Manchester United and Tottenham put their inconsistent domestic campaigns aside and advanced to the Europa League round of 16 on Thursday. Diogo Dalot tapped in a precise cross by Kobbie Mainoo on the hour mark and Mainoo netted eight minutes later for a 2-0 victory over Romanian champion FCSB in Bucharest.

The stakes in the final Europa League matches on Thursday at 20:00 GMT are identical to that of the UEFA Champions League. The top eight teams will head straight into the last 16 on 6 and 13 March, while the teams placed ninth to 24th face a two-legged playoff on 13 and 20 February.

Manchester United booked their place in the Europa League last 16 with a 2-0 win at Romanian side FCSB, while troubled Tottenham turned to their young guns to advance via a top-eight finish on Thursday.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur shrugged off their Premier League woes as they clinched last 16 berths in the Europa League with victories at Romania's FCSB and against Swewden's Elfsborg, respectively,

Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers have all learned who they could play in the next stage of the Europa League following the conclusion of the league phase. United and Tottenham both started the gameweek within the top-eight and made sure of their automatic progression to the last 16 by winning their respective games on Thursday evening.

Tottenham are looking to secure their spot in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 knockouts against Elfsborg on January 30. Ange Postecoglou is under increasing pressure as Spurs have slipped down the Premier League table in 2025 with four successive league losses since the turn of the year.