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PARIS. — English Premier League football heavyweights Manchester United and Arsenal begin as the leading contenders for this season’s Europa League, although Jose Mourinho’s Roma are eyeing back-to-back continental titles after claiming the inaugural Europa Conference League earlier this year.

It is a long road to this season’s final at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on May 31, 2023, with clubs facing a packed schedule in order to complete the group stage before the World Cup in Qatar starts on November 20.

That means the likes of United and Arsenal will be relying on their squad depth to get them through some of their less glamorous Thursday night fixtures while they try to maintain challenges at the top of the English Premier League.

Returning to the Champions League has to be the priority for both, although winning Europe’s second-tier trophy is one way of getting there.

Eintracht Frankfurt were the surprise victors last season, beating Rangers in a breathless final in Seville, and it is notable that the last four winners of the trophy all began the campaign in the Europa League group stage, rather than dropping out of the Champions League.

The last club to fall out of Europe’s elite club competition and go on to win the Europa League was Atletico Madrid in 2018.

Erik ten Hag’s United should not face too many obstacles in advancing from Group E up against Real Sociedad, Sheriff Tiraspol and Neil Lennon’s Omonia Nicosia.

Real Sociedad, who finished sixth in the Spanish La Liga last season, will come to Old Trafford for their opening game with a 36-year-old David Silva in tow but without Alexander Isak following the Swedish striker’s departure for Newcastle United.

Europa League winners in 2017 and runners-up in 2021, United will not fear their other opponents, even if perennial Moldovan champions Sheriff beat Real Madrid away in last season’s Champions League.

 Europa League Fixtures

Today: AEK Larnaca v Rennes (6:45pm); 1. FC Union Berlin v Union Saint-Gilloise (6:45pm); Fenerbahçe v Dynamo Kiev (6:45pm); HJK Helsinki v Real Betis (6:45pm); Ludogorets v AS Roma (6:45pm); Malmov v Sporting Braga (6:45pm); Zürich v Arsenal (6:45pm); PSV Eindhoven v Bodo Glimt (6:45pm); Red Star Belgrade v Monaco (9pm); Ferencvaros v Trabzonspor (9pm); SS Lazio v Feyenoord (9pm); AC Omonoia v Sheriff Tiraspol (9pm); Manchester United v Real Sociedad (9pm); Nantes v Olympiacos FC (9pm); SC Freiburg v FK Qarabag (9pm); SK Sturm Graz v Midtjylland (9pm).