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Manchester United will take on RB Leipzig in the final matchday of Group H in the UEFA Champions League, and we could be in for an entertaining game as the Germans need to win to qualify.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side only need a draw to secure qualification for the knockout stages, but they are likely to face a stern test as Leipzig will need to win the game to climb above Manchester United in the group.
Both teams are in a good run of form. While Manchester United have lost just once – to PSG – in the last five games and have won the rest, Leipzig have played well despite mixed results.
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Julian Nagelsmann’s side will head into the clash against Manchester United after an enthralling draw against Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Let’s look at five key battles ahead of the clash at Red Bull Arena.
#1 Emil Forsberg vs Scott McTominay
There will quite a few midfield battles, but this one is perhaps the most important one. With Fred suspended, McTominay is expected to start alongside Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba. The Scotland international will not exactly play the role of a holding midfielder, but rather more of a ball-winning role in midfield.
He is likely to come up against Emil Forsberg, who will have the attacking burden on his shoulders. Manchester United, unlike Bayern Munich who Leipzig faced on Saturday, will sit back, so Nagelsmann’s side will have to rely on Forsberg to provide the creativity and unlock the defense with his passing.
The Swede has also excelled in a false nine role of late and is high on confidence after scoring one and assisting another against Bayern last weekend. McTominay can ill-afford to switch off come Tuesday.
#2 Angelino vs Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Angelino, despite playing at left-back and in a deeper midfield role, is Leipzig’s leading goal-scorer this season and has had an incredible few months so far. Apart from his goal-scoring, he has impressed with his marauding runs and defensive attributes in his own half. And he’s from on loan from Manchester City, so that makes things a bit more interesting as well, doesn’t it?
The left-back is likely to come up against Manchester United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has had a mixed season so far. Although he doesn’t let many players past him and is one of the best full-backs in one-v-one situations, there is the occasional lapse in concentration in his game that he needs to work on.
Wan-Bissaka is also not very good at defending crosses or passes into the far post and has time and again let opposition players slip in behind that particular phase of play. Angelino, with the form he is in, will hope to take advantage of that particular deficiency in Wan-Bissaka.
Manchester United will hope their right-back can stop Angelino’s crosses as well, as the Spaniard has a mean delivery on him.
#3 Paul Pogba vs Marcel Sabitzer
Paul Pogba hasn’t been a regular starter for Manchester United in the Champions League this season, but he is a big player so expect him to step up in the crunch game.
The Frenchman had a big impact in the previous outing when Manchester United came from behind to beat West Ham United away from home, and nearly did the same against PSG a few days ago before that as well.
Leipzig have a similar player in Marcel Sabitzer, albeit a more hard-working one. Sabitzer hasn’t been at his best this season and will have to deal with the threat of Pogba. Manchester United will play on the counter-attack, and the Austrian international will have to take some of the responsibility to track back and keep the Frenchman in check.
He is known for his defensive contribution off the ball, so Nagelsmann will not be worried about that. But can Sabitzer have an impact a bit further up the pitch as well and help his side’s attackers?
#4 Amadou Haidara vs Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United look like a different team with Bruno Fernandes in their attack, and there will be high expectations on his shoulders once again. The Portuguese has provided the spark to the Manchester United attack, and his link-up play with the rest of the attackers is just a joy to watch. The former Sporting CP man is also hard to defend when you are on the back foot.
That is exactly the kind of thing Leipzig will have to watch out for on Tuesday. Amadou Haidara has done an excellent job in central midfield and he never stops running. Bayern found it hard to deal with his pressing and work-rate, and he did a good job in his own half as well to cut the supply to Robert Lewandowski on Saturday.
Still only 22, there's a lot of pressure on Haidara’s young shoulders on Tuesday when he comes up against the in-form Fernandes. If he manages to win that battle, Leipzig could come out on top against Manchester United.
#5 Ibrahima Konate vs Marcus Rashford
Leipzig’s four at the back system hasn’t worked out well, as they have conceded a total of six goals in the two games they have deployed that setup. Manchester United exposed the high press in Leipzig’s three at the back system, and Marcus Rashford in particular had a field day.
Rashford got in behind pretty easily to finish with a second-half hat-trick and condemn Leipzig to a 5-0 defeat in the reverse fixture. Leipzig have agile defenders at the back, but despite that, they had no answer to Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The changed formation could make it harder, especially off the ball as Leipzig have shown signs of using the two banks of four. Konate, in particular, will have to put in a big game in Dayot Upamecano’s absence due to a suspension.
