Manchester United will be looking to recover from a disappointing home defeat in the Premier League as they face Galatasaray in their Champions League group-stage fixture on Tuesday night.
After a 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace over the weekend, the Red Devils are under pressure to bounce back.
Meanwhile, Galatasaray enters the contest with confidence, having secured a 2-1 victory against Ankaragucu in Turkey’s top flight, placing them at the top of the division.
Match Preview:
Manchester United finds themselves in a perpetual crisis, having lost five out of their nine matches across all competitions this season.
Their Premier League campaign has gotten off to a rocky start, currently sitting in 10th place with only nine points from seven matches.
Despite recording consecutive wins against Burnley and Palace, following their 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on September 20, they were unable to overcome a resilient Palace side in their last outing at Old Trafford.
The pressure is mounting on manager Erik ten Hag to deliver a positive result on Tuesday before shifting focus back to the Premier League when they face Brentford on October 7.
The outcome of these matches could greatly impact the team’s confidence and the level of support from the fans.
In previous encounters, Manchester United holds a two-to-one advantage over Galatasaray, with three matches ending in draws.
Their last meeting took place during the group stage of the 2012-13 Champions League, where Manchester United triumphed 1-0 at Old Trafford but suffered a 1-0 defeat in Turkey.
Galatasaray makes their return to the Champions League group stage after a hiatus since the 2019-20 campaign.
However, they have yet to progress beyond the knockout round since their successful run in 2013-14.
Their opening match in Group A resulted in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Copenhagen, with Sacha Boey and Tete securing a late equalizer at home.
Galatasaray has remained unbeaten in all competitions this season and boasts an impressive record of six wins out of seven matches in the Super Lig, placing them at the top of the league with 19 points.
Leading the Istanbul giants’ attack is Mauro Icardi, who has made a strong start to the campaign.
Additionally, the team will rely on former Manchester United player Wilfried Zaha, who will be eager to make an impact against his former club.
While Galatasaray has struggled historically against English opposition away from home, with three draws and seven losses in their last ten encounters, they have notched an impressive unbeaten streak of 20 matches in all competitions.
Team News:
Manchester United will once again be without Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Kobbie Mainoo, and Amad Diallo due to injuries.
Jadon Sancho remains out of the squad as he continues to train separately from the first team. However, Antony is expected to return after a leave of absence.
Sergio Reguilon might make a timely return to the starting XI at left-back, with Sofyan Amrabat moving to central midfield alongside Casemiro.
Bruno Fernandes could shift to the right, while Mason Mount and Marcus Rashford provide support for Rasmus Hojlund up front.
Galatasaray will miss Kazimcan Karatas due to injury, and Hakim Ziyech is doubtful for the match following an individual training session.
Mauro Icardi will lead the line for Galatasaray, supported by Dries Mertens and Kerem Akturkoglu.
If Ziyech is unavailable, the experienced Wilfried Zaha could feature against his former club.
Predicted Lineups:
Manchester United:
Onana;
Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Reguilon;
Casemiro, Amrabat;
Fernandes, Mount, Rashford;
Hojlund
Galatasaray:
Muslera;
Boey, Sanchez, Bardakci, Angelino;
Torreira, Demirbay;
Zaha, Mertens, Akturkoglu;
Icardi
Prediction:
In this crucial match for Manchester United, Galatasaray poses a significant threat.
However, with the support of their passionate home crowd at Old Trafford, we anticipate the 20-time English champions to secure a vital victory with a scoreline of 2-1.