Manchester United will be back in UEFA Champions League action when they welcome Istanbul Basaksehir to Old Trafford this evening. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will be seeking to get back to winning ways in the competition after a 2-1 away defeat in the group stage almost three weeks ago. In Istanbul, United looked disjointed and lost their concentration twice in the match which resulted in two sloppy goals for the home side. United will need to be at the top of their game to face the Turkish champions, who have seemingly fallen in stature in the Super Lig this season, losing their last two matches, which means nothing in this competition.
At this moment in time, United are top of their group with six points after three matches, sitting in that position on goal difference with them being seven goals ahead of second placed RB Leipzig. United will need to beat the Turkish side this time to keep their top spot in the group with two matches remaining, which will be the more difficult matches, at least on paper, despite United looking comfortable in the victories over Paris Saint-Germain and Leipzig in their first two group stage matches. PSG only have three points in the three matches they have played, which is not good for them, especially after reaching the final last season.
Manchester United:
De Gea;
Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Telles;
Van de Beek, Fred;
Rashford, Fernandes, Martial;
Cavani
Substitutes:
Grant, Henderson; Fosu-Mensah, Williams, Tuanzebe, Mengi; Mata, James, Pellistri, Matic; Greenwood, Ighalo
Istanbul Basaksehir:
Günok;
Rafael, Škrtel, Epureanu, Bolingoli;
Özcan;
Višća, Chadli, Kahveci, Türüç;
Ba
Substitutes:
Babacan, Kıvanç, Kaldırım, Giuliano, Tekdemir, Gulbrandsen, Ponck, Kaplan, Karakuş
United and Istanbul Basaksehir have played once with the Turkish side winning that match. The club had only played Burnley in European competition before the match three weeks ago, drawing 0-0 in Istanbul and losing 1-0 at Turf Moor which saw the Lancashire club reach the play-off round of the UEFA Europe League in the 2018/19 season, failing to qualify for the group stages of the competition after losing to Olympiakos. United have met Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, and Bursaspor from Turkey, playing 16 matches in the Europa League and Champions League, winning eight, drawing three and losing five.
United have met Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe six times each and Beşiktaş and Bursaspor two times each. The last Turkish club to face United was Fenerbahçe in the Europa League in the 2016/17 season where they met in the group stages of the competition, at the time welcoming Robin van Persie back to Old Trafford a year after his departure from the club. United won 4-1 at Old Trafford, losing 2-1 in Istanbul. United tend to do much better at Old Trafford against Turkish sides; playing eight matches, winning five, drawing once and losing twice. United need another win at home against a Turkish side to get back on track this season.
Written by John Walker
