3 Zorya players to keep an eye on against Manchester United

24 September 2016 - Premier League - Manchester United v Leicester City - Jose Mourinho Manager of Manchester United - Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Manchester United know that a draw in Zorya on this evening will be enough to book their place in the last 32 of the Europa League.

Jose Mourinho’s side have been tested by a tricky group in the competition, with Fenerbahce, Feyenoord, and United all going into their last group game with a chance to qualify for the knockout stages.

However, with the aforementioned two meeting each other in Rotterdam on Thursday, United know that a win in Zorya may be enough for them to clinch top spot.

That would be a decent return in what has so far been a topsy-turvy European campaign for United, who have mixed in impressive wins over Fenerbahce and Feyenoord with equally disappointing losses against the two.

Nonetheless, they will fancy their chances of backing up their 1-0 win over Zorya by getting a result in Ukraine tonight against the side that finished fourth in last season’s Ukrainian Premier League, and have yet to win a game in this season’s Europa League.

However, they do possess some talented individuals, and here are THREE that could cause United some problems in Odessa this evening…

Ivan Petryak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44KCN3ff2FE

Zorya may well be bottom of Group A, but they still have some pretty decent players who could cause United problems on Thursday.

One of which is 22-year-old midfielder Ivan Petryak, who broke into the Ukrainian national side earlier this year after excellent performances for his club.

Petryak actually ended his five-year stay at Zorya this summer by signing for Shakhtar Donetsk, but he rejoined them on loan for the rest of the current campaign.

Although he is yet to find his form in the Europa League, the left midfielder has netted four times in the Ukrainian Premier League this season, the last of which coming just two weeks ago.

Rafael Forster

Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

Rafael Forster is one of just six non-Ukrainian players on the books at Zorya this season, but he has been one of their most influential so far.

The Brazilian defender only signed for the Ukrainian outfit in January this year, but has flourished in the heart of the back four, making 18 league appearances in all competitions this season – the joint-most of any defender at the club.

However, it’s at the other end where Forster has been mightily impressive, and he has netted five goals in all competitions thus far, and he is one of just two Zorya players to have netted in the Europa League this season, the other being Dmytro Hrechyshkin.

The 26-year-old played against United at Old Trafford earlier in the season, but has since then gone from strength-to-strength.

Oleksandr Karavayev

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMRuQ7npLJo

Forster tops the club’s goal-scoring charts alongside midfielder Oleksandr Karavayev.

The Ukrainian international has been a regular in the national squad since his debut in 2015, and went to the European Championships in France with his country last summer, but he didn’t make an appearance in the competition as Ukraine exited in the group stages.

Nonetheless, the 24-year-old, on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk, has been in fine form for Zorya this season, netting five times in 15 league games to help them to third in the Ukrainian Premier League.

Another one who started at Old Trafford back in September, Karavayev could cause United problems tonight.

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