Manchester United v PAOK: Ruud van Nistelrooy looks to end Reds’ horror European run while former player returns to Old Trafford

United have not won a European game in more than a year since a 1-0 victory over Copenhagen in October 2023. That was their only win of a disastrous Champions League campaign last term where they crashed out of the competition, finishing bottom of their group.

Since then, all three of their Europa League matches this season have ended in stalemates against Twente, Porto, and Fenerbahçe.

Tonight is their final European fixture before Ruben Amorim arrives and they will be favourites against PAOK, the current Greek Super League champions who hail from the coastal city of Thessaloniki in Macedonia. PAOK are 30th of 36 in the Europa League table, having only qualified for the competition through the playoffs.

They lost their opening matches to Galatasary and FCSB, but showed spirit to come back from two goals behind to get their first point against Viktoria Plzen. Considering United’s recent penchant for letting leads slip, Van Nistelrooy’s side will have to be alert to that danger in tonight’s fixture.

United and PAOK have never played each other before, but will be a familiar face at Old Trafford: Shola Shoretire, 20, never truly broke into the ranks of the first team in Manchester but was a highly rated youth prospect. He rose through the academy’s ranks from 2013 and signed a professional contract in February 2021 aged just 17.

That month, Shoretire became the youngest player to feature for United in Europe when he made a substitute appearance against Real Sociedad, and he went on to be named Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year that season.

Sadly, he never managed to break fully into the first team squad. After a loan spell with Bolton Wanderers in 2023, he made the move to PAOK following the expiry of his United contract this summer.

Reflecting on his time at Old Trafford and looking ahead to his return, the 20-year-old said: “It’s an amazing feeling to be back. When we found out we were playing against them, it was a big surprise, but very nice to be back.

“Of course it was difficult to leave, but I felt it was the right moment for my career. PAOK seemed like a very good club to go to, and I’m very happy with how it’s gone so far.”

For Van Nistelrooy, who has been clear that he wants to remain a part of the set-up at United under Ruben Amorim, tonight is his best opportunity to make his case. The Dutchman oversaw a rout of an admittedly pretty uninspiring Leicester in the League Cup and a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the weekend, but tonight has the chance to end United’s painful European winless run.

If he can manage that, it’s not a bad bullet point on the CV to lay in front of Amorim and Ineos - and it’s something his former boss Erik ten Hag couldn’t manage.

He is, however, hampered by injuries. Despite the return of Leny Yoro to first-team training this week, any substantial role for the French teenager would probably be an unwise risk and several of his defensive colleagues are also doubts. Tyrell Malacia could be set for a long-awaited return soon but Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are both still out.

The three players who could make a return to the bench, according to Van Nistelrooy’s press conference, are Christian Eriksen, Antony, and Mason Mount.

It remains to be seen if the interim boss will rotate at all. There could be a change in goal if, as he did in the cup against Leicester, Van Nistelrooy opts to give some minutes to Altay Bayındır.

There may also be starts for the likes of Amad Diallo and Joshua Zirkzee, who came on as substitutes against Chelsea - but beyond that, how many risks will Van Nistelrooy want to take in a game that could make or break his admittedly brief tenure?

Three points tonight are crucial for United, who sit 22nd in the Europa League and must improve rapidly if they are to progress automatically from the league stage. Considering the weekend’s opposition in Leicester are unlikely to pose as many problems as Chelsea did, there might be much less rotation than in the previous midweek clash.

Manchester United vs PAOK kicks off at 8pm tonight and is live on TNT Sports.