Manchester United should go into the second leg of their Europa League match against Barcelona confident not only in their own skills, but also that they can win.
Erik ten Hag’s team did more than their fair share in last week’s frantic first match. On Thursday night, when they host the La Liga leaders, they can show how far they have come.
It won’t be easy for United, but the fact that Barcelona’s midfield options are limited while their own have been improved gives them confidence.Xavi is still the best example of a modern midfielder, and he knows how hard it will be for Barcelona to win at Old Trafford without Pedri and Gavi, who are both out with injuries.
The Barcelona manager hopes to have Sergio Busquests back for the game after he came back from an injury and sat on the bench against Cadiz last weekend. The midfield battle on Thursday night is likely to be the most important part of the game.
United, on the other hand, has gotten a boost in the middle because Marcel Sabitzer is back from suspension for the second leg, and Lisandro Martinez is also back and should help his team’s defense.
Casemiro’s three-game domestic suspension ended over the weekend, so he’ll be back in the lineup. This could be the first time he plays with Sabitzer, who joined the team in January.
It could be the start of a new midfield partnership for United in the coming weeks, since Sabitzer hasn’t played in his preferred position since joining the club.
The Austrian has had to work on his game without a known defensive midfielder in the team. Now that Casemiro is there, he might get the chance to show what he’s really made of.
But it’s not that easy to decide, and Ten Hag might want to take a slightly more cautious approach by bringing in the hardworking Fred.
The Brazilian has often saved his best games for the most important ones of the season. He was a key player in wins over Tottenham and City at home, and he got better after a slow start last week.
Fred might not be the most technically skilled player, but most people wouldn’t mind if he started on Thursday night because he would bring energy and enthusiasm to the United midfield on a night when they will try to feed off the Old Trafford crowd.
Then you have to think about the “wildcard” choices. Bruno Fernandes and Wout Weghorst both played out of position last week at the Camp Nou, which made Barcelona less effective.
Ten Hag’s surprise move helped United get a foothold in the game early on, and they almost scored right away when Fernandes ran down the right side and almost found Fred with a low pass into the box.
This strategy has already worked, making it hard for Barcelona to prepare for United this week because they don’t know which team they will face.
For the first time in a while, it seems like United has more than one way to set up their midfield for a game.
United is counting on the middlemen to help them have another famous night in Europe.
