In the new league phase format, the top eight teams progress straight through to the last 16 and avoid two extra games in a knockout round play-off tie.
Whilst the Red Devils have been largely disappointing in the Premier League so far this season, it has been a largely impressive European campaign to date.
Despite drawing their opening three matches against Twente, Porto and Fenerbahce, they won four straight matches under new manager Ruben Amorim to seal a play-off place, at the minimum, with a game to spare.
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Man Utd’s progression straight through to the last 16 means they have avoided two extra games next month. The gap in the calendar can be filled with extra training sessions as Amorim plots a successful end to the season.
The last-16 draw will take place on Friday, February 21. The first leg of those ties will be played on March 6, with the return fixtures a week later.
As a result of finishing third in the league phase, Man Utd will either face the winners of the knockout phase play-off between the 13th and 14th seeds, or the 19th and 20th seeds.
That will be confirmed after the knockout phase play-off draw on Friday (January 31).
