Key events
12 min: United pass the ball around the edge of the Omonia penalty area with two lines of four defenders in front of them.
10 min: Omonia goalkeeper Fabiano rushes out of his area to larrup the ball into the stand before Ronaldo can beat him to it. United are completely in the ascendency, as you might expect.
8 min: Antony plays the ball wide to Cristiano Ronaldo, who is looking for his 700th career club goal. It doesn’t come here, as he shoots straight at Omonia goalkeeper Fabiano from a decent position on the inside left. Saved.
7 min: Tyrell Malacia tees up Bruno Fernades on the edge of the Omonia penalty area but his rasping shot is blocked. United are dominating possession and their hosts are dropping deep, getting plenty of men behind the ball.
5 min: Not much of note to report so far as Wales international Adam Matthews hoofs a bouncing ball clear for Omonia from the edge of his own penalty area.
3 min: United win an early corner conceded byNemanja Miletic under pressure from Bruno Fernandes. Christian Eriksen swings the ball into the penalty area and Omonia clear.
Omonia Nicosia v Manchester United is go …
1 min: Following a minute’s silence for the victims of the Kanjuruhan Stadium disaster in Malang, East Java last weekend that wasn’t particularly well observed, the home side get the ball rolling.
Not long now: The teams are out and standing either side of Joao Pinheiro and his team of match officials. Omonia are wearing green and white stripes, white shorts and white socks, colours their manager Neil Lennon is all too familiar with. The visitors from Manchester United wear red shirts, black shorts and black socks. Kick-off is just a minute away.
That Manchester United team: There are three changes to the side that lined up to such devastating effect against Manchester City on Sunday. As expected, Victor Lindelof makes a rare start in place of the injured Raphael Varane, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro are picked ahead of Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay, who are on the bench.
Omonia Nicosia v Manchester United line-ups
Omonia Nicosia: Fabiano, Matthews, Miletic, Yuste, Lang, Lecjaks, Diskerud, Charalambous, Barker, Bruno, Ansarifard.
Subs: Kontomis, Loizou, Papoulis, Kitsos, Zachariou, Uzoho, Panagiotou, Kakoullis, Bezus.
Manchester United Utd: De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Malacia, Casemiro, Eriksen, Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Sancho, Ronaldo.
Subs: Martial, Rashford, Fred, Heaton, Shaw, Pellistri, Dubravka, Elanga, McTominay, Garnacho, Iqbal.
Tonight’s match officials
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Referee: João Pinheiro
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Assistant referees: Bruno Jesus and Luciano Maia
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Fourth official: António Nobre
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Video Assistant Referee: Luis Godinho
Early team news
Having stated that he didn’t want to introduce Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United’s 6-3 shellacking at the hands of Manchester City off the bench last weekend “out of respect for his career”, it will be intriguing to see if Erik Ten Hag considers tonight’s match to be beneath the Portuguese striker. It seems unlikely, as Ronaldo has started both of United’s previous group games against Sociedad and Sheriff.
With Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane both sidelined, there’s a vacany in the heart of United’s defence alongside Lisandro Martinez that is likely to be filled by Victor Lindelof. Donny van de Beek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who might have expected some game time here if fit, also remain absent with injury. Recruited from Newcastle on loan during the summer, Martin Dubravka has recovered from a muscle injury sustained on international duty with Slovakia and could conceivably make his Manchester United deb ut tonight.
Omonia midfielder Moreto Cassama, who has Ligue1 experience with Reims, remains a major doubt but former Reading and Rangers winger Brandon Barker could feature for the hosts. Former Celtic striker Gary Hooper, 34, joined Omonia on a free transfer last month after six months without a club since leaving Wellington Phoenix but has yet to make his debut as he is not fit enough. Former Cardiff, Celtic, Sunderland, Charlton and Wales international full-back Adam Matthews is also at the Cypriot club.
Group E: Omonia Nicosia v Manchester United
With one win and one defeat from two Europa League games to their name this season, Manchester United find themselves in Cyprus ahead of tonight’s match against Omonia Nicosia, who sit bottom of the group without a point to their name after defeats at the hands of FC Sheriff and Real Sociedad.
The 23,000-capacity GSP Stadium in Strovolos, Nicosia is the venue for tonight’s set-to, where the home side, managed by the occasionally combustible touchline presence that is Neil Lennon, are massive underdogs despite their home advantage. Kick-off in Cyprus is at 5.45pm (BST) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.