Turkish giants Galatasaray among 4 clubs Manchester United could face in Europa League Round of 16

With Manchester United securing automatic qualification to the Europa League Round of 16, the four clubs they could face in the next round have come to light. The Red Devils defeated Romanian side FCSB 2-0 away from home on Thursday (January 30) to finish third in the league phase standings.

Second-half goals from Diogo Dalot and Kobbie Mainoo ensured that United ended the league phase on a high. Despite their struggles in the Premier League, the Red Devils have managed to maintain consistency on the continent

Ruben Amorim's side were one of the best teams during the first round of the competition. They recorded five wins and three draws from eight matches, becoming the only unbeaten side during the league phase.

Manchester United's automatic qualification means they'll face a team that emerges from the knock-out playoffs in the Round of 16. The Red Devils are set to face one of Galatasaray, Real Sociedad, Alkmaar, or Midtjylland in the last 16.

Real Sociedad and Galatasaray finished 13th and 14th in the standings respectively, while AZ Alkmaar and Midtjylland placed in the 19th and 20th position correspondingly.

The draw for the Europa League knock-out phase playoffs will be held on Friday (January 31), while the Round of 16 draw will go down a day after the completion of the knock-out phase matches on February 21.

What next for Manchester United after securing Europa League Round of 16 ticket?

Ruben Amorim and his Manchester United squad can now shift focus to the domestic competitions following their automatic Europa League Round of 16 qualification.

The Red Devils will not be in action on the continent until March 6 when the first leg of the Round of 16 fixtures will commence. As such, they can focus squarely on the Premier League where they have performed below par all season long and are ranked 12th after 23 matches.

United will also look to further advance in the FA Cup and defend the title they won last season. They are scheduled to face fellow Premier League side Leicester City in the fourth round on February 7.

Manager Amorim will hope his side can replicate their Europa League form on the domestic scene in the coming weeks.