MANCHESTER, England -- The gaps in the crowd at Old Trafford on Thursday were proof enough of Manchester United fans' attitude towards the Europa League. A cold night in December and a game with nothing riding on it does not help, but there is no escaping the fact that whether it's the supporters, players or even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, no one really wanted to be here.
Thursday night football in the Europa League represents a failure for a club of United's size. It is a reminder that they weren't good enough to qualify for the Champions League, Europe's premier club competition, and have been forced to settle for second best.