Lyon vs Man United LIVE: Team news and Europa League updates

Gary Neville has hit out at the “robotic” nature of modern football after being left disappointed by a dour draw in the Manchester derby.

“I don’t think there was one player who walked off that pitch disappointed about drawing 0-0, from either side,” Neville said. “They all walked off sort of thinking, ‘We’re OK here, got away without making a mistake’. It was that type of game.

“The best Man City and Man United teams would be very disappointed with the way they’ve approached the end of that game. It looks like it’s Sunday afternoon and they’re going to go for a roast dinner together now. They’re micromanaged to an inch of their lives, so robotic, and it’s symptomatic of a lot of games that we’re watching nowadays.

“I’m disappointed. It’s a Manchester derby. It should have more blood, thunder, and risk and courage involved in playing the game and winning the game than that.”

Manchester United haven’t lost the first leg of any of their last 11 major knockout ties (five wins, six draws).

The last time they did so was a 1-0 home defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League in April 2019.

Each of their last three away first leg matches have been drawn.

Man Utd have lost just one of their last 21 Europa League matches (14 wins, six draws), losing 3-0 away to Sevilla in April 2023.

That defeat also remains the only time in those 21 games they have failed to score.

Lyon’s 4-0 win over FCSB in the second leg of the last 16 was their biggest win in Europe since beating Apollon Limassol 4-0 in November 2017.

They’ve scored 23 goals in this season’s Europa League, only scoring more in two major European campaigns – 29 in 2004-05 and 28 in 2016-17.

Manchester United’s two away visits to Lyon have both been in the Champions League and on both occasions they came from behind to draw, from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in September 2004 and 1-0 down to draw 1-1 in February 2008.

Two additional spots in the Champions League are available to the leagues in the countries with the highest Uefa co-efficients, with countries earning co-efficient points based on how their sides perform.

Midfielder Rayan Cherki spoke about the possibility of winning the competition with Lyon.

He said: “I was born in Lyon and I will die being from Lyon. This is something that you cannot buy. I was lucky to be born into a family where we could stay simple, old-fashioned.

“To be able to play for Olympique Lyonnais is one of my biggest dreams that’s coming true.

“And if I can win a trophy with Olympique Lyonnais, I would have accomplished the most beautiful thing with my favourite club.”

“Lyon picked Nemanja Matic for the pre-match press conference but not the game.

“Andre Onana’s chief critic is only on the bench for a game that, if it goes wrong, could in effect end United’s season but which, should it go well, would take them a step closer to a return to the Champions League.

“It is a meeting of two Portuguese coaches: Paulo Fonseca is serving a nine-month touchline ban in Ligue 1, but that does not apply to the Europa League.

“Ruben Amorim, meanwhile, is unbeaten in Europe as United manager. If that is still the case when the final whistle goes, they will be favourites to reach the semi-final.”

Lyon XI: Perri; Maitland-Niles, Mata, Niakhate, Tagliafico; Tolisso, Akouokou, Veretout; Cherki, Mikautadze, Almada

Man Utd XI: Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro; Dalot, Casemiro, Ugarte, Dorgu; Garnacho, Hojlund, Fernandes