Joe Wedgwood: Predicting United will get hammered tonight, 4-1

Dave: I do miss having Merlin (D.Silva). Its like seeing you first love with someone else...never quite right. Cue the James Blunt...

We have players heading out onto the pitch in Turin, Budapest and Prague.

Can Manchester United, Tottenham and Leicester put one foot in the last-16 this evening?

We're about to find out!

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to BT Sport: "[Game played in Turin] We are used to it, that's the world we live in, we have to adapt. It is a great stadium, it's unfortunate for Sociedad that they can't play in Spain but we are grateful to be here.

"This competition is the highest on the list of priorities because it's the next game. Last year we went close, this year we want to go all the way. This is a difficult one.

"I want freshness, energy, players who play in the spirit of Manchester United. We want to change momentum, we are in a bit of a bad spell at the moment - why not have a go?"

Rachel T: Bale and Dele start. In other words, ‘OK lads, show us what you’ve got.’

Image source, Getty Images

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho to BT Sport: "I want to win. I'm not expecting to see anything from Gareth [Bale]. I want to win. We want to win as a group.

"I'm not looking at specific performances for player A, B or C.

"If on top of winning, we can have some good individual performances - especially from the players not playing regularly - that would be great.

"When you are not playing Champions League, you have to look at this competition with very strong eyes, strong mind and desire. We have a tough game on Sunday against West Ham. Can we throw away this match and this competition? I refuse to do that.

"If you win it you get a Champions League spot. And you win a trophy. You play European Super Cup next summer. There are plenty of motivations. Play it seriously, forget Sunday."

Jose Mourinho has won each of his past 12 knockout ties in the Uefa Cup or Europa League - all seven in 2002-03 with Porto and all five in 2016-17 with Manchester United - including finals.

He has not lost an away knockout match in the competition since December 2002, losing 1-0 at Lens with Porto.

Here's what he's been saying ahead of kick-off...

Leicester City

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers speaking to BT Sport: "The players are playing with confidence but you need to have that hunger and thankfully these players are putting in lots of great work. They get the rewards for it normally.

"Ricardo Pereira, we just have to be mindful of the loading on him as he's been out for a long time. He has done great since coming back. We know it will be cold out here which may have risked the injury. It's better for him to be at home so he can be ready for the weekend. That was the same with Timothy Castagne.

"I played here in a pre-season game with Celtic a few years ago. They were a good team back then. They have confidence as they win a lot domestically. They have some fast players on the counter-attack and are direct. We always have to be mindful. It will be a tough game for us but we are looking forward to it."

Manchester United arrive in the Europa League last-32 having dropped out of the Champions League at the group stage, while Real Sociedad qualified as runners up in Group F behind Napoli.

The sides have only met twice before - in the 2013-14 Champions League group stage, when United progressed 1-0 on aggregate.

United are winless in their last nine matches against Spanish clubs, but have lost just once in their past 16 Europa League knockout games.

Leicester have won just one of their past seven away matches in European competition, losing four of those.

Slavia Prague's most recent knockout tie in major European competition saw them lose both legs against Chelsea in the 2018-19 Europa League quarter-finals.

Foxes striker Jamie Vardy has scored in each of his past three matches in major European competition, equalling Kenneth Keyworth's run for the club in 1961-62. No Leicester player has ever scored in four straight games at this level.

Leicester winger Harvey Barnes says being in the England squad for this summer's European Championship is the "motivation" for Three Lions players.

"Everyone can see the strength in depth and quality England have, so it's not an easy task for anyone," said Barnes.

"Over the past 12 months or so, I've been really happy stats-wise. Improving my numbers on goals and assists is something I identified before the start of the season.

Image source, Getty Images

"As an English player, the European Championship has to be a motivation, to make sure you're in that squad at the end of the season.

"As long as I can keep my club form as good as it has been, and keep improving for the rest of the season, hopefully I'll give myself the best possible chance of that."

Spurs forward Son Heung-min says the team are still behind boss Jose Mourinho despite their poor form.

Tottenham have dropped from top of the table to ninth and have lost five of their last six games in all competitions.

"The rumours are just rumours," said Son. "Our changing room has been fantastic.

"The mood went down when we had a couple of bad results but the dressing room hasn't changed. Everyone is happy and having a laugh and focused on every game. It is a bad rumour."

Mourinho said: "In terms of pressure on this game I don't feel that. I feel responsibility. It's about responsibility, motivation and ambition. We spoke with the players already about it and we'll speak to them again."

Image source, Reuters

Tottenham's game was moved to the Puskas Arena in Budapest because Austria has banned travel from the UK because of Covid.

Wolfsberger head coach Ferdinand Feldhofer says that means his side have lost their advantage - their trip to their 'home' game took longer than Spurs' journey because the english side flew and Wolfsberger got a six-hour coach.

"It would have been better if Tottenham could have worked out a situation where they could have come to us but we will manage in Budapest," said Feldhofer.

"There is no advantage to playing here because we have more work to get here, a longer journey and more travel. It is just how the coronavirus situation is forcing us to work, so we accept it."

David Silva isn't the only familiar face United will come up against in Turin this evening, as Adnan Januzaj, now 26, lines up against the club he joined in 2011 as a 16-year-old.

Januzaj broke into the first team under David Moyes but fell out of favour under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, saying this week that all he had needed for his development at United was "a coach to believe in me".

It'll be some story if he has a hand in prematurely ending United's European interests.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The headlines once the draw was made in December were, of course, not only that Manchester United had been drawn against the La Liga leaders in Real Sociedad - now fifth in the Spanish top-flight - but that they would come up against Manchester City legend David Silva.

The 35-year-old, winner of four Premier League titles, moved to Sociedad last summer and though has struggled with injuries of late United will be fully aware of the damage he can do.

Matt Dawson: David Silva starting scares me. Always been a bane of Man Utd and fully expect him to cut through any midfield even at RSO. Really hope McFred keeps him out of the game. Another potential trip up for United.

Let's hear your 2020-21 Europa League theories then.

Who will win it? Who is going to surprise us? Might one of the favourites even have a bit of a shocker?

Get in touch via #bbcfootball or, if you're in the UK, text us on 81111.

Image source, Getty Images

There are five British clubs in this season's Europa League knockout stages, and each will believe they have a fair chance of making it deep into the competition.

The four English sides - Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal, Leicester - are among the top six favourites to lift the trophy, according to Nielsen's Gracenote.

United have the greatest chance (17%), followed by Spurs (11%) and Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen (8%).

Then follow Arsenal (7%), Shakhtar Donetsk (7%) and Leicester (6%).

Rangers are given a 1% chance of success, but a 65% chance of progressing to the quarter-finals.

Several changes have been made to where European ties are taking place due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions.

Tonight, Real Sociedad's 'home' match against Manchester United is taking place at Juventus' Allianz Stadium in Turin, Wolfsberger host Tottenham in the Puskas Arena in Budapest, and Arsenal are away to Benfica at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Simple.

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester City

Brendan Rodgers makes just one change to the Leicester City side from the 3-1 victory over Liverpool.

Young defender Luke Thomas comes in for Ricardo Pereira.

The Foxes have a number of injuries, including Timothy Castagne, James Justin, Ayoze Perez and Wesley Fofana.

Slavia Prague XI: Kolar, Kudela, Bah, Boril, Zima, Olayinka, Provod, Stanciu, Holes, Sima, Kuchta.

Leicester XI: Schmeichel, Amartey, Evans, Soyuncu, Thomas, Ndidi, Tielemans, Maddison, Albrighton, Barnes, Vardy.

Subs: Ward, Jakupovic, Fuchs, Flynn, Choudhury, Mendy, Leshabela, Tavares, Under, Iheanacho.