Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
We often ask ourselves when will Manchester United decide to put all their eggs in a Europa League basket. Well it seems as if we finally got the answer to that question on Sunday when they lost 2-0 to Arsenal at The Emirates.
Before the game kicked off, a top four finish was still a very viable concern but now with the fact that they have dropped to 6th place thanks to Arsenal’s win over Southampton yesterday it seems as if it is very much Europa League or bust for Jose Mourinho’s men
But that said they do find themselves in a very strong position to reach the final in Stockholm later this month and are not tournament favourites for no reason. Tonight they play host to Celta Vigo in the Semi Final 2nd leg while holding on to a slender 1-0 win.
It was you would have to say a deserved win in Northwest Spain last Thursday night as Marcus Rashford’s free kick was the difference. Some say it was a moment of magic, while others say the ‘keeper should have done better.
Whatever way you want to look at it, it gave United the advantage going into Tonight’s return leg and more importantly it gives them a crucial away goal going into proceedings at Old Trafford. Should they score first then it could very well end the tie
With United perhaps just 90 minutes away from the final (the only way the game can go to Extra-Time is if Celta win 1-0 and overturn their first leg deficit) the task is in their own hands and they will look to get the job done with a comfortable win over their La Liga opponents.
They have been overshadowed this week with the news that Paul Pogba’s super agent Mino Raiola is reported to have received a fee of £41m in his role in bringing the French international to Manchester. Whether that means Pogba is only worth £50m can still be debated.
So the club will no doubt want to just focus on matters on the pitch this evening and put the conversation about agents fees on the back burner for at least a few hours, crucially though they will have a much stronger lineup than the one they had on Sunday.
Antonio Valencia is set to return after missing out against Arsenal through injury, while Marouane Fellaini can be called upon as his ban after his wild headbutt on Sergio Aguero is only a domestic one.
Celta Vigo come into this game off the back of a 3-0 away defeat to Malaga but in all fairness they also rested key players going into this one, the Galician’s sit comfortably in mid table and their league form has been non-existent since the turn of the year.
In theory both sides will be fit and raring to go after resting key men, Celta will perhaps rue the opportunity not to get on the scoresheet in the first leg as they now have it all to do in a few hours time.
But with United fully focussing on this competition they will be wanting to make sure the gamble does not backfire. I cannot see that being the case as I’ll think it will be a comfortable home win where they should go on to meet Ajax in the Final.
