The UEFA Europa League action is back at Old Trafford on Thursday, March 13 as Manchester United gets ready to host Real Sociedad for the second leg of the Round of 16 fixture.
The first leg in San Sebastian ended 1-1 as Joshua Zirkzee opened the scoring on the evening for Ruben Amorim’s men but a penalty conceded by United skipper Bruno Fernandes was netted by Real Sociedad skipper Mikel Oyarzabal to ensure things remain at parity ahead of the second leg.
Know more about the odds, moneyline, picks, and predictions for the crucial UEFA Europa League second leg fixture between Manchester United and Real Sociedad here.
Here is when and where to watch the clash between Manchester United and Real Sociedad.
Date: 03/13
Time: 8:00 pm GMT
Location: Old Trafford, Manchester
Where to watch: The match can be watched on TNT Sports 1 in the UK, while it will also be available to watch on Paramount+ in the USA
The first leg in Spain was a trailer of bigger things to come as both sides were found wanting in attack but were solid at the back with both coaches getting the best out of their defenses.
The Manchester-based club has been a shadow of themselves in the league but cups and Europa League seem to be a respite for the fans as Amorim’s men seem to be going for a trophy in his first season with the club. A hard-fought 1-1 draw against Arsenal was a sign of better times as David Raya made multiple saves to ensure the Gunners salvaged a point from the epic clash.
United would be aiming to win the Europa League once again after the Red Devils lifted the trophy in 2017 under Jose Mourinho and qualified for the final in 2021 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as winning a trophy would ease the pressure on the Portuegese manager.
Imanol Alguacil has steadied the ship at Real Sociedad in the last few years as the club keeps qualifying for European competitions season after season but La Real are now seven points away from a UEFA Europa Conference League after a 1-0 defeat to Sevilla on the weekend.
Real Sociedad has had a tough time this year in the Europa League as well, losing to Anderlecht, Viktoria Plzen, and Lazio as they missed out direct qualification to the Round of 16.
The Playoffs aim to facilitate the safest bets for the game. Have a look at the predictions for the game below.
Total goals Over 2.5 @ +130 (MGM Bet): While both attacks seemed blunt in the first leg, it’s usually the second legs when the teams come alive in attack. Rasmus Hojlund has left fans wanting for more and the Danish striker will have to deliver in front of goal against Real Sociedad if he wants to stake a place in next season’s squad.
Bruno Fernandes (To Score a Goal @ +225 as per MGM Bet): If a playmaker has better odds of scoring goals than a team’s strikers or forwards, then they are in big trouble and that’s the situation United find themselves in after the departure of Marcus Rashford and Antony while Amad Diallo has been ruled out for the season.
While Hojlund has scored 5 goals in the ongoing Europa League campaign, Amorim would want his club captain to step up to the plate and deliver on the big stage in Europe. Amorim heaped praise on the skipper and wished for more Brunos in his team.
Real Sociedad hasn’t qualified for the quarter-final round in Europe in the last 36 years and the Spanish side would see this as the perfect moment with an inconsistent Manchester United side standing between them and a quarter-final place. On the other hand, the Red Devils know that the only way they will be in Europe next season is to win the Europa League and get an automatic entry to the Champions League, which would certainly boost Amorim’s chances of attracting elite players to the project he is trying to build in Manchester.
Our Final Prediction: A 3-1 win for Manchester United is our prediction with Bruno Fernandes scoring a brace in front of the Stretfort End.
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