The lowdown on Manchester United’s Europa League opponents Astana

Manchester United kick off their Europa League campaign with a first ever clash against Astana.

Ahead of the Group L opener, PA takes a look at the visitors to Old Trafford on Thursday evening.

A club in a hurry

The first ever meeting between teams from England and Kazakhstan in UEFA competition promises to be an occasion to remember for Astana. Only formed in 2009 following the merger of two clubs, they were known as Lokomotiv Astana for a further two years. They have won five straight Kazakhstan Premier League titles and could well win a sixth thanks to their dominant domestic displays. On the continental stage, the Blue and Yellows became the country’s first team to play in the Champions League group stage in 2015-16, when they finished bottom of a group including Atletico Madrid, Benfica and Galatasaray. But Astana did not disgrace themselves, drawing all three home games as well as their final match in Turkey. They have failed to make it into the Champions League since, having to make do with Europa League football after falling in the qualifiers for four straight years.

Kings of Kazakhstan

Champions of the Kazakhstan Premier League each year since 2014, Astana currently find themselves in the unusual position of third behind Tobol and Kairat. The Blue and Yellows are five points off the top but do have two games in hand on their rivals. In Europe, they were knocked out of this year’s Champions League in the first qualifying round by CFR Cluj as the Romanian side overturned a 1-0 defeat in Kazakhstan to win 3-2 on aggregate. Astana dropped into the Europa League and saw off Santa Coloma of Andorra and Maltese side Valletta, setting up a play-off against BATE Borisov. The Blue and Yellows squeaked through 3-2 on aggregate, having seen their 3-0 first leg win chipped away in Belarus.

Ukrainian coach… English executive director

Scout McTominay?