Europa League 2017: Semi-Final Leg 1 Live Stream, TV Schedule and Predictions

The first legs of the UEFA Europa League semi-finals will be played on Wednesday and Thursday as Ajax host Olympique Lyonnais while Manchester United travel to Celta Vigo.

United are pursuing their first Europa League title, while Celta's quest has them searching for the first major honour of any kind in their history.

Ajax are no stranger to European glory having won the European Cup and UEFA Champions League four times as well as the UEFA Cup in 1992, while Lyon are yet to taste major success in either tier of European competition.

Here is the schedule, complete with viewing details and predictions for each:

Date	Time (BST/ET)	Fixture	TV	Prediction
Wednesday, May 3	5:45 p.m./12:45 p.m.	Ajax vs. Lyon	BT Sport 3 (UK), Fox Sports 2 USA	1-2
Thursday, May 4	8:05 p.m/3:05 p.m.	Celta Vigo vs. Manchester United	BT Sport 2 (UK), Fox Sports 1 USA	1-1

The matches can be streamed live via BT Sport Player in the UK, and they will both be available via Fox Sports GO and WatchESPN in the USA.

Ajax vs. Lyon

While Ajax may be the most decorated side remaining in the competition in terms of continental success, the Dutch outfit are no longer the powerhouse they once were.

As such, French football writer Rich Allen believes Lyon will have been happy with the draw:

The Ligue 1 side should have the edge over Ajax, but as noted by Goal's Mohammed Ali, they could be without two key players for the clash:

Losing the creativity and guile of Corentin Tolisso would be bad enough, but Alexandre Lacazette has been one of Europe's deadliest hitmen this season with 31 goals to his name.

Ajax are perhaps weaker than Lyon on paper, but their squad is brimming with young talent. The Dutch side have been impressive thus far and overcame FC Schalke 04 in the last round.

Lyon have the ability to gain a positive result in the first leg—particularly if Tolisso or Lacazette are able to play—but Ajax are capable of remaining in the tie to set up an intriguing second leg.

Celta Vigo vs. Manchester United

After yet another disappointing draw in the Premier League on Sunday, football writer Liam Canning believes United's season rests on success in Europe:

Indeed, while the Red Devils aren't out of the race to finish in the top four, the Europa League perhaps represents their best chance of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season.

After Luke Shaw and Eric Bailly joined Marcos Rojo, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones in the treatment room on Sunday, United could be faced with naming a makeshift back line in Celta, which is hardly ideal for a potentially tricky tie.

As football writer Collin Millar noted, the Spanish outfit are more dangerous than they might first appear:

Unlike United they've also has the luxury of resting some of their key players ahead of the tie.

Striker Iago Aspas will be particularly keen to take advantage of any uncertainty in their defence. The forward has netted 24 goals in all competitions and shown good form in the Europa League, per the tournament's official Twitter feed:

Three of those have come in the knockout phase, so the former Liverpool player could haunt United by getting on the scoresheet again.

It's set to be a difficult match for Jose Mourinho's men, and it could lead to a delicately poised second leg at Old Trafford on May 11.