United reunion for Van Persie

– Manchester United will come up against their former striker Robin van Persie after being placed in the same group as the Dutchman’s current club Fenerbahce in yesterday’s draw for the group stage of the Europa League.

Inited will also face Dutch giants Feyenoord and Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine in Group A.

Second in the Turkish league last season to Besiktas, Fenerbahce were eliminated from the Champions League by Monaco in the third qualifying round.

They have since sacked coach Vitor Pereira and replaced him with veteran Dutchman Dick Advocaat, whose squad includes Van Persie and ex-Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel.

United can also look forward to coming up against Van Persie’s hometown team and first club Feyenoord.

The 1970 European Cup winners and twice winners of the Uefa Cup finished third in the Dutch top flight last season and also won the Dutch Cup.

United have faced both of these sides in the Champions League in the past, but the Ukrainians are a new proposition as they feature at this stage of European competition for the first time.

The other English Premier League representatives, Southampton, were given a tough draw in Group K along with Italian giants Inter Milan, Sparta Prague of the Czech Republic and Hapoel Beer-Sheva. – AFP