Frozen pitch ‘should be OK’ for Zorya Luhansk v Manchester United

ByBen Snowball

Updated 08/12/2016 at 11:42 GMT

Fears that Manchester United’s clash with Zorya Luhansk in Ukraine could be postponed have been eased, with an official for the home side insisting “everything should be OK”.

The sides are scheduled to meet in the Europa League on Thursday evening, but a frozen pitch cast the game into uncertainty.

United players were heard trampling on the rock-hard surface on Wednesday, with Jose Mourinho declaring it would take a “miracle” for it become playable.

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Temperatures dropped below freezing overnight, but Zorya covered the pitch and are optimistic the match will take place.

"Everything depends on the weather," a Zorya official said. "The pitch is not brilliant at the moment. We are expecting temperatures of two or three degrees and everything should be OK."

Mourinho earlier criticised UEFA for organising the game for December, saying it was obvious the weather would prove problematic.

"I think UEFA know the conditions of the pitch and everyone knows the conditions in Ukraine and Eastern Europe in mid-December are more difficult," he said.

Manchester United during training

Image credit: Reuters

"So if UEFA was worried about it, they should change the fixtures and not allow it to be played here in mid-December.

"I think that is a problem. They are trying, they are putting some warmth on top of it, but people cannot make miracles, so let's hope everything goes well."

United need a point to guarantee a spot in the knockout stages of the competition.

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