Europa League draw LIVE: Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers learn fate as play-offs revealed

Ruben Amorim has heaped praise on Alejandro Garnacho for the way he has kicked on and “changed in everything” since the disappointment of being left out of the Manchester derby.

It is seven weeks since the Argentina international and fellow academy graduate Marcus Rashford were surprisingly omitted from the United squad that went on to to secure a late comeback win at City.

The latter’s continued exile is dominating the headlines, with Amorim saying on the eve of the Europa League match against FCSB that he “has to change” and meet his standards to have a future at Old Trafford.

Speculation rumbles on over Rashford ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline, as does talk about Garnacho’s future – although the 20-year-old’s response to the City setback appears starkly different.

Tottenham Hotspur’s unpredictable season will feature knockout football in the Europa League after Spurs claimed a top-eight place.

Ange Postecoglou’s side sit 15th in the Premier League but the Europa League offers them the chance to end their long trophy drought, and Spurs should stand as one of the favourites when their injury crisis clears.

After winning their first three Europa League fixtures this season, Spurs wobbled and suffered defeat to Galatasaray before dropping points against Roma and Rangers. But a win over Hoffenheim, followed by three points again Elfsborg got Tottenham over the line.

Rangers have learned a little more about how their Europa League campaign after reaching the knockout rounds for the fifth time in six seasons.

A difficult campaign for Philippe Clement’s side domestically has been brightened by better showings in Europe, with Rangers defeating Nice 4-1 away from home and holding Tottenham to a 1-1 draw at Ibrox.

While Rangers suffered a late defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford, the Ibrox club secured a 2-1 victory against Union Saint-Gilloise on the final matchday.

United did not win any of their first three games under Erik ten Hag, before interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ruben Amorim steadied the ship.

Though United still left it late to defeat Viktoria Plzen and Rangers, a final victory over FCSB secured their place in the top-eight.

United’s position in the bottom half of the Premier League table means victory in the Europa League is their best chance of returning to the Champions League next season.

And with no teams dropping into the Europa League from the Champions League this season, they will be among the favourites to go all the way.

The full play-off bracket will be set when the next Europa League draw is conducted on Friday 21 February, which is the day after the second leg of the play-off rounds. Mark that in your diaries.

Knockout phase play-offs: 13 & 20 February 2025

Round of 16: 6 & 13 March 2025

Quarter-finals: 10 & 17 April 2025

Semi-finals: 1 & 8 May 2025

Play-off 1: Ferencváros vs Viktoria Plzen

Play-off 2: Twente vs Bodo/Glimt

Play-off 3: Union Saint-Gilloise vs Ajax

Play-off 4: AZ vs Galatasaray

Play-off 5: Midtjylland vs Real Sociedad

Play-off 7: Fenerbahce vs Anderlecht

Play-off 8: Porto vs Roma

We are ready to begin! We will start by drawing the unseeded teams, filling the eight play-off brackets.

The teams that finished between ninth and 16th in the league standings will be seeded for the play-offs draw, and they will each be drawn against an unseeded team that finished between 17th and 24th in the table.

The seeded team will have the slight advantage of playing the second leg at home.

Teams will be paired together in the draw, so the two sides who finished ninth and 10th will be drawn against either the 23rd or 24th placed sides; the teams who finished 11th and 12th will be drawn against either the 21st or 22nd-placed sides, and so on.

The eight winners from the play-offs will meet the top eight from the league phase in the last-16, where straight knockout rounds will run all the way to the final.