English sides get tough Europa draw

Neither Manchester United nor Manchester City were too pleased at the prospect of competing in the Europa League in the New Year, but both were handed mouthwatering ties when the last 32 draw was made on Friday in Switzerland.

Competing in the Europa League for the first time, United will face Dutch giants Ajax who, like the Premier League title-holders, were also eliminated from the Champions League in the group phase.

Surprisingly for two clubs with a rich European tradition, this will be their first meeting since season 1976/77, when United won 2-1 on aggregate in a UEFA Cup tie.

"Ajax are a good team and I've never faced them in competitive European football," United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told manutd.com. "I'm looking forward to it."

United go to Amsterdam for the first-leg on February 16 before hosting the return a week later, and the prospect of a tie with either Lokomotiv Moscow or Spanish side Athletic Bilbao awaits in the last 16. Meanwhile, Manchester City will also meet a club who dropped out of the Champions League, with last season's Europa League winners Porto about as tough as it could have got for Roberto Mancini's men.

"It's amazing, we've gone from the hardest group in the Champions League to getting the holders of the Europa League," said City's football administration officer Brian Marwood after the draw.

"It's a big game and we'll be looking forward to it and taking it seriously.

"One thing we haven't had to endure is going through the early rounds where you play a lot of games. Porto are attractive opposition and the current champions.

They are games we are looking forward to and are excited about." If City win, they could face Portuguese opposition in the last 16 in the shape of Sporting Lisbon.

Sporting meet Legia Warsaw of Poland in the last 32. AFP