This is the first time Arsenal are facing a side managed by one of their former bosses since December 2000, when they drew 1-1 with George Graham's Spurs.

Barcelona have lost lost 2-1 to Granada, which leaves Atletico Madrid two points clear at the top of La Liga with five games to go.

Atleti and Barca meet in nine days' time in what could be a title decider.

Roma boss Paulo Fonseca: “We are facing a great club, perhaps the favourites to win this competition.

"We’ve prepared well for this game. Naturally I’ve spoken with Mkhitaryan and Smalling, as they both played here and also both have experience at this sort of stage of the competition.

"We all know it will be a tough game. We have a lot of respect for Manchester United, but we want to do well.”

Image source, Reuters

Roma defender Chris Smalling says returning to his old club is "100%" adding extra motivation.

The 31-year-old played 323 times for United until his permanent move to Roma in October after a loan spell.

"It's a special game, it's a semi-final and added on top playing against United," he said.

"Obviously being in Rome for nearly the last two years, I think, I know the importance of bringing home a trophy because it's been far too long.

"There's so many ingredients for this so I don't think there will be a bigger game to be a part of.

"I'm just thankful I'm now fit and I'm able to contribute because the whole squad needs every player."

Image source, Getty Images

Villarreal boss Unai Emery will contest a Europa League semi-final for the sixth time tonight - that is double that of any other coach in the competition (since the 2009 rebrand). Emery has progressed from each of his previous four such ties, including with Arsenal in 2018-19.

This will be Arsenal's 10th time in the semi-finals of a European competition, if you include the Fairs Cup, and let's be honest who doesn't?!

The Gunners have also reached the last four in three of their four Europa League campaigns.

They've only lost one of their previous nine first legs at that stage (W5 D3), though it was the last time the first leg was an away game, against Manchester United in the Champions League in 2008-09.

One of those semi-finals was against Villarreal in the Champions League in 2005-06, when Arsene Wenger's side progressed only to lose to Barcelona in the final.

But they are yet to beat Villarreal away from home, drawing on both previous visits

Manchester United defender Luke Shaw said the disappointment of losing four semi-finals can serve as motivation for the team to go all the way.

"In the past, we've missed out on a few finals and I think this season, the way we've been playing, the confidence is high, we've got real belief that we can reach it," Shaw said.

"We've had a lot of disappointment, so I think we can use that as motivation for this one, the way we felt after them. We can just reflect on that and put things right.

"The first leg will always be a very important one and we've had a few days to prepare for this and we're ready for this because we want to win this trophy."

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta speaking to BT Sport: "There is excitement, it is an opportunity and a challenge. It is an opportunity to win a trophy, to play a final you have to earn it.

"We have had a really tough period in the last few weeks with injuries and hopefully we can have some back. We have to focus on ourself, the better we do that the better we control their talented players."

Image source, Getty Images

There's a nice interview by Sid Lowe with Gerard Moreno in the Guardian,, external where the in-form Villarreal striker says "to tell you the truth, I don’t really like people talking about me and I don’t like seeing myself in the papers".

“We know how hard it is for teams to reach a semi-final and all the more so for Villarreal,"adds Moreno, who has either scored or assisted in all six of his Europa League starts this season, netting six goals while assisting another two.

"Four times the club has been stopped at the gates of a final and our challenge is to go a step further, make history.

"Lots of us have been in the youth system here, so we see it as even more special. God willing, we can break that barrier.”

Barcelona are losing to Granada now. Advantage Atletico Madrid in the La Liga title race?

Follow live text of the closing stages here.

This will be the seventh meeting between Manchester United and Roma in European competition. The Red Devils have only lost one of the previous six (W4 D1) - all of which have been in the Champions League.

Roma have lost all three of their previous away games against United, conceding nine goals and scoring just once in return.

United have only lost one of their last 12 games against Italian opponents in Europe (W8 D3), with the only defeat in this run coming at home to Juventus in the Champions League group stage in 2018-19.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

There is no reference to the cancelled European Super League project in the first match programme published by Manchester United since the whole row erupted at the beginning of last week beyond the opening paragraph of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's programme notes.

"I'm very happy that fans across football voiced their opinion and clubs listened to them," he said.

"It has been a hugely difficult year for us all, not having supporters alongside us in stadiums and as the banner at Old Trafford says 'football is nothing without fans'."

United managing director Richard Arnold is due to attend a fans' forum meeting tomorrow to discuss the matter.

Manchester United have not lost at home in a European semi-final since April 1997 (1-0 v Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League), winning four and drawing three of their last seven such games.

Manchester United boss Solskjaer says it would be a "dream come true" to win a trophy as their manager.

United have lost all four semi-finals they have played under Solskjaer in the past 18 months.

Solskjaer's last trophy was the 2013 Norwegian Cup with Molde.

"It will be a dream come true the day I lift a trophy with this club as a manager," he said.

"Our ambition is to finish the season by lifting a trophy. I know how much that would mean to this group going forward."

Spanish La Liga

There's a good match happening right now. Barcelona have the chance to go top of La Liga - but they're being held by Granada (who lost to Manchester United in the Europa League quarter-finals).

Ronald Koeman has been sent off too.

Check out our live text commentary of that.

Image source, Getty Images

Confusion and disunity appeared to describe the final days of Unai Emery's 18-month spell as Arsenal boss.

Tonight, the Villarreal manager and three-time Europa League winner will have the chance to get one over on his former club in a competition that arguably provided one of his darkest moments with the Gunners.

Meanwhile, fellow Spaniard Mikel Arteta, his permanent successor in north London, will be hoping the first leg of the Europa League semi-final acts as a springboard towards more silverware and a strong finish to the campaign.

Having won the FA Cup last term, BBC Sport looks at if Arteta has moved Arsenal on - or whether Europa League specialist Emery can strike again.

"It is strange how things happen. Emery will be looking forward to this - he will say the right things but deep down he will want to beat them badly. Arsenal fans will be nervous," former Tottenham and England winger Chris Waddle told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Steve Sutcliffe asks whether this will be a springboard for Arteta or Emery's redemption here.

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he did not disrespect Roma.

After their win over Granada in the last round Solskjaer said he "had not seen too much of" the Italian side.

Roma fans put banners up near their training ground with Solskjaer's face on them and the quote "I don't know them and I haven't seen them play".

"That was straight after the game," Solskjaer said.

"With all the games we've had I was just relieved that we'd gone through.

"Of course I've watched them but I hadn't analysed and hadn't seen them in depth to give them enough respect probably with analysis.

"I could've said, which I truly mean, 'it's a fantastic club with a great history'. I know about the history, I know about the quality."

Image source, .

Lianne Sanderson
Former England footballer on BBC Radio 5 Live

I question why Mikel Arteta doesn't come under more pressure, I'm not advocating for managers to get the sack but they haven't progressed in my opinion. I thought they were excellent in the last round against Slavia Prague but I don't think he's taken them to another level.

Maybe people are more patient because he's a former player - yes he won the FA Cup and the Community Shield but I don't know why it's OK for Arsenal to be in 10th in the Premier League for most of the season, it's not like they've been around the top four at all. Lots of people talk about how nice Arteta is but being assistant coach at Manchester City is different to being a manager at a top club.

This is Chris Smalling's 50th start for Roma in all competitions.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Chris Smalling starts his first game at Old Trafford since 12 May 2019, when he was part of a Manchester United side beaten by Cardiff in a Premier League game.

Smalling was part of the United side that beat Ajax in the 2017 Europa League final, one of 323 appearances for the club after he signed from Fulham in 2010.

He was part of Sir Alex Ferguson's last two title winning squads.