Manchester United resume their Europa League campaign on Thursday when they host French side Saint-Etienne at Old Trafford (8.05pm kick-off).

Jose Mourinho’s men go into the clash off the back of a 2-0 victory over Watford on Saturday, which extended their unbeaten Premier League run to 16 matches, with their last defeat coming all the way back in October away at Chelsea.

The Red Devils though remain sixth in the table, although they are just two points behind fourth place Arsenal with just 13 games to go.

Nonetheless, their attentions turn to the Europa League this week, with French outfit Saint-Etienne, currently fifth in Ligue 1 having won four of their last five matches, visiting Old Trafford.

United will obviously go in as favourites on Thursday, but given that they have the League Cup final next week, as well as an FA Cup tie and the second leg of this tie in the next seven days, Mourinho is likely to make some changes to his side.

Thus, here are THREE United players who deserve a chance against Saint-Etienne…

Matteo Darmian

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

With the League Cup final approaching, as well as an FA Cup tie at Blackburn and a trip to Saint-Etienne next week, Mourinho is likely to shake things up on Thursday.

And that could mean a return to the first team for defender Matteo Darmian.

The Italian international hasn’t appeared for the Red Devils since their 2-1 defeat to Hull in the League Cup semi-final second leg on January 26, with Daley Blind deputising at left-back.

However, 27-year-old Darmian has been reliable when called upon this term, and given that he played three of their Europa League group stage campaigns, he may well get a start at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Jesse Lingard

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Jesse Lingard has only started two of United’s ten matches in 2017, the latest back on January 26 in their League Cup semi-final second leg defeat at Hull.

The 24-year-old has struggled for form in recent months, netting just once and assisting only one other since the middle of October, which has seen his gametime in the Premier League drastically reduce, playing just 76 minutes of league football since the turn of the year.

However, the England international has the pace to cause the Saint-Etienne defence problems on Thursday night, and United may look to him to make the pitch big and get at the opposing defenders in a bid to take a healthy first leg lead to France next week.

Marcus Rashford

England international Marcus Rashford is reportedly stalling on a new contract at United, and it’s not difficult to see why based on his recent amount of gametime.

The 19-year-old, almost a year since he made his big breakthrough in the Europa League against Midtjylland, has only started two of the Red Devils’ last 13 Premier League games, and hasn’t netted in the league since September 24 when Mourinho’s men thumped champions Leicester 4-1 at Old Trafford.

Rashford has been on a barren run since then, but did get two goals in their FA Cup triumph over Reading at the start of January, and United fans would have been hoping for the forward to push on like he did at the start of the campaign.

He hasn’t, but like Lingard, his pace and directness could be invaluable for United on Thursday, and giving him a start on Thursday could be the confidence-booster he needs to get back in amongst the goals.