Manchester United play host to Fenerbahce on Matchday 3 of the UEFA Europa League group stage. Both sides come into this game on the back of back to back league draws and will be eager to get back to winning ways on Thursday night.
Turkish giants Fenerbahce currently sit atop Group A with 4 points and, as the only unbeaten team in their group. The Red Devils, on the other hand, sit in third place, a point behind their visitors. The tie also sees former United cult hero Robin van Persie return to Old Trafford for the first time since leaving the club at the start of the 2015/16 season.
Probable line-ups & Tactics
Manchester United
The French duo of Anthony Martial and Morgan Schneiderlin missed Monday night’s Premier League match against Liverpool and they remain doubtful for the match on Thursday. Phil Jones is the other absentee.
Jose Mourinho is not known to be a big fan of tinkering with his sides. But, after the intense match against Liverpool on Monday night and with one eye on the Premier League visit to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, one can expect the Manchester United manager to rest some of his first team regulars.
Luke Shaw and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are primed to return to the starting line-up having made full recoveries from their respective injuries. Wayne Rooney and Jesse Lingard are also expected to make a return to the starting XI.
Manchester United have failed to make their mark in Europa League thus far and Mourinho will be eager to get a solid win under his belt before his side’s crunch Premier League clash against Chelsea. The introduction of Armenian international Mkhitaryan could inject that creative spark that the Red Devils have desperately lacked in the competition so far.
Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Romero; Fosu-Mensah, Bailly, Smalling, Shaw; Carrick, Pogba; Lingard, Rooney, Mkhitaryan; Rashford
Fenerbahce
Fenerbahce have regular starters Ozan Tufan and Salih Ucan missing this game through different injuries with forwards Jermaine Lens and Moussa Sow the other injury doubts. Central midfielder Uygar Zeybek is a long term absentee with a cruciate ligament rupture.
Dick Advocaat’s side have endured a difficult start to their league campaign, with just two wins from their opening seven league games leaving them 9th in the league table. Goals have come at a premium for the Turkish side this season and the recent return from injury of Advocaat’s compatriot van Persie will be a welcome boost for the Turkish side.
With quite a few notable absentees for Fenerbahce, Advocaat would like to keep things defensively tight and frustrate the United attacking players even more.
Probable Line-up (4-2-3-1): Demirel; van der Weil, Kjaer, Skrtel, Kaldirim; Topal, Souza; Potuk, van Persie, Stoch; Emenike
Key Stats
1. The clubs are meeting for the fifth time in European competitions, with both teams winning twice each previously
2. None of the four matches in Group A have seen more than two goals scored in the game
3. No team has had fewer shots on target than Manchester United (4) in the Europa League this season
4. Manchester United are unbeaten in 12 European home fixtures (W9 D3)
5. Wayne Rooney needs one more goal to equal Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record as United’s all-time top scorer in European competitions.
Player to watch out for
Wayne Rooney
It has been a tough start to the season for the Manchester United captain, having been demoted to bench since the loss to Watford in the Premier League.
With his game no longer being at the same level it was till a few season’s back, Rooney is seen by many as a liability in a side that thrives on quick distribution and pacy runs. With Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan making a beeline for a starting position in the number 10 role, this could be Rooney’s make or break game this season.
Prediction
Manchester United 2-0 Fenerbahce
Both sides have gone off to anti-climatic starts to their league season and the Europa League clash offers both teams a chance to right the wrongs in their respective leagues.
Both Manchester United and Fenerbahce are struggling to convert the chances that come their way and will be eager to improve their goal scoring records this season. With this being a potential top of the table clash, one can expect this to be a keenly contested affair.
The home side is expected to see more action on the ball, with pacy outlets in Lingard and Mkhitaryan posing a big threat to the Fenerbahce back line. And, with United enjoying productive results at home so far this season, they should come out on top come Thursday night.