A huge roar from the home fans almost drowns out the referee's whistle as the game gets under way.

What an atmosphere!

Right then, the players are in the tunnel and ready to go. It's bubbling cauldron of an atmosphere despite the ground not being packed out. There's around 40,000 inside the 50,000 capacity stadium.

Here's a reminder of the Manchester United starting XI...

Van Persie doesn't have time for warming up, too many people to see. He leaves Mata behind to go do a special handshake with Fellaini. I wonder if there was any 'dabbing' involved?

Image source, Reuters

League of Ireland champions Dundalk are without Robbie Benson, who scored in the 2-1 defeat by the Russians in Dublin two weeks ago. The midfielder has a hamstring injury.

Darren Meenan is missing because of a family illness while Stephen O'Donnell makes the substitutes' bench on his recovery from a hamstring problem.

Midfielder Daryl Horgan and winger Andy Boyle both start after being named in Martin O'Neill's Republic of Ireland squad to play Austria in a World Cup qualifier in Vienna on 12 November.

The Lilywhites' manager Stephen Kenny has indicated that his side will rely heavily on the counter-attack as they relish the challenge of playing in snowy conditions at Zenit's ageing stadium on the Petrovsky Island in the centre of Russia's most westernmost city.

Dundalk lie second in Group D on four points, five behind leaders Zenit.

Zenit St Petersburg: Kerzhakov, Aniukov, neto, Lombaerts, Criscito, Witsel, Giuliano, Mauricio, Kokorin, Alexandr Kerzhakov, Shatov. 

Dundalk: Rogers, Gannon, Boyle, Gartland, Massey, Shields, Mountney, McEleney, Finn, Horgan, McMillan. 

Image source, AP

League of Ireland Premier Division champions Dundalk travel to Russia to play Zenit St Petersburg tonight. 

The Russian side have three wins from three in Group D so far including a 2-1 win in Ireland last time out.

But Dundalk boss Stephen Kenny said his team are enjoying the experience.

"I do think that now that we are here and have to come to St Petersburg and it is heavy snow, that is part of the attraction - that is quite exciting for us," he said.

"This is a new experience for a lot of the players and it is to be embraced and encouraged."

Image source, Rex Features

The last time Manchester United played Fenerbache in Turkey was when they had the likes of Eric Djemba-Djemba and Liam Miller knocking around in midfield. That was in 2004, when a certain Wayne Rooney had just announced his arrival at the club by bagging a hat-trick in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford as United won 6-2.

The game in Turkey was a different story as Tuncay scored three goals in a 3-0 win for Fenerbache, although United had already qualified for the knockout stages.

King Slayer: Fabio Capello once had to bring David Beckham back at Real Madrid after vowing he will never play for him again.

Jamie W: Odemwimgie to QPR the greatest of all U turns but in fairness the guy did nothing wrong

Following Bastian Schweinsteiger's remarkable return to the first-team fold at Old Trafford, we're asking for your glorious comebacks. Also let us know when a player from your team has managed to turn it around. Get involved at #bbcfootball or by texting 81111.

Now it's time for De Gea to get some Van Persie love. 

Image source, Reuters

Now is this a warm embrace or are they about to do the rumba? Either way, Juan Mata and Van Persie are certainly pleased to be reunited. Watch out Strictly. 

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Rex Features

Not many players score against Manchester United at Old Trafford and get applauded by the home fans, but that's what happened to Robin van Persie.

The Fenerbahce striker scored the Turkish side's consolation goal in the 4-1 defeat by United in the reverse fixture.

Van Persie bagged a brace in a 5-0 win against Karabukspor at the weekend, and will no doubt be hoping to have a bigger impact on tonight's game than the one in Manchester. 

He'll have to be patient, though. He starts on the bench.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, speaking to BT Sport: "The players will enjoy it, it is a great motivation for the home players. Turkish teams are always better at home than away. The Man United players need to enjoy the atmosphere and not be afraid. Let's go.

"We are a bit in trouble. The injuries are not easy ones, they are all in the same area. These boys are coping well, they have kept two clean sheets and Phil Jones is making an effort to be ready in case of an emergency.

"The Europa League is the second competition for us, the first is the Premier League. In such a difficult league like we have, this is another opportunity to try to win a trophy and to play Champions League next season."

Image source, Getty Images

The atmosphere is building at Ulker Stadium with 20 minutes until kick off. 

Jose Mourinho is currently being interviewed in the tunnel and you can hear the cheers and chanting loud and clear.

Will the intimidating atmosphere give the Turkish side the edge? They are unbeaten in their previous seven Europa League home games, winning five of them.

Image source, Reuters

It's been a while since Manchester United enjoyed a decent run in Europe. 

David Moyes took them to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2014, where they were beaten by Bayern Munich. He's currently showing his Sunderland players round a car factory.

Image source, Sunderland

Image source, Reuters

One game is already heading towards its conclusion in tonight's Europa League action with Astana currently level 1-1 at home in Kazakhstan against Olympiakos - that game kicked off at 16:00 GMT.

Elsewhere in United's group, Feyenoord, who are level on points with Jose Mourinho's side going into tonight's matches, travel to bottom-placed Zorya Lukansk. 

Other big names among the early starters are Roma, who are away to Austria Vienna, and 2012 runners-up Athletic Bilbao, they host Belgian side Genk.

A run of just one goal in 10 games means Zlatan Ibrahimovic is dropped to the bench for Manchester United, while Wayne Rooney - one goal in 16 games this season - comes in.

Forgotten man Morgan Schneiderlin partners Ander Herrera in midfield, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan (remember him?) on the bench.

Man Utd XI: De Gea; Darmian, Rojo, Blind, Shaw; Herrera, Pogba, Schneiderlin; Rashford, Rooney, Martial.

Former United striker Robin van Persie is named as a substitute by Fenerbahce, but former Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel and on-loan Sunderland man Jeremain Lens both start.

Fenerbahce XI: Volkan, Sener, Kjaer, Skrtel, Hasan Ali, Topal, Lens, Alper, Josef, Sen, Sow

Image source, Rex Features

Manchester United's player will be anticipating a hostile atmosphere at the 50,000 seater Ulker Stadium. 

There's a good atmosphere on the streets of Instabul at the moment where, as ever, the half-and-half scarf sellers are out in force.

Image source, Rex Features