Europa League semi-final first-leg preview: Manchester United and Arsenal face former faces as they bid to reach next month’s final

The Europa League is back this week, with the first legs of the semi-finals being played on Thursday featuring both Manchester United and Arsenal.

Manchester United host Roma

United are favourites to win the tournament and they welcome Italian giants Roma, looking to go one better than last season and reach the final of the competition.

They lost to Sevilla as this stage last year and will be looking to avoid repeating the same mistakes this time round. Star player Bruno Fernandes has 38 combined goals and assists so far this season and will be key if United are to overcome their opponents on Thursday.

Roma won’t just roll over though, having already thrashed Braga, Shakhtar Donetsk and Ajax en-route to the semi-finals. They also boast the competition’s joint-top scorer in Borja Mayoral (seven goals).

Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be reunited with their former club and will undoubtedly be ready to get one over on their old employers.

Villarreal manager Unai Emery will look to haunt Arsenal

There is also a big reunion in Arsenal’s tie, with Unai Emery facing those who sacked him 18 months ago.

The Spaniard has won this competition three times already – the sort of record that Arsenal hired him for in the first place – and will be hoping to get one step closer to making it a fourth.

Despite their domestic struggles, the Gunners have done well in the Europa League and are yet to lose a game in the tournament this season.

Wins against Benfica, Olympiacos and Slavia Prague have helped them to the semi-finals while their opponents this time out have beaten Red Bull Salzburg, Dynamo Kiev and Dinamo Zagreb.

The first legs of the semi-finals take place on Thursday, with the second legs being played a week later on Thursday, May 6.