, but meanwhile Paulinho has made it Slovan Bratislava 2-4 Braga in the last minute, so the Portuguese side will win the group.
Updated
Final score: Manchester United 4-0 AZ Alkmaar
Manchester United win the game, win Group L and will go through to the next round as one of the seeds!
GOAL! Rangers 1-1 Young Boys (Christian Fassnacht, 89 mins)
An almighty scramble ends with Young Boys equalising, and suddenly Rangers are a goal away from disaster once again!
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Nikola Vlasic, once of Everton, has made a late breakthrough for CSKA Moscow at Espanyol. It’s 0-1 there now.
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Greenwood cuts inside from the left, decides he’s quite up for a hat-trick and lets fly, but his shot flies wide, and also high, of goal.
Alkmaar were really very good for the best part of an hour at Old Trafford. Then the world emphatically crumbled around their ears, and they went from 0-0 in the 53rd minute to 4-0 in the 64th, since when they’ve been staggering about the pitch in a daze.
Goals just keep on coming in batches tonight. The latest pair have come in Belgrade, where Sadiq Umar put Partizan 4-0 up in the 76th minute and the highly-rated 18-year-old centre-back Strahinja Pavlovic took a few pounds off his asking price with an own-goal four minutes later.
3 - Diogo Jota is the first player to score a hat-trick after coming on as a substitute in the Europa League since Steven Gerrard for Liverpool against Napoli in November 2010. Hungry. pic.twitter.com/KMAb4uwAMz
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 12, 2019
There’s all sorts going on in Bratislava, where Khadfi Rharsalla gave Slovan a 2-1 lead over Braga in the 70th minute, Francisco Trincao equalised in the 72nd - the 19-year-old’s first senior goal - and a Vasil Bozhikov own-goal put Braga ahead in the 75th! This means that Braga lead Group K by a point, ahead of Wolves.
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In other news, Paulo Otávio has put Wolfsburg ahead against Saint-Etienne. He did it 15 minutes ago, but this is the first chance I’ve had to tell you about it. They nevertheless remain second in Group I, behind Gent. The Belgians though now lead only 2-1, Denis Miroshinichenko having pulled one back for Oleksandriya.
That is a ludicrous goal rush at Wolverhampton and Manchester. Calm down, lads, I’ve got some catching up to do.
GOAL! And another GOAL! Wolves 4-0 Besiktas!
Leander Denoncker finally gets his goal, heading in a right-wing corner in the 67th minute. Then two minutes later Pedro Rebocho tries to do a fancy trick on the left flank and is dispossessed, the ball’s crossed in and Jota converts for his hat-trick, completed within 13 minutes of him entering the fray!
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GOAL! Manchester United 4-0 AZ Alkmaar (Greenwood, 64 mins)
Another one! Mata passes to Greenwood, just to the right of the penalty area, and he cuts into the box before shooting low and just inside the near post!
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Penalty! And GOAL! Manchester United 3-0 AZ Alkmaar (Mata, 62 mins)
Greenwood is bundled over by Clasie in the penalty area, as clear a penalty as you’re ever going to see. The keeper goes the right way, but Juan Mata’s penalty goes into the right-hand corner anyway!
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GOAL! Wolves 2-0 Besiktas (Jota, 63 mins)
They’re not denied for long! Dendoncker, from 30 yards, produces a shot massively superior to either of the ones he mustered when facing an empty net, the keeper fingertips it into the post and it rebounds into the path of Jota, who slams it in! Jota only came on in the 56th minute, and he’s got two!
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Wolves hit the post! From a left-wing corner the Besiktas keeper roars off his line again and gets nowhere near it, thus presenting Dendoncker with another open goal, which once again he misses. This time he hits the meat of a post, though, so he’s getting closer.
Midtjso gets booked for complaining about the tackle, which on replays does look quite a lot like a foul.
GOAL! Manchester United 2-0 A| Alkmaar (Greenwood, 58 mins)
Fredrik Midtsjo wins the ball on his right wing and embarks on a ludicrously misguided jog infield, which ends when he’s bang central, 10 yards outside his area, and James Garner tackles him. The ball rolls to Greenwood, who takes one touch and then hits a low left-footer into the corner!
Updated
GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Besiktas (Jota, 58 mins)
Breakthrough at Molineux! A nice flick from Cutrone on the halfway line, brilliant work by Jimenez on the right, and Jota converts at the back stick!
Updated
Pereira brilliantly skills his way past two opponents at the left-hand corner flag, backheeling to Mata. He gives it back and Pereira slides infield to Matic, whose first-time ball from just outside the box picks out Mata, who has been busy cutting into a congested penalty area from the left. The Spaniard controls and slides across goal, and though Martial hasn’t anticipated it, meaning the ball rolls across goal without anyone tapping it in, Young pops up well beyond the far post to thunder it into the roof of the net from an acute angle!
GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 AZ Alkmaar (Young, 53 mins)
You’ve got to say, that is an absolute ripper.
Updated
And a chance for Manchester United! Greenwood passes infield from the right to Martial, who has time to control and then shoot, but somehow he contrives to shoot over the bar!
Chance for Wolves! A totally bonkers miss, really, from Dendoncker, who was picked out with a cross from the left. The keeper roared off his line for absolutely no good reason, and any kind of header on target would have gone in, but somehow Dendoncker’s effort went away from goal rather than towards it, and Besiktas clear.
Chance for AZ! Idrissi’s low cross from the left seemed to miraculously evade several United legs on its way to Stengs, who is probably as astonished as everybody else that the ball found its way through to him, and diverts it too close to Romero.
And they’re off! Again!
The players are on their way back out. Wolves’ are all lined up on the touchline, presumably as part of a half-timely warm-up routine and not because they’ve all been subbed.
A full run-down of your half-time scores:
Group G
Porto 3-2 Feyenoord
Rangers 1-0 Young Boys
Group H
Espanyol 0-0 CSKA Moscow
Ludogorets 1-0 Ferencvaros
Group I
Gent 2-0 Oleksandriya
Wolfsburg 0-0 Saint-Etienne
Group J
Borussia Monchengladbach 1-1 Istanbul Basaksehir
Roma 2-1 Wolfsberger
Group K
Slovan Bratislava 1-1 Sporting Braga
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-0 Besiktas
Group L
Manchester United 0-0 AZ Alkmaar
Partizan Belgrade 3-0 Astana
The half-time whistle goes at Old Trafford, where it’s goalless at the break, and it’s a simlar story at Wolves.
After forty-one minutes without a goal, there have been two in three minutes in Bratislava, where Slovan took the lead through Andraz Sporar in the 42nd minute and Rui Fonte equalised in the 44th. They do seem to be coming in clusters today.
“Nice to see Matic getting a run out,” writes Matt Dony. It is his first start, or indeed appearance of any sort, since United last played AZ, back on 3 October. “He can play himself into some form, and hit the ground running for Spurs in January when Mourinho inevitably buys him.”
There are a couple of goals I haven’t told you about, both scored by German teams. Marcus Thuram has given Borussia Monchengladbach a 1-0 lead at home to Istanbul Basaksehir, and Danny Da Costa has equalised for Eintracht Franfurt against Guimaraes.
Yet another goal at Porto, who have retaken the lead through Tiquinho. Rangers still lead the group, and every time I glance at the feed of their game they have just missed a great chance to extend their advantage.
“You’re right that Roy Keane was known to most as Keano,” notes Peter Oh, “but I’m sure opposing players called him a Son of a [something] as well.”
Astana already had the worst goal difference in the Europa League and it’s an honour they look determined to keep. They’re now 3-0 down at Partizan Belgrade, Takuma Asano with the third.
The reason I say it’s all going on in Group G, incidentally, is that having been 2-0 up Porto conceded two goals in three minutes to get pegged back to 2-2 at home to Feyenoord, so had already lost group leadership even before Rangers scored. As it stands, Rangers have a three-point lead at the top!
GOAL! Rangers 1-0 Young Boys (Morelos, 30 mins)
It’s all going on in Group G! Young Boys give the ball away and it’s immediately popped through to Morelos. Sörensen screams across to cut it out but makes a complete hash of it, and suddenly Morelos is entirely free! There’s not even anyone there to pretend to be fouled by, so he concentrates on the task in hand and slides a shot past the keeper!
Updated
Jody Lukoki has put Ludogorets a goal up against Ferencvaros. According to Wikipedia his nickname is The Son of the Wind. I like this nickname. It certainly beats Keano or Gibbsy.
Updated
Another Roma player has scored, though Umar Sadiq is on loan at Partizan Belgrade, and has put them 2-0 up against Astana in the other game in United’s group.
Updated
At Ibrox, the now familiar sight of Morelos tumbling inside the penalty area, and a referee completely ignoring him. Then he’s played through on the right side of the area, but his shot hits the goalkeeper’s legs.
It must have been the flares in Glasgow, because visibility is now excellent. There have been no goals there, but elsewhere in Group G Luiz Diaz has given Porto the lead against Feyenoord, with the Portuguese side thus leapfrogging Rangers to the top of the group. And they’ve just scored again! That’s two in three minutes, the young left-back Tyrell Malacia putting into his own net. That leaves Rangers in second place, but potentially one goal from elimination.
Laurent Depoitre has his shooting boots on tonight. Gent are now 2-0 up against Oleksandriya, and the former Huddersfield hitman has got them both.
At Old Trafford, Idrissi is giving Young a bit of an examination, and it’s far from clear that United’s captain is going to pass it. AZ have had 63% of possession so far, with nearly 15 minutes played, and the home crowd is already sounding a little quiet.
In Rome, Diego Perotti has given the home side the lead over Wolfsberger from the penalty spot! And as I type that Wolsberger equalise, thanks to Alessandro Florenzi’s own-goal!
A goal in Group I, where Gent’s Laurent Depoitre has given them a seventh-minute lead over Oleksandriya, and thus placed them very much in the driving seat in the battle for group victory.
Ashley Young does some very relaxed defending in his own penalty area, before suddenly and emphatically crossing the boundary between cool and idiotic and very nearly presenting Idrissi with a free goal.
Pereira has the first shot of note at Old Trafford, low and hard but from an unpromising angle and duly blocked by the AZ keeper, Marco Bizot.
There has already been a goal in the largely irrelevant other match in Manchester United’s Group L. Partizan Belgrade have scored it, Seydouba Soumah putting them a goal to the good against Astana.
I’m watching the Rangers game in a little corner of my screen, and thus can’t be entirely sure whether it’s very foggy, extraordinarily rainy, or if fans have let off a few flares and it’ll all clear up any time now.
Updated
Peeeeep! They’re off! Or Wolves are, anyway. They seem to have stolen a march on the other British sides, who are being a little slow.
The players are already out and preparing for kick-off. No pause for breath here!
Hello! Simon Burnton here, taking over for the remainder of the evening. Here’s a quick run-through of tonight’s 8pm GMT kick-offs, and the state of play in the groups:
Group G
All to play for here: Rangers top the group as it stands and need at least a point to be sure of progress. If they lose, they will go out if Porto beat Feyenoord. Porto need to match Young Boys’ result to go through, while Feyenoord can progress only if they and Rangers both win.
Porto v Feyenoord
Rangers v Young Boys
Group H
Espanyol are through as group champions, and CSKA are out. Ludogorets and Ferencvaros essentially play off for the other place in the knock-out stages, with the Hungarians needing to win.
Espanyol v CSKA Moscow
Ludogorets v Ferencvaros
Group I
Gent and Wolfsburg are already through, and the Belgians will win the group unless they lose and Wolfsburg win.
Gent v Oleksandriya
Wolfsburg v Saint-Etienne
Group J
Wolsberger are out, but any two of the other three can go through. Istanbul Basaksehir need to win to go through; if they do that Borussia Monchengladbach will also go through, whatever their result.
Borussia Monchengladbach v Istanbul Basaksehir
Roma v Wolfsberger
Group K
Braga and Wolves are through. Wolves, currently in second place, need to win their game, and hope that Braga don’t win theirs, if they are to top the group.
Slovan Bratislava v Sporting Braga
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Besiktas
Group L
Manchester United and AZ are through, with United destined to top the group unless they lose at home tonight.
Manchester United v AZ Alkmaar
Partizan Belgrade v Astana
Let’s have a quick run-through of some other results:
Eintracht Frankfurt have handed top spot in their group to Arsenal, conceding two late goals to bottom side Vitória. In Group C, Getafe won their eliminator against Krasnodar 3-0, with all three goals coming in the last 15 minutes. Basel topped the group after a 2-0 win over Trabzonspor.
In Group A, Apoel surprised Sevilla, winning 1-0 in a game between two teams who had already qualified. In Group D, LASK Linz grabbed top spot from Sporting with an emphatic 3-0 win, while PSV and Rosenborg drew 1-1.
Malmö got the win they needed in a cross-border derby at Copenhagen, who still crept through after Dynamo Kyiv were held at home by Lugano. Elswhere, two goals from Joris Gnagnon earned Rennes victory over Lazio in a Group E dead rubber.
Updated
FT: Cluj 2-0 Celtic
Defeat for Neil Lennon’s young side but they had already done the hard work and will look forward to the draw after topping Group E
Updated
FT: Standard Liège 2-2 Arsenal
That’s it, and top spot in the group is sealed for Arsenal after a topsy-turvy evening.
Updated
Vitoria have scored again to take the lead against Eintracht! Another goal from Standard Liege would take them through, but we are already into stoppage time
Updated
Over in Spain Getafe are cruising through after two goals against Krasnodar. Basel are also 2-0 up in the same group
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More dramatic news from Germany as Eintracht have conceded an equaliser. That puts Arsenal back on top of the group for now ...
Updated
Almost another goal there for Lacazette. Arsenal showing some real spirit here. The Freddie effect?
There’s been a breakthrough in the crucial meeting between Copenhagen and Malmo and it’s come from an own goal from the Danish side’s Sotirios Papagiannopoulos.
Updated
What a turnaround from Arsenal, just as they were sleepwalking to second place in the group. But Standard Liege need to win to have any chance so are continuing to attack
GOAL! Standard Liege 2-2 Arsenal (Saka)
Having just set up the first goal, Saka equalises with a brilliant shot from outside the area. Some lovely touches in the buildup there!
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GOAL! Standard Liege 2-1 Arsenal (Lacazette)
Lacazette fires home to cut the deficit. That’s his 19th goal in the Europa League ...
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A piece of history made just now: Karamoko Dembele has become the youngest ever player for Celtic in European competition. He was born in February 2003!!
GOAL! Cluj 2-0 Celtic (Djokovic)
Damjan Djokovic has doubled the lead in Romania with an excellent finish. Looks like Celtic’s hopes of staying unbeaten are over.
Updated
Standard Liege are attacking at will now. Surely the unthinkable can’t happen? They need three goals in 18 minutes ....
GOAL! Standard Liège 2-0 Arsenal (Amallah)
Another goal for Standard! It’s a poor mistake from Willock, who gifts the ball to Amallah and the Moroccan finds the corner with a clever shot to make it 2-0.
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This is perhaps why Arsenal fans are so angry about what’s happening tonight. The Europa League already looks their best chance of reaching the Champions League next season after all ...
Inter, Salzburg, Ajax and Benfica among those waiting #AFC in the round of 32 if things stay as they are...
— Mark Mann-Bryans (@MarkyMBryans) December 12, 2019
Celtic are under the cosh now against Cluj, who have just missed a good chance to make it 2-0. Meanwhile APOEL are ahead against Sevilla in Group A
An Arsenal-supporting friend has just texted urging me to watch and laugh at the defending for that goal. He should be used to it by now
Arsenal’s performance so far has had a few of you writing in as well ...
“Good to see Arsenal has so much mediocrity in such depth,” says Peter Littley.
“A number of Arsenal players are doing the best they can to ensure they avoid being picked for the defeat against Man City on Sunday. Not a bad policy,” adds Charles Antaki
.
Both Celtic and Arsenal are trailing then but of course Neil Lennon’s side are are assured of top spot. It seems I’m not the only one still hoping to see young Grant Savoury make his debut later ...
“I do hope young Savoury gets a run tonight,” emails Don Kavanagh. “He looked a bit tasty in the warm-ups...”
Celtic have fallen behind in Romania after a goal from Andrei Burca. The defender’s header from a corner left Gordon with no chance
Updated
That was desperately unlucky for Arsenal but just what Standard needed. Only four to go now for Standard unless Vitoria can do them a favour
GOAL! Standard 1-0 Arsenal (Bastien)
We’re back under way in Belgium and across Europe in the other games. And it’s an early goal for Standard! Bastien’s shot hits the arm of Sokratis and deflects in ...
Updated
The half-time scores in full:
Group A: APOEL 0-0 Sevilla, Qarabag 0-0 Dudelange
Group B: Dynamo Kyiv 0-1 Lugano, Copenhagen 0-0 Malmö
Group C: Basel 1-0 Trabzonspor, Getafe 0-0 Krasnodar
Group D: PSV Eindhoven 0-1 Rosenborg, LASK 2-0 Sporting CP
Group E: Rennes 1-0 Lazio, CFR Cluj 0-0 Celtic
Group F: Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 Vitória SC, Standard Liège 0-0 Arsenal
A few more goals have gone in just before the break, with Linz now 2-0 up over Sporting and Lugano leading Dynamo Kiev. A full rundown of the scores in a sec ...
Half times: Standard Liège 0-0 Arsenal, Cluj 0-0 Celtic
Peep peep and that’s half-time in Belgium, where it’s goalless. And it’s the same over in Romania, despite a great effort from Johnston.
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Apologies to Bjørn Cato Berg (or is it Borg?), who kindly points out that I incorrectly referred to celebrated Norwegian club Rosenborg as ‘Rosenberg’. Meanwhile some nice play from Arsenal sees Saka’s shot parried before Nelson fails with a header.
Meanwhile Eintracht have taken the lead at home to Vitoria, meaning that Arsenal are down to second place in the group. Time to step things up if they can
Updated
We’ve had an email regarding young Grant Savoury of Celtic, who is on the bench this evening.
“Hope Savoury is fully warmed up when he comes on. A pity Celtic aren’t playing in Hungary,” writes Drew Goldie.
LOVE IT!
A goal from Joris Gnagnon for Rennes means Lazio have an even bigger mountain to climb now to qualify. Cluj can relax slightly against Celtic.
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An unusual piece of news emerging away from the Europa League tonight ...
Premier League side Watford have appointed Frenchman Eric Roy as Sporting Director until the end of the season (L'Éq) https://t.co/NGVtwm4Hjd
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) December 12, 2019
It’s a pudding of a pitch in Liege and the level of play is leaving less to be desired. Arsenal are laregly on top though and just as I type that Saka slams a shot just wide and Eintracht equalise through Danny de Costa!
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The goals are suddenly flying in around Europe ... Silvan Widmer has given Basel the lead at home to Trabzonspor while Linz are ahead at home to Sporting in Austria through Gernot Trauner. In the same group, Pål André Helland has scored for Rosenborg against PSV.
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Craig Gordon to the rescue! The evergreen keeper denies Cluj’s Billel Omrani with a smart save
Some instructions from Freddie Ljungberg to Lacazette - behind the hand of course as is de rigueur these days. Arsenal then make a mess of trying to play the ball out from the back. Not sure that’s what he was recommending guys ...
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Some colour from one of tonight’s other games here. Looks lovely, if a little empty ...
#tsfpAtTheGames @sidlowe is at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez tonight for a big Europa League game.
— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) December 12, 2019
Getafe and Krasnodar both level on 9 points, battling for second place in the group. It's very wet and very cold... pic.twitter.com/FkeCGHKVG1
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A good save from the Standard keeper denies Smith-Rowe at the other end. Better from Arsenal
Almost disastrous for Arsenal but Cancela fails to capitalise on their defensive problems after an initial mistake from David Luiz. Groans all around the Stade Maurice Dufrasne
We have a goal! Vitoria have taken the lead in Germany against Eintracht Frankfurt which means Standard’s dream of qualifying is alive and kicking ...
A decent start for Celtic over in Romania, with debutant Robertson showing some great skill. They also have Karamoko Dembele and the fantastically-named Grant Savoury on the bench. If you can think of any of food-based players in action this evening let me know ...
You’ve got to love David Luiz, who has just attempted a shot from his own halfway line! Not far away either
Peep peep and we’re off in the early kick-offs. Guendouzi goes down after clashing with M’Poku inside the first 30 seconds but seemed to make a lot of that.
Sako and Nelson providing support to Lacazette in attack tonight for the Gunners, who have made nine changes from the win over West Ham. Could be exciting ... Meanwhile Standard’s top scorer Maxime Lestienne is on the bench
A young Arsenal side take to the pitch in Belgium. It looks cold out there.
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Almost time for kick-off now, hope you’re all ready. A reminder of the games about to start
🤔 Who's going through today?#UEL | @UKEnterprise
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) December 12, 2019
The pressure is on Lazio to win against Rennes in Group E otherwise Cluj will be heading through with Celtic. Things are pretty tight in Arsenal’s group after their loss to Eintracht Frankfurt last time but they will be fine unless they lose 5-0, with the Germans just needing a point at home to Vitoria
Updated
In Group C, Basel are definitely through whatever happens but Getafe need a point against Krasnodar at home to qualify. Group D is much simpler, with Sporting and Linz battling it out for top spot in Austria.
Several groups still have issues to be resolved, although we already know that Sevilla and Apoel Nicoisa are in the hat from Group A. In Group B, it’s a three way tussle between Dynamo Kiev, FC Copenhagen and Malmo with the Swedish side needing to win in the Danish capital to be sure of fending off the Ukrainians.
It’s time to get serious in the competition that started back in the second week of July for some of the teams in action this evening. After this week’s events in the Champions League, we know that Ajax, Bayer Leverkusen, Benfica, Club Bruges, Inter Milan, Olympiakos, Red Bull Salzburg and Shakhtar Donetsk will be the eight teams dropping down into the draw for the last-32, which looks a decent set of potential winners to me.
Cluj v Celtic teams
It’s all change for Celtic as well, with a debut for 18-year-old Scott Robertson in midfield ...
CFR Cluj: Arlauskis, Susic, Burca, Cestor, Camora, Djokovic, Bordeianu, Culio, Deac, Traore, Omrani.
Substitutes: Fernandez, Pascanu, Luis Aurelio, Paun, Golofca, Hoban, Peteleu.
Celtic: Gordon, Bauer, Jullien, Bitton, Bolingoli Mbombo, Robertson, Ntcham, Sinclair, Morgan, Johnston, Griffiths.
Substitutes: Taylor, Bayo, Ajer, Forrest, Hazard, Savoury, Dembele.
The flying Celts are here and aiming to finish the group on a high! 🔝#CLUCEL #UEL pic.twitter.com/Dh0ksUclXw
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) December 12, 2019
Updated
Preamble
Hi everyone and welcome to a busy evening in the Europa League! There’s a lot going on in the final round of matches in the group stages with plenty to be resolved in the 24 games that are taking place tonight.
First up among the British sides are Arsenal, who just need to avoid a 5-0 defeat in their trip to face Standard Liege in Belgium to make it through to the last-32. After their morale-boosting win over West Ham on Monday, surely that will be a piece of cake for Freddie Ljungberg’s side?
Celtic are also in early action in Romania against Cluj having already booked their place in the knockout stages as group winners.
But it will be a more tense affair for Rangers later on when they entertain Young Boys needing a point to guarantee their progress.
Manchester United have no such worries ahead of their meeting with AZ Alkmaar and tonight will be an chance to see some of the young prospects given their opportunity, while Wolves face besiktas in Turkey having also sealed a last-32 spot.
Here’s a full list of all tonight’s matches:
17.55 GMT kick-offs
Group A: APOEL v Sevilla, Qarabag v Dudelange
Group B: Dynamo Kyiv v Lugano, Copenhagen v Malmö
Group C: Basel v Trabzonspor, Getafe v Krasnodar
Group D: PSV Eindhoven v Rosenborg, LASK v Sporting CP
Group E: Rennes v Lazio, CFR Cluj v Celtic
Group F: Eintracht Frankfurt v Vitória SC, Standard Liège v Arsenal
8pm GMT kick-offs
Group G: Porto v Feyenoord, Rangers v Young Boys
Group H: Ludogorets v Ferencváros, Espanyol v CSKA Moscow
Group I: Wolfsburg v St-Étienne, Gent v Olexandriya
Group J: Roma v Wolfsburg, Mönchengladbach v İstanbul Başakşehir
Group K: Wolves v Beşiktas, Slovan Bratislava v Braga
Group L: Manchester United v AZ Alkmaar, Partizan v Astana
Updated
Standard Liege v Arsenal teams
There’s a recall for Matteo Guendouzi as Freddie Ljungberg names his Arsenal side to face Standard Liege.
Here’s the teams in full:
Arsenal: Martinez, Sokratis, Luiz, Mavropanos, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi, Willock, Saka, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Lacazette
Substitutes: Leno, Chambers, Medley, Olayinka, Martinelli, John-Jules, Aubameyang
Standard Liege: Bodart, Fai, Laifis, Gavory, Vanheusden, Carcela-Gonzalez, Cimirot, M’Poku, Amallah, Bastien, Emond
Substitutes: Lavalee, Lestienne, Cop, Boljevic, Gillet, Dovillabichus, Vojvoda
📋 Here's our team in Belgium tonight...
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 12, 2019
🇬🇷 @DMavropanos handed a start
🇫🇷 @MatteoGuendouzi returns to the XI
🏴 @ReissNelson9 and @EmileSmithRowe both start
🇫🇷 @LacazetteAlex leads the line
🏆 #UEL
Updated
