Manchester United hosts Istanbul Basaksehir tomorrow night in a match-up of the two sides at the opposite ends of the UEFA Champions League Group H table. However, as we just learned, last time around in the reverse fixture, anything can happen, so throw the records out the window when these two teams get together.
The Turkish side, competing in the UCL group stages for the first time ever, beat United at home 2-1 on November 4, giving the #OleOut crowd some more material to work with.
For now, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s seat is not warming, as CEO Ed Woodward provided a public vote of confidence in him over the international break.
Team News
For United, the primary concern is Paul Pogba, who missed out on the weekend winner over West Bromwich Albion due to an ankle injury. He faces a late fitness test for this one.
“We hope he’s going to be available,” Solskjaer said today in regards to the Frenchman. “He trained this morning, see if there’s any reaction when we report tomorrow.”
Elsewhere, Solskjaer added that Luke [Shaw] is out, Phil Jones [is] obviously out, still…Jesse (Lingard) is still self-isolating because he’s been in contact with a COVID positive. He’ll be back soon. Apart from that we have one or two little niggles that we’ll have to make a decision on towards the end.”
Central defender Eric Bailly is a doubt for this one while Mason Greenwood, having recovered from an undisclosed illness, could return back into the mix, and maybe even start.
Manchester United at Istanbul Basaksehir FYIs
Kickoff: November 24, 8pm GMT, Old Trafford
United Starting XI Prediction: go here
Group standings: United 1st, 6 pts, +5 GD Istanbul 4th, 3 pts, -3 GD
Form Guide (all competitions) United DWLLWW Istanbul LWWWLL
Prediction: United 2, Istanbul 0
If United can’t take all three points here, where they have all the motivation in the world to do so, then check your temperature gauges because the fire is out. And if that proves to be the case, then it really should be Ole Out as well.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.