Southampton drawn against Inter Milan, Sparta Prague and Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Friday 26 August 2016 18:47, UK
Manchester United have been drawn to play Fenerbahce, Feyenoord and Zorya Luhansk in the Europa League group stage.
United were among the 12 top seeds in the competition and were the very first team selected in Friday lunchtime's draw in Monaco.
Fenerbahce, Feyenoord and Zorya Luhansk were pitted against them, with all four teams allocated to Group A.
The draw could see Fenerbahce striker Robin van Persie play at Old Trafford once again after trading Manchester for Istanbul in 2015, following a three-year spell with United where he scored 58 goals in 105 appearances.
Van Persie could also return to Rotterdam to face another former club in Feyenoord, where he spent the formative years of his career before joining Arsenal in 2004.
United boss Jose Mourinho, who has not managed a team in this competition since his Porto side lifted the trophy in 2003, said: "It's a big match to play in Istanbul as it is in Rotterdam - it's good for us.
"There are groups in the Champions League that are very similar, so it is good for that. We know that it will be a difficult group, but I think that is a good thing. If you have teams without expression then even the fans may not enjoy nights at Old Trafford. It is good for the fans and for the players because it will help motivation."
Southampton, who were among the third seeds, were drawn in Group K alongside Inter Milan, Sparta Prague and Hapoel Be'er Sheva.
Dundalk have been drawn against Zenit St Petersburg, AZ Alkmaar and Maccabi Tel-Aviv
The final will be held in Stockholm next May.
Group A: Manchester United, Fenerbahce, Feyenoord, Zorya Luhansk
Group B: Olympiakos Piraeus, Apoel Nicosia, Young Boys, Astana
Group C: Anderlecht, St Etienne, Mainz, Qabala
Group D: Zenit Saint Petersburg, AZ Alkmaar, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Dundalk
Group E: Viktoria Plzen, AS Roma, Austria Vienna, Astra Giurgiu
Group F: Athletic Bilbao, Genk, Rapid Vienna, Sassuolo
Group G: Ajax Amsterdam, Standard Liege, Celta Vigo, Panathinaikos
Group H: Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga, Gent, Konyaspor
Group I: Schalke 04, Salzburg, Krasnodar, Nice
Group J: Fiorentina, PAOK Slovan, Liberec, Qarabag
Group K: Inter Milan, Sparta Prague, Southampton, Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Group L: Villarreal, Steaua Bucharest, Zurich, Osmanlispor
