Match Preview : Manchester United vs Club Brugge
Manchester United(1) vs Club Brugge(1)|Europa League|RO32 Second Leg|Old Trafford
Following their 1-1 draw away in Belgium, Manchester United now welcome Club Brugge to Old Trafford on Thursday night, with a spot in the Europa League last 16 up for grabs.
If United keep a clean sheet, they will be guaranteed to progress to the next round, and having kept five in their last six games, they will fancy their chances.
Other than a clean sheet, simply winning the match would obviously be enough for The Reds, and they will be hopeful of doing so, continuing their good form of six games unbeaten.
How do Manchester United look?
Embed from Getty ImagesUnited’s injury crisis is seemingly coming to an end, with only Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba being unavailable for selection.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Axel Tuanzebe returned to first-team training this week, offering Solskjaer more options across the backline and midfield if needed.
Scott McTominay made his long-awaited return against Watford at the weekend and looked well up to pace in the 11 minutes he featured. The clash against Brugge can be the perfect opportunity to reintroduce McTominay to the starting eleven, whilst giving united the chance to give 31-year-old Nemanja Matic a rest after a busy schedule.
Embed from Getty ImagesMason Greenwood missed the first leg due to illness, but returned to the squad against Watford, capping his appearance off with a sublime finish from the edge of the box. Greenwood has impressed so far in the Europa League, and he looks likely to start at Old Trafford for the tie.
Opposition: Club Brugge
Embed from Getty ImagesBrugge surprised a few last week, putting in a more than competent display, holding United to a draw, and some may argue they could’ve left with more.
However, their squad this week has been hindered considerably, with a number of key absences expected at Old Trafford.
Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis impressed in the first leg, causing havoc for United’s defenders, and scoring the Belgian side’s only goal of the game. Dennis, however, has not travelled to Manchester with his squad, after picking up an injury against Charleroi on Sunday.
With Dennis out, The Reds will not have to worry as much about the threat Brugge could cause and may be able to play with more freedom and commit more men forward in order to win the leg and the tie.
Captain Ruud Vormer is also unavailable for the match, having similarly picked up an injury during their victory at the weekend. Vormer is a true leader in the Brugge ranks, and United may be able to exploit the newfound weakness.
They do, however, have some players who can still cause a threat to United, all be it nullified by injuries. Attacking midfielder Hans Vanaken’s creativity must not be underestimated, and can cause problems at Old Trafford.
Key Stat
Embed from Getty ImagesBruno Fernandes looked impressive when coming off the bench in the first leg, and his numbers showed exactly why he should start in the return leg. He completed all of his attempted passes, and played five balls into United’s attacking third, whilst having four attempts on goal.
Prediction
Manchester United 2-0 Club Brugge. Goals from Mason Greenwood and Bruno Fernandes.
Player Ratings from the first Leg: Club Brugge vs Manchester United
Match Preview Writer
