Rangers Eye Europa League Upset Against Struggling Manchester United

Rangers coach Philippe Clement says his team is focused on securing a historic win over Manchester United in the Europa League, despite the Red Devils' recent struggles.

Rangers coach Philippe Clement has expressed his indifference to the turmoil surrounding Manchester United ahead of their Europa League clash on Thursday. Clement's focus is solely on preparing his team for the challenge at Old Trafford, rather than getting caught up in the “noise,” surrounding United's struggles.

Manchester United's recent form has been dismal, with a 3-1 defeat to Brighton in the Premier League last weekend being the latest setback. United manager Ruben Amorim made a startling admission in the aftermath of the loss, suggesting that his team might be the worst in the club's illustrious history. With 10 losses in 22 Premier League matches, United are languishing in 13th place.

Despite Manchester United's struggles, Clement is not taking anything for granted. Instead, he is focused on plotting a memorable upset for his side, as Rangers aim to reach the Europa League knockout stages. By staying focused on his team's goals, Clement hopes to capitalize on United's vulnerabilities and secure a notable victory at Old Trafford.

Rangers are eighth in the Europa League table, trailing Manchester United by just one point. With the top eight teams qualifying automatically for the last 16, Thursday's clash at Old Trafford takes on added significance. Rangers coach Philippe Clement is keen to keep his players focused on the task at hand, rather than getting distracted by the turmoil surrounding United. “The most important thing for my group is to be focused on ourselves and not all the noise around them. We need to show our qualities,” Clement told reporters on Wednesday.

It’s Matchday 👊

🆚 @ManUtd
⚽️ @EuropaLeague
🏟️ Old Trafford
⏰ 20:00 (GMT) pic.twitter.com/yf5eqHxGuG

— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) January 23, 2025

Clement emphasized the importance of his team's performance on the pitch, rather than worrying about United's struggles. “Of course we know what to expect. It's not about all the noise around us. It's about what we do on the pitch with and without a ball,” he said. Historically, Rangers have struggled against United, losing three of their four meetings. Their last away win against an English side in Europe came at Leeds in 1992.

Despite the daunting task ahead, Clement is drawing inspiration from Rangers' recent 3-0 win against Old Firm rivals Celtic. He urged his players to deliver another famous victory, saying, “I'm totally not busy with that, if the other team have high confidence or low confidence.” Clement recalled the Old Firm match, where Rangers proved their doubters wrong. “We had it a few weeks ago before the Old Firm that nobody gave us a chance and the team proved what they can do in big moments. The team is doing better and better, the last couple of months, that's what we need to show tomorrow, to write history here.”