What’s the status of Manchester United Football Club, ahead of the trip to Real Sociedad? Well, consider this fact- one prominent supporter group just issued a press release urging fans to wear black to the next home match, Sunday versus Arsenal.
The wearing of black is to symbolize that the club is “dying,” both in the results that we see on the pitch and in the financial distress behind the scenes.
Manchester United at Real Sociedad FYIs
Kickoff: Thurs. March 6, 5:45pm, Reale Arena, San Sebastian, Spain
Competition: UEFA Europa League Round of 16, Leg 1/2
Man United Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Fun Fact: Of all the 16 teams left in the field, United lead the way in possession, passes per sequence and average sequence time.
So what is the state of Man United on the squad level? Well, consider this fact- United manager Ruben Amorim fielded just seven substitutes to the bench, in the FA Cup elimination at the hands of Fulham FC.
You are allowed nine, by the way. So that’s where you’re at right now. It’s not just so much about filling out a team sheet, as it is writing in the names of the bodies you still have left.
Man United Starting XI Prediction at Real Sociedad
Andre Onana; Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt, Ayden Heaven; Diogo Dalot, Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Christian Eriksen; Joshua Zirkzee, Bruno Fernandes, Rasmus Hojlund
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.