United tackle Saint-Etienne

LONDON. — Manchester United’s quest for a trophy treble continues with a meeting against a fallen French soccer giant tonight as Saint-Etienne visit Old Trafford in the Europa League’s round of 32.

Although United trail leaders Chelsea by 12 points in the English Premier League, they remain on track for glory in both the League Cup, where they have reached the final, and the FA Cup.

Even one season outside the Champions League is seen as a season too many for a club like United, but although Saint-Etienne last sat at Europe’s top table in 1981, Jose Mourinho remains an admirer.

“Despite many years without titles, it’s a big club with big tradition,” the United manager told MUTV after the draw was made.

“It’s the club where Michel Platini, before he went to Italy, did amazingly well in an amazing team that was dominant in France in that period, so it’s a historical club.

“And (with) the extra curiosity of a beautiful thing, which is two brothers playing against each other.”

The brothers in question are United’s record signing Paul Pogba and the Saint-Etienne defender Florentin, who will meet in a professional match for the first time.

The pair have spoken of their excitement prior to the game and another player rubbing his hands in anticipation is United’s Anthony Martial, who came through the ranks at Saint-Etienne’s arch rivals Lyon.

“There was a huge rivalry while I was still at Lyon,” the French forward, whose side are unbeaten in 16 league games, told the United website this week.

Fixtures

Today (8:05pm unless otherwise stated): Anderlecht v Zenit St Petersburg, Astra Giurgiu v Genk (8pm), Athletic Bilbao v Apoel Nicosia, AZ Alkmaar v Lyon (8pm), Borussia Moenchengladbach v Fiorentina (8pm), Celta Vigo v Shakhtar Donetsk (8pm), Gent v Tottenham Hotspur (8pm), Hapoel Be’er Sheva v Besiktas, Krasnodar v Fenerbahce (6pm), Legia Warsaw v Ajax, Ludogorets v FC Copenhagen (8pm), Manchester United v Saint-Etienne, Olympiakos v Osmanlispor (8pm), PAOK Salonika v Schalke, Rostov v Sparta Prague (8pm), Villarreal v Roma — AFP.