STAR PREVIEW Weds: Man U v LASK

Manchester United’s main aim this season – returning to the Champions League – has already been secured, but the Europa League is still a realistic aim for them and they can make a bold bid to end the season with silverware. United, 2/1 with Star Sports to take the trophy, have a very helpful draw – they have one foot in the quarter-finals thanks to their 5-0 win in the first leg, and will have a quarter-final against either Istanbul Basaksehir or FC Copenhagen on Monday, a game in which they’d be heavy favourites, and whilst the semis and final would be much tougher, they shouldn’t fear Wolves, Olympiakos, Sevilla or Roma at the semis.

Since lockdown their only loss in all competitions was a 3-1 defeat against Chelsea, a side that would be considered superior to most of their rivals in this competition and certainly a much tougher test than LASK, who United blew aside in the first leg.

Man Utd v LASK
UEFA Europa League Round of 16 2nd Leg
20:00 BT Sport 1 / BT Sport Extra 1 / BT Sport Ultimate

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches, since 2010)
MAR 2020 EUROPA LEAGUE LASK 0-5 Manchester United

This will be a changed starting lineup but the team that won 5-0 just before lockdown read – Romero, Brandon Williams, Eric Bailly, Harry Maguire Luke Shaw, Scott McTominay, Fred, Juan Mata, Bruno Fernandes, Daniel James and Odion Ighalo – and even with the likely absence of Fernandes tonight there should be enough quality for a second leg win.

LASK played better than the scoreline suggested in the reverse leg, but they’ve lost seven of their last eleven games, may be rusty after a month without gametime, and have the double whammy of not being able to use new signings Yevhen Cheberko, Mads Madsen and Mamoudou Karamoko, whilst also being without Thomas Goiginger and Marvin Potzmann to boot. United to win by either 2-0 or 3-0 looks a sensible way to get involved.

RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-100 points)
BACK Manchester United 2-0 LASK 1 pt at 11/2 with
BACK Manchester United 3-0 LASK 1 pt at 13/2 with

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