Manchester United 0:0 Real Sociedad

Lucky McLuckerson · Feb 20, 2021

.................VS.........................

Date - Thursday, February 25 2021
Kickoff Time - 2000 Hrs GMT
Venue - Old Trafford, Manchester

Europa League Form Guide

Manchester United: W
Real Sociedad: WDDDL

Previous Meetings in European Competitions

Real Sociedad 0–4 Manchester United

Real Sociedad 0–0 Manchester United

Manchester United 1–0 Real Sociedad

All-Time Record in European Competitions

Manchester United wins: 2
Real Sociedad wins: 0
Draws: 1

Pre-Match Pressers

Ole Gunnar Solskjær

Imanol Alguacil

Team News

Manchester United

Paul Pogba, Phil Jones, Donny van de Beek, Edinson Cavani and Scott McTominay ruled out.

Real Sociedad

Miguel Ángel Moyá, Luca Sangalli and Joseba Zaldua ruled out. Aritz Elustondo doubtful.

Know the opposition

Real Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D., more commonly referred to as Real Sociedad or La Real, is a Spanish professional sports club in the city of San Sebastián, Basque Country. Football was introduced to San Sebastián in the early 1900s by students and workers returning from Britain. In 1904, they formed the San Sebastian Recreation Club and in 1905 the club competed in the Copa del Rey. In May 1905, the San Sebastian Football Club was formed as a separate branch of the club. In 1909, it applied to enter the Copa del Rey but complications over registration permits saw them compete as Club Ciclista de San Sebastián. This team defeated Club Español de Madrid 3–1 in the final. Out of the confusion, the Sociedad de Futbol was formed on 7 September 1909. Subsequently, the club was a founder member of La Liga in 1929.

Traditionally the club followed a policy (similar to that of its rival Athletic) of signing only Basque players, before signing Republic of Ireland forward John Aldridge in 1989. While a strong Basque contingent has been retained among its players, nowadays both non-Basque Spaniards and foreign players are represented at the club. Its youth section subsequent to the all-Basque era has still been very successful in developing internationally renowned players, such as World Cup winners Xabi Alonso and Antoine Griezmann. Real Sociedad won the Liga title in 1980–81 and 1981–82, and last finished runner-up in 2002–03. The club has also won the Copa del Rey twice, in 1909 and 1987. It contests the Basque derby against rivals Athletic Bilbao, and plays its home games at the Anoeta Stadium.

Referee

Lawrence Visser.

Familiar Faces

Adnan Januzaj (2011—17)

paulscholes18 · Feb 21, 2021

Henderson
Williams Bailly Tuanzebe Telles
Fred Shoretire
James Mata Amad
Greenwood

slored1 · Feb 21, 2021

Henderson
Williams-Bailly-Maguire-Telles
Matic-Fred
Diallo-Mata-James
Martial

1-1

charlenefan · Feb 21, 2021

Team should be...

---------------Henderson---------------
AWB---Bailly---Maguire---Telles
----------Fred------------Matic----------
Mata----------VDB----------James
----------------Martial----------------

Subs: De Gea, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, Williams, Shaw, Bruno, Rashford, Amad, Shoretire

I wouldn't rotate the back line too much and injuries mean we don't have the options in midfield either. Hope VDB is back so we can give Bruno a rest

prateik · Feb 21, 2021

Pick the XI for the weekend game.. and rest them.

Dve · Feb 21, 2021

............... Henderson

Williams - Bailly - Maguire - Telles

............. VDB - Matic

.................. Mata

James - Greenwood - Martial

Dve · Feb 21, 2021

charlenefan said:
Team should be...

---------------Henderson---------------
AWB---Bailly---Maguire---Telles
----------Fred------------Matic----------
Mata----------VDB----------James
----------------Martial----------------

Subs: De Gea, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, Williams, Shaw, Bruno, Rashford, Amad, Shoretire

I wouldn't rotate the back line too much and injuries mean we don't have the options in midfield either. Hope VDB is back so we can give Bruno a rest

Greenwood? He was rested today.

charlenefan · Feb 21, 2021

Dve said:
Greenwood? He was rested today.

Keep him in the bank for Chelsea, it's the only reason I'm justifying seeing Martial again as I don't want him anywhere near a league side again

Pexbo · Feb 21, 2021

Henderson
Williams - Bailly - Lindelof - Telles
Matic
Amad - Shoretire - Mejbri
Greenwood - Hugil

KiD MoYeS · Feb 21, 2021

Is Donny expected back for this game?

horsechoker · Feb 21, 2021

Pexbo said:
Henderson
Williams - Bailly - Lindelof - Telles
Matic
Amad - Shoretire - Mejbri
Greenwood - Hugil

Never gonna happen

buckooo1978 · Feb 21, 2021

Rest Rest Rest....assuming we have Cavani, DVB and McTominay back

--------------------Henderson‐---------------------
Williams----Bailly---Tuanzebe----Telles
--------------Matic----McTominay-----------
Mata--------Van De Beek----------James
----------------------Martial-----------------------

Pexbo · Feb 21, 2021

horsechoker said:
Never gonna happen

Of course it won’t, Magurie never gets rested.

Crustanoid · Feb 21, 2021

Thinking about the weekend, we should take the opportunity to rest all our main players

Berbasbullet · Feb 21, 2021

Great chance to rest some, but still need to respect the opponent.

Henderson

Williams
Bailly
Axel
Telles

Matic
Mctominay

Mata
VDB
Martial

Greenwood

Get Hannibal, Shoretire, Amad involved in the second once the tie is dead and buried.

kafta · Feb 21, 2021

Henderson

williams
Bailly
Maguire
Telles

matic
Fred

mata
Vdb
Martial

greenwood

Devil may care · Feb 21, 2021

All change, personally I want Lindelof to start this game and Bailly start against Chelsea but I have no hope of that happening, if Cavani isn't going to be fit for the next PL game Ole might be tempted to save Mason and play Martial but I think Mason is raring to go and can play back to back no problem.

Walters_19_MuFc · Feb 21, 2021

Have we not go any decent young centre midfielders coming through?

Could do with resting one of Matic or Fred, especially if they're going to be the only first-team options come Sunday against Chelsea, who will have two extra days rest.

Bertie Wooster · Feb 21, 2021

It's tough to pick the team without knowing if Cavani, McTominay and VdB will be fit.

I'd definitely rest some, but I'd have them on the bench just in case we suddenly find ourselves 2 or 3 goals down (a possibility if we make too many changes).

Assuming the injured players won't be back, then I'd go for...

Henderson
Williams, Bailly, Maguire, Telles.
Fred, Matic
Greenwood, Mata, James
Martial

Subs: De Gea, AWB, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, Shaw, Fernandes, Amad, Shoretire, Rashford.

If DvB is fit, I'd start with him instead of Fred. McTominay and Cavani I'd have on the bench if they're fit (we can have up to 12 subs?)

Bwuk · Feb 21, 2021

Henderson
Williams - Bailly - Maguire - Telles
VdB - Fred
Amad - Mata - James
Mason

Bastian · Feb 21, 2021

Pexbo said:
Henderson
Williams - Bailly - Lindelof - Telles
Matic
Amad - Shoretire - Mejbri
Greenwood - Hugil

Tunazebe for Lindelof and I'd absolutely love this.

Alemar · Feb 21, 2021

Walters_19_MuFc said:
Have we not go any decent young centre midfielders coming through?

We do, Mejbri as a box to box if you would...

Brightonian · Feb 21, 2021

Walters_19_MuFc said:
Have we not go any decent young centre midfielders coming through?

Next season, James Garner will be in the sort of position to get run-outs in situations like this. He's currently on a so-far successful loan to Notts Forest. Hannibal Mejbri is the star midfielder in the U23s but he's only just turned 18 and any run-outs he gets this season will be tasters like Shoretire just got. He's not physically ready yet, to my eye. Next season he might get some minutes here and there if we don't decide to send him out on loan.

We've had about three years in a row of bringing through multiple reserves into the seniors. You can't do it forever - eventually all the remaining top talents in the ranks are so young that you have to have a fallow year or two before a few more are ready.

Brightonian · Feb 21, 2021

I'd start relatively strong then make some early subs when either we've got control of the game or even just as long as it's a draw that doesn't look like going badly wrong. Something like:

Henderson
Williams Bailly Tuanzebe Telles
Fred Matic
James Mata Martial
Greenwood

VdB on for Fred as early as possible, even at half time if we're ahead.
Amad on for James/Martial within the first hour.
Shoretire/Mejbri on for Mata/Martial for 20 minutes or so.

Putting this post together has made me realise how many of our fringe players are midgets. James, Mata, VdB, Amad, Shoretire. :nervous:

MyOnlySolskjaer · Feb 22, 2021

I don't want to see Bruno or Rashford.

Dr. Dwayne · Feb 22, 2021

Deaner
Williams Bailly Tuanzebe Telles
Fred Matic
Amad Mata James
Greenwood

Andersonson · Feb 22, 2021

Play the backups!
Hendo
Williams Bailly Tuanzebe Telles
Matic ??
Diallo Mata Martial
Greenwood

Ballache · Feb 22, 2021

Henderson
Williams-Bailly-Tuanzebe-Telles
-----------------McT-Matic----------------
--Greenwood---VDB---James---
--------------------Martial-----------------

Not sure McT is for for this, Fred in if he isn't. I also Think Maguire will play because Ole. Hoping to see more of Diallo, but Ole said he won't start.

always_hoping · Feb 22, 2021

Team I'd expect Ole to start.

- - - - - Henderson - - - -
Williams Bailly Maguire Telles
- - - - De Beek* Matic - - - - -
- - - - - - - - Mata - - - - - - - -
- - - -James- - - - - Martial
- - - - - - - Greenwood - - - - - -

*if fit. Ole said maybe for Thursday after the match today.

Red00012 · Feb 22, 2021

Ole has said Amad and Shoretire will feature but won’t start. Hopeful on Cavani and VDB

UnofficialDevil · Feb 22, 2021

Play Mason as s striker in this game.

Kyonn · Feb 22, 2021

Devil may care said:
All change, personally I want Lindelof to start this game and Bailly start against Chelsea but I have no hope of that happening, if Cavani isn't going to be fit for the next PL game Ole might be tempted to save Mason and play Martial but I think Mason is raring to go and can play back to back no problem.

This, except VDB for Fred. (Of course it will never happen)

Raredaredevil · Feb 22, 2021

There is a reason why bookmakers have priced us at evens for this game even though we are at home. I still find it unbelievable how we can beat one of La Liga's most in-form teams 4-0 away. There will probably be wholesale changes to the team with our main players resting. I still think our second team can beat them at home.

red_de_pologne · Feb 22, 2021

Meanwhile, Solskjaer was quizzed on whether Shoretire could start the Europa League last-32 clash against Real Sociedad this Thursday, with United already 4-0 up from the first leg.

He responded: "Probably not Shola and Amad, no. I'm not sure if that would be fair on them. They'll be in the squad."

:rolleyes:

Tom Cato · Feb 22, 2021

red_de_pologne said:
Meanwhile, Solskjaer was quizzed on whether Shoretire could start the Europa League last-32 clash against Real Sociedad this Thursday, with United already 4-0 up from the first leg.

He responded: "Probably not Shola and Amad, no. I'm not sure if that would be fair on them. They'll be in the squad."

Real Sociedad are among the top teams in La Liga. We're not going to start a bunch of kids and put the responsibility of our going through to the next round on them. You ease them into the game when they know what they can expect in terms of pace and tactics, not shoehorn them into the squad and hope that they don't make a costly mistake early that rattles them.

red_de_pologne · Feb 22, 2021

Tom Cato said:
Real Sociedad are among the top teams in La Liga. We're not going to start a bunch of kids and put the responsibility of our going through to the next round on them. You ease them into the game when they know what they can expect in terms of pace and tactics, not shoehorn them into the squad and hope that they don't make a costly mistake early that rattles them.

Was hoping for Diallo to start to be honest.

Mcking · Feb 22, 2021

He is going to 'rest' James for Chelsea, and Maguire is 100% starting.

Think guaranteed starters are Henderson, Bailly, Maguire, Telles, Greenwood, and Van de Beek if fit.

Alemar · Feb 22, 2021

red_de_pologne said:
He responded: "Probably not Shola and Amad, no. I'm not sure if that would be fair on them. They'll be in the squad."

Well, Shola has bigger boots to fill, as he plays in a position of our best player Bruno (unless the idea was to start Shoretire out of position). But Diallo is a winger so it’s easier to start him, I would have thought.

Stevondo8 · Feb 22, 2021

Henderson
Williams Bailly Maguire Telles
Fred Matic
Amad Mata James
Greenwood

rest a few that play always, except Maguire obvs. Assuming it doesn’t all fall apart, Shola to get another 10/15 mins from the bench, maybe Hannibal too.

Chaky_Best · Feb 22, 2021

--------------------------------------------Henderson---------------------------------------------
Williams----------------------Tuanzebe------Bailly---------------------------------Telles
-------------------------------------Matic-----------Fred--------------------------------------------
Greenwood-----------------------------Mata-------------------------------------------James
----------------------------------------------Martial----------------------------------------------------

Europa League Round of 32 2nd Leg

Manchester United 0:0 Real Sociedad

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