Needing to avoid defeat to stand any chance of a place in the Champions League knockout rounds, Manchester United make the long journey to Rams Park in Istanbul to face Galatasaray in Wednesday’s Group A fixture.
The Red Devils sit at the foot of the section with a paltry three points under their belt, although their hosts are only one point and one place better off heading into the penultimate game.
United fans have to go back to September’s 3-0 EFL Cup beating of Crystal Palace for the last time that they won a game by at least two goals, and not since May’s 4-1 beating of Chelsea had United prevailed by such a margin in the Premier League, offering hope that Erik ten Hag’s side have just experienced a turning point in their season.
The visitors will live to fight another day in Group A so long as they draw or win against Galatasaray, but a fourth defeat from five Champions League games will send the Red Devils packing, and they will be condemned to finish bottom if they lose and Copenhagen put Bayern to the sword.
As if United did not already have enough incentives to make their long journey to Rams Park worthwhile, the Red Devils are out to avenge their crushing 3-2 loss to Galatasaray at Old Trafford last month, and they have failed to score in three away games versus the Turkish side, their longest such run against a single opponent in Europe.
United are one of several sides grappling with an injury crisis, as all of Lisandro Martinez (foot), Casemiro (thigh), Amad Diallo (knee), Mason Mount (calf), Jonny Evans (thigh), Christian Eriksen (knee) and Tyrell Malacia (knee) will sit out the trip to Istanbul.
Antony has also emerged as a fresh concern after a knock kept him out of the win over Everton, where Rasmus Hojlund was not present either owing to his thigh injury, although he was close to making the cut and should be back in the fold for Wednesday’s game.
Still, without an English top-flight goal to his name, Hojlund has already netted five times in Europe this term – the joint-most in the 2023-24 Champions League alongside Atletico Madrid’s Alvaro Morata – and his return would be timely, as Marcus Rashford was sent off against Copenhagen and is suspended.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw; McTominay, Amrabat; Antony, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund
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