Rostov: Medvedev, Kalachev, Mevlja, Cesar Navas, Granat, Kudryashov, Noboa, Erokhin, Gatcan, Poloz, Bukharov. Subs: Goshev, Terentjev, Kireev, Bayramyan, Azmoun, Prepelita. 

Manchester United: Romero, Rojo, Jones, Smalling, Blind, Ander Herrera, Pogba, Fellaini, Mkhitaryan, Young, Ibrahimovic. Subs: de Gea, Mata, Martial, Lingard, Carrick, Rashford, Valencia. 

Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany)  

Manchester United

More from Jose Mourinho, speaking to BT Sport: "Rostov are a strong side. They played well with their style of play, five at the back and three in front, they are well organised. They are difficult opponents."

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

United's presence in Rostov-on-Don has caused quite a stir with the locals, who turned up in numbers on Wednesday to try and catch a glimpse of the Premier League club in training.

The city will host five matches during the 2018 World Cup at the 45,000-capacity Rostov Arena which is currently under construction. 

Elizabeth Lehan: To be honest when I was playing football two seasons ago I played on better pitches on a regular basis.

Image source, PA

Image source, Getty Images

Last season's Russian Premier League runners-up qualified for the Champions League group stage. They finished behind Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, who they beat 3-2 in November, to help seal third spot in the group and a place in the Europa League. 

Rostov advanced to face United after putting five goals past Sparta Prague over two legs in the Europa League last-32. 

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, speaking to BT Sport: "We don't want to speak about the pitch. It is not the time for that. Yesterday, yes, but not now. We have to realise we have to play, we have to adapt and must get the result that will give us a good opportunity in the second leg to reach the quarter-finals."

Image source, Getty Images

This is United's dressing room for the night. It's a little bit snug compared to what their players are normally used to. Nice chairs, though.

AADZ: So Henrikh Mkhitaryan starts after injury on a terrible pitch - this could end in tears. Self inflicted I'd say.

Che Cheriton‏: Get on with it Maureen. Have you ever heard anything like it over a pitch (that may not be perfect?)

BBC Radio 5 live

Guardian Manchester football correspondent Jamie Jackson in Rostov-on-Don, speaking to BBC Radio 5 live: "I can understand why LA Galaxy want Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He is United's best player so far this season and there is a one-year option on his deal that is yet to be signed. 

"You just wonder - given how successful he has been - whether this might be a way of leveraging better terms from United.

"Ibrahimovic has been an unbelievable success. He's 35, an icon and he's the nearest thing United have had to Eric Cantona."

Image source, Getty Images

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

LA Galaxy have told Zlatan Ibrahimovic they are prepared to make him the highest paid player in Major League Soccer history if he joins them from Manchester United this summer.

Ibrahimovic only joined United on a one-year deal last summer.

There is an option for the Swede to stay longer but while the club are desperate to keep him, the 35-year-old is yet to agree.

So, Jose Mourinho has decided to risk Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a far from perfect pitch before the start of a three-match domestic ban next week. But will he still be a United player next season?

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio 5 live

Daily Mirror Manchester football correspondent David McDonnell in Rostov-on-Don, speaking to BBC Radio 5 live: "The pitch is pretty ropy and Jose Mourinho is entirely right. His concerns for his players are completely justified. 

"United haven't had the best of luck with pitches on their travels. The friendly with Manchester City in Beijing last July was called off because of a bad surface and Mourinho wasn't happy with the surface in Odessa for the Europa League tie with Zorya in December."

Image source, Reuters

Jose Mourinho is not happy. So what's new, I hear you ask?

The subject of the United manager's latest rant is the state of Rostov's pitch. 

"It's hard for me to believe we are going to play on that field - if you can call it a field," said Mourinho on Wednesday.

To be fair, he has a point judging by these pictures. Will United's players emerge injury-free?

Image source, Reuters

About 45 minutes to kick-off and there's already a smattering of United fans inside Rostov's 15,840-capacity Olimp-2 stadium. 

Jose Mourinho's side will be cheered on by 238 ticket-holding fans - one of the club's smallest away followings in recent European competition.

United fans have received a warm welcome from their hosts - with Rostov fans even handing out blankets to ensure travelling supporters keep warm during the game.

Weather forecasts suggest that this friendly gesture may not be entirely necessary though, with temperatures unlikely to dip below freezing during the game.

Image source, PA

Manchester United

There are seven changes to the Manchester United side that drew with Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Sergio Romero starts, while there are returns to the starting line-up for Chris Smalling, who is captain for the night, Ander Herrera, Daley Blind, Marouane Fellaini, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Ashley Young.

Top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic also plays.

Man Utd XI: Romero, Jones, Smalling, Rojo, Blind, Pogba, Herrera, Fellaini, Mkhitaryan, Young, Ibrahimovic. Subs: De Gea, Valencia, Mata, Martial, Lingard, Carrick, Rashford. 

Seven changes for Manchester United with Henrikh Mkhitaryan among the starters.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic starts despite a three-match domestic ban for violent conduct.

Image source, Google Maps

Eight matches down. Another seven to go if Zlatan Ibrahimovic is to lift the Europa League in his native Sweden on 24 May.

Manchester United's European journey this season has taken them to the Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine and France.

Tonight they are in southern Russia's largest and most cosmopolitan city having undertaken a round-trip of about 4,000 miles.

But what sort of team has Jose Mourinho named to face last season's Russian Premier League runners-up?

It started badly with defeat in Rotterdam...and has steadily deteriorated.

Image source, Rex Features

Fixture chaos...

Image source, Reuters

Nightmare journeys to far-flung places...

Image source, Rex Features

And now dodgy pitches...

Image source, PA

Will there be a happy ending to Manchester United's Europa League 'adventure'?