Europa League

LASK Linz look worthy favourites to reach the last 16 of the Europa League after returning from the Netherlands on level terms against AZ Alkmaar. The Austrian outfit impressed at Linzer Stadion during the group stage, beating Sporting Lisbon, PSV Eindhoven and Rosenborg by an aggregate score of 8-1.

Rangers staged a fantastic fightback when beating Braga 3-2 in the first leg of their Europa League tie but we fear it may ultimately prove in vain. Their opponents have been in outstanding form in Portugal and looked an excellent team at times at Ibrox, despite being hampered by a poor playing surface.

This will be the fourth time these familiar foes have faced each other in as many months and the set-up of this meeting makes CFR Cluj a percentage pick. Celtic have already wrapped up top spot in Europa League Group E, but their hosts need to avoid defeat here to guarantee pipping Lazio for second.

Rangers only need a draw to qualify from Europa League Group G and are taken to achieve just that result when entertaining Young Boys at Ibrox. This has been an ultra-competitive pool, with a whole series of close contests leaving all four teams still in contention to advance ahead of Matchday 6.

PSV and Rosenborg will both end their Europa League involvement on Thursday night, but the Dutch outfit are at least fancied to bow out on a high note. Mark van Bommel’s men have picked up seven points in Group D, but even a win here would not help them to overhaul Sporting Lisbon or LASK Linz.

Porto will progress from Europa League Group G if beating Feyenoord on home turf at Estadio do Dragao and look well placed to achieve that feat. The visitors could also still sneak through with a victory, but have lost on their previous two road trips to Rangers and Young Boys without scoring.

Freddie Ljungberg enjoyed his first win in charge of Arsenal at West Ham and will be keen to build more momentum when visiting Standard Liege. The Gunners only need to avoid a heavy defeat to advance from Europa League Group F but are fancied to claim another morale-boosting victory in Belgium.

Manchester United and AZ Alkmaar played out a goalless stalemate when they met in Holland and another cagey contest is on the cards at Old Trafford. Both teams have already qualified for the Europa League knockout rounds and are expected to make changes ahead of important domestic contests on Sunday.

Wolves have already booked a place in the Europa League knockout rounds but still have top spot in Group K to play for when entertaining Besiktas. The Turkish outfit can’t qualify for the next phase, lost 1-0 at home to Wanderers and were beaten in both previous away games in this section.

Arsenal have already won 3-0 away to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League this season but still may be worth opposing in the reverse fixture. The Gunners only need to avoid defeat at Emirates Stadium to reach the knockout rounds, whereas the German outfit are fighting for survival.

Rangers can move another step towards qualifying for the Europa League knockout stages by holding Feyenoord to a draw in Rotterdam. Steven Gerrard’s side shaded a 1-0 victory when these teams met in Glasgow on Matchday 1 but would almost certainly settle for a share of the spoils at De Kuip.

Celtic have been superb in Europa League Group E and can wrap up top spot by beating basement dwellers Rennes at Parkhead. These teams drew 1-1 in France on Matchday 1, but the Hoops have since claimed three straight wins, while Les Rouge et Noir have suffered a trio of defeats.

Manchester United made hard work of beating Astana at home in the Europa League but should be looking to secure a smoother success in the return fixture. The Kazakhstan outfit were resilient at Old Trafford, but have since had the stuffing knocked out of them by suffering three more defeats.

Wolves head to Portugal needing a point to guarantee a place in the last 32 of the Europa League with a game to spare in Group K. Nuno Espirito Santo’s men are second behind Thursday’s opponent and on the brink of qualifying thanks to a 1-0 victory against Slovan Bratislava in their previous European game.