Preview: Manchester United v Benfica; Kick-off: October 31, 19:45; Venue: Old Trafford; Referee: Gediminas Mazeika
Manchester United will welcome Benfica to Old Trafford on Tuesday night knowing that a win could see them book their spot in the knockout round of the Champions League with two matches to spare.
Indeed, United have collected maximum points from their three Group A fixtures this season to top the table, and would qualify for the round of 16 if they beat Benfica and third-placed CSKA Moscow fail to overcome second-placed Basel in Switzerland. A point could also be enough to see Jose Mourinho’s side through to the next round, although that scenario would rely on CSKA losing to Basel.
Benfica, on the other hand, are rooted to the bottom of the section having lost all three of their group matches thus far. They can still qualify for the knockout stage, but it would have to be some turnaround for the Portuguese giants to advance.
Tuesday’s match will come just 13 days after their meeting in Portugal. It was a tight affair for long spells, but a mistake from Benfica’s teenage goalkeeper Mile Svilar, who carried a Marcus Rashford free kick over the line, saw United record a 1-0 win.
Mourinho will be desperate to secure qualification at this stage, which would give the Portuguese the opportunity to rest key players in their final two Group A fixtures. After hosting Benfica, they will travel to Basel on November 22, before finishing at home to CSKA on December 5 - with that match coming between Premier League games against Arsenal and Manchester City.
United will enter Tuesday’s game off the back of a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. Anthony Martial scored the only goal late on, and the victory ensured that Manchester City would not stretch their lead at the summit. Second-placed United have now collected 23 points from their 10 Premier League games this season, but still sit five points off their bitter rivals.
Since returning to action following the international break, Mourinho’s side have drawn with Liverpool, beaten Benfica, lost at Huddersfield Town and overcome both Swansea City and Tottenham across three separate competitions. The success over Spurs was a big one, and the 20-time English champions will be confident of picking up another three points against Benfica on Tuesday night.
Tuesday will bring the 11th European meeting between United and Benfica, and the English club have been victorious on seven occasions. Their last clash at Old Trafford occurred during the group stage of the 2011-12 Champions League, and Benfica actually came from behind to draw 2-2 in a match where famous Argentine Pablo Aimar was on the scoresheet.
United will also enter the match boasting a 19-game unbeaten home European run. They have not lost at Old Trafford in Europe since going down 2-1 to Real Madrid in the last-16 stage of the 2012-13 Champions League, while they are also unbeaten in their 12 games at home to Portuguese visitors – recording nine wins in the process.
The Red Devils have won all seven of their home games in all competitions this season – conceding just once. They have actually not lost a home match in any competition since the start of last season - a 2-1 defeat to City in the Premier League. There is no question that Mourinho has brought the fear factor back for opposition teams travelling to the Theatre of Dreams.
Benfica, who won the Portuguese double last season, have progressed to the quarter-finals and round of 16 respectively in the last two Champions League campaigns, but are staring at a group-stage elimination this time around.
The Portuguese giants have conceded eight times and scored just once in defeats to CSKA, Basel and United in Group A, and will enter Tuesday’s match having won just one of their last seven European matches.
Rui Vitoria’s side have won both of their league matches since losing to United last time out, however, with successes over Desportivo Aves and Feirense leaving them in third position in Portugal’s top flight.
Team news
Mourinho claimed at his pre-match press conference that he would not rest players ahead of the Chelsea game on Sunday, but Ashley Young is expected to step out of the team, which could see Daley Blind selected at left-back.
Former Benfica defender Victor Lindelof is also expected to start his fourth straight Champions League game for the Red Devils.
Marouane Fellaini, Paul Pogba and Michael Carrick are all still unavailable, however, meaning that Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera will have to continue in the middle of the park once again.
Romelu Lukaku will look to end a United goal drought which now stands at five games, while Juan Mata is also expected to be recalled to the XI.
As for Benfica, 18-year-old goalkeeper Svilar has started both games since the error against United in Lisbon, and the Portuguese should continue between the sticks for the clash at Old Trafford.
Jonas, who has scored 13 times in all competitions this season, is also expected to be in the XI after starting the reverse game on the bench due to a slight injury concern.
Benfica captain Luisao will be unavailable after picking up a red card in their last meeting, however, while fellow defender Andre Almeida is also suspended following his sending off against Basel towards the end of September.
Ruben Dias and Diogo Goncalves both made their European debuts against United and should continue in the team, while Lisandro Lopez could also feature.
Expected starting lineups
United: De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Lindelof, Blind; Matic, Herrera; Martial, Mkhitaryan, Mata; Lukaku
Benfica: Svilar; Douglas, Dias, Lopez, Grimaldo; Salvio, Pizzi, Fejsa, Augusto, Goncalves; Jonas
Did you know?
United have kept 11 clean sheets in their last 15 matches in all competitions, and have only conceded once in their seven home games this season.
Prediction
It is difficult to predict anything other than a United win on Tuesday night. Benfica are performing quite well domestically, but they have really struggled in Europe this season, and found it difficult to hurt the Red Devils in the reverse match.
It would not be a surprise to see Mourinho rest a few ahead of Sunday’s trip to Chelsea in the Premier League, but whichever XI takes to the field should have more than enough to make it 12 points from four Group A fixtures.
Score prediction: Manchester United 2-0 Benfica
