Man Utd vs Real Sociedad Preview – Prediction, Lineup And Kick-off Time | OneFootball

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Fixture: Manchester United vs Real Sociedad Competition: Europa League Kick-off: 20.00 UK Time

Manchester United have endured a season to forget and Europa League presents their only hope to salvage something from it.

Their hopes hang in the balance as they look to finish the job they had started on 6th March. The Red Devils had opened the scoring on the night in Spain but under heavy pressure from the hosts, Ruben Amorim’s three-man defence conceded a penalty to allow Imanol Alguacil’s team to get back into the match.

The job at Old Trafford now is simple for both teams – just win to ensure progress to the quarter-finals.

Manchester United do not enjoy a particularly fruitful record against Spanish teams in European competitions. They were beaten 11-10 penalties in the Europa League final by Villarreal back in 2021.

Two years later they fell prey yet again, this time to Sevilla, who beat them 5-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals of the same tournament.

Amorim and his team will therefore be wary about the threat Real Sociedad can present in front of them tonight at Old Trafford.

Despite enjoying the backing of the fans, Manchester United cannot take anything for granted.

For Sociedad it will be a chance to put the disappointments of losses against Barcelona and Sevilla behind them and bring smiles back on the faces of their fans. They know that they will be facing an extremely under confident Manchester United team and will look to exploit their vulnerability at the back.

Recent Form (league)

Manchester United: DWDLL

Real Sociedad: LLWLW

Key Men

Manchester United

Manchester United will rest their hopes largely on their skipper Bruno Fernandes, who has been a critical influence for the team this season. In 42 appearances this season, the Portuguese international has made 25 goal contributions and can add to that tonight in front of the home fans.

The Red Devils simply have to score but scoring has been a problem for them this season. It might eventually come from an unlikely source but on the attacking third the presence of someone like Joshua Zirkzee can be key.

Skipper Mikel Oyarzabal scored the only goal from the spot against tonight’s opponents in Spain. If Sociedad are to create an upset the 27-year-old will have to play the real leader’s role to rally his side.

Takefusa Kubo and Sheraldo Becker can provide width, creating problems for Manchester United’s wing-backs. Their ability to cross the box into the box is going to be put to the test.

Prediction

Even if Manchester United manage to get an early goal, it is going to be a long night for Amorim and his men. They are likely to be bombarded by Sociedad’s attackers and eventually the resistance of the home side can be broken.

Amorim has insisted time and again that he will stick to his tactics and would persist with a three-man defence. However, it seems that he does not have players to suit his need. His reluctance to change his tactics to suit the need of his team can be the reason behind the home side’s undoing.

Man Utd vs Real Sociedad will kick off at 8pm GMT on Thursday March 13, 2025. The game will be broadcast by TNT Sports.