Sabasports Match Preview
UEFA Champions League:
Galatasaray vs Manchester United
Kickoff Time: 2023-11-30
01:45 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/MOLLY
DARLINGTON
This is the fifth round
of the Champions League group stage in Group A. Bayern Munich have already
secured their place in the next stage with a perfect record of 12 points.
Copenhagen and Galatasaray are currently tied with four points each, while
Manchester United are trailing behind with three points. In order for
Manchester United to have a chance of advancing, they must win this game.
Galatasaray are indeed a
prominent Turkish football club with a rich history in European competitions.
In the recent transfer window, they made significant investments to bolster
their squad, brought in several notable players with experience in the top five
leagues. These include Mauro Icardi from Paris Saint-Germain, Wilfried Zaha
from Crystal Palace, Tanguy Ndombele and Davinson Sanchez from Tottenham
Hotspur, as well as Lucas Torreira, who previously played for Arsenal. With
such talent, it is fair to say that Galatasaray would likely perform
competitively even in the Premier League, potentially landing in the middle to
upper ranks. However, during the group stage of the Champions League,
Galatasaray’s defensive performance has been a concern. They have conceded
goals in all four matches played so far. One contributing factor is the
relative lack of height and average jumping ability among their defenders. The
tallest defender in the team, Davinson Sanchez, stands at 1.87 meters. As
demonstrated in the previous round, Harry Kane, who is 1.88 meters tall, scored
a header against Galatasaray, highlighting the vulnerability in defending
aerial situations.
Manchester United have
experienced a recent resurgence, winning five out of their last six league
games. In their 3-0 victory over Everton, they made several key changes that
had a positive impact on their performance. Firstly, the goals were scored by
their forward players, breaking the trend of struggling in front of the net.
This showcased an improvement in the attacking prowess of them. Secondly, the
return of Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka as the main full-backs addressed the
issue of low-quality crosses from the wings. Additionally, 18-year-old Kobbie
Mainoo had an impressive Premier League debut. He demonstrated versatility by
adapting his positioning according to the team’s needs. When attacking, he
would drop back to the right center-back position while allowing Diogo Dalot to
advance. And when defending against opponents’ attacks, he would transition
into the midfield position. Mainoo executed the tasks assigned by manager Erik
ten Hag effectively, which has earned him the opportunity to continue starting
matches, especially in the absence of injured players such as Casemiro and
Christian Eriksen. On Monday, Manchester United received positive news as
towering center-forward Rasmus Hojlund returned to training. He is expected to
start in the upcoming game. Hojlund, standing at 1.91 meters tall, has been a
prolific scorer in the Champions League, netting five goals in the competition.
He notably scored twice against Galatasaray in the last time they met, making
him a formidable threat to their opponents.
Today, Manchester United
are in a fully recovered state, and the confidence of their young players has
significantly improved. In this crucial must-win game, there is a strong belief
that Manchester United will give their utmost to secure three points and emerge
victorious even on the road.
Galatasaray’s Last 5
Games: WLLWW
23-11-25 Galatatasaray
4-0 Alanyaspor
23-11-11 Hatayspor 2-1
Galatasaray
23-11-09 Bayern Munich
2-1 Galatasaray
23-11-04 Galatasaray 2-1
Kasimpasa
23-10-28 Rizespor 0-1
Galatasaray
Manchester United’s Last
5 Games: WWLWL
23-11-27 Everton 0-3
Manchester United
23-11-11 Manchester
United 1-0 Luton Town
23-11-09 FC Copenhagen
4-3 Manchester United
23-11-04 Fulham 0-1
Manchester United
23-11-02 Manchester
United 0-3 Newcastle United
Head To Head Record:
23-10-04 Manchester
United 2-3 Galatasaray
16-07-31 Manchester
United 5-2 Galatasaray
12-11-21 Galatasaray 1-0
Manchester United
12-09-20 Manchester
United 1-0 Galatasaray
Prediction: Manchester United to win