If Manchester United want to win Group E of the Europa League and advance to the knockout stages as champions, they need to win on Thursday against Real Sociedad by a margin of at least two goals.
After winning their previous four matches, the Red Devils are currently trailing their opponents by three points with one game remaining in the group stage. If they finish in second place in the group, however, they will be required to compete in a play-off against the third-placed team from the Champions League.
Having to travel to meet with the leaders of the group Real Sociedad is not the ideal scenario because the Spaniards have won all five of their games so far and have a better goal difference than their visitors. This means that even if Real Sociedad were to lose 1-0, they would still be able to win the group and take first place.
When is the match between Real Sociedad and Man United?
The match between Real Sociedad and Manchester United will begin at 5:45 p.m. (GMT) on November 3 at the Estadio Anoeta in San Sebastian, Spain. The stadium has a capacity of 39,500.
In their most recent matchup, these two teams competed against one another in the opposite direction back in September. The Red Devils were defeated in their opening match in Group E at Old Trafford by a score of 1-0.
After a scoreless first half in which the two teams were unable to find a way to separate themselves from one another, Brais Mendez's penalty kick for the guests in the 59th minute proved to be the only goal of the game, and Sociedad came away with all three points on Matchday 1.
The game will be broadcast live on BT Sport 1, and there will be a live stream service available online that can be accessed through the BT Sport app as well as the BT Sport website.
The coverage will start at 5:15 in the evening.
Betfred's odds for the match between Real Sociedad and Manchester United
Real Sociedad - 11/5
Draw - 5/2
23/20 for Manchester United.
*odds are subject to change at any time
Reports from the team
Real Sociedad would hate to see all of their hard work undone by finishing second in the group with a defeat in their final game, which means that a strong lineup can be expected, despite the fact that Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil has seen his squad depth take a severe hit in recent times.
The team competing in the La Liga will be without Mikel Oyarzabal, Umar Sadiq, Mohamed-Ali Cho, David Silva, and Ander Martin. Takefusa Kubo (shoulder), Ander Barrenetxea, Aihen Munoz, and Alex Sola are all questionable to play. Alexander Sorloth, who formerly played for Crystal Palace as a striker, is expected to take the initiative in the offensive line.
Erik ten Hag will be expected to name a full strength lineup for this match, despite the fact that he still has a number of injuries to contend with, because Manchester United needs to win by at least 2-0 in order to advance to the knockout stages as the group winner.
Antony, Victor Lindelof, and Anthony Martial were all missing from Sunday's win over West Ham but have a chance to make a comeback in time for this match. Antony missed the game due to a knock, and Victor Lindelof and Anthony Martial both had fevers. Raphael Varane (thigh), Brandon Williams, and Axel Tuanzebe are all out with injuries, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka is also expected to return. Bruno Fernandes ought to get the nod in the starting lineup because he is going to miss this weekend's action due to suspension.
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