Three reasons Manchester United should fancy themselves as favourites for the Europa League

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Limited Opposition

Most importantly the absence of Sevilla. Fortunately for all sides left in this year’s competition, the Spanish perennial winners have given up their three-year stranglehold on the trophy by progressing into the Champions League knockout stages. As a result, United’s most threatening propositions appear to be:

• A.S. Roma, almost certainly through after a comprehensive 4-0 away victory over Villarreal. An Edin Dzeko hat-trick makes him the current top scorer.
• Athletic Bilbao, currently 8th in La Liga, but have a decent record in the competition.
• Tottenham Hotspur, who narrowly lost their away leg last night but are outperforming United in England.
• Shakhtar Donetsk, unbeaten in Ukraine and 13 points clear, can firmly concentrate on Europe.

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This is not to be disrespectful to other sides, but the competition is certainly weaker than at the same stage last year, when Napoli, Sporting Lisbon, Bayer Leverkusen, Lazio, Borussia Dortmund, F.C. Porto, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Sevilla were all within the last 32.

None of the sides left in this tournament are stronger on paper than Manchester United, and it is foreseeable that they could reach at least the semi-finals without facing any particularly difficult tests.