Preview: Manchester United v CSKA Moscow; Kick-off: December 5, 19:45; Venue: Old Trafford; Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Manchester United will look to seal their spot in the last-16 stage of the Champions League when they welcome CSKA Moscow to Old Trafford on Tuesday night.
United failed to secure their position in the knockout round after losing 1-0 at Basel on November 22, but only a spectacular turn of events will prevent the Red Devils from reaching the round of 16.
Indeed, Jose Mourinho’s side boast a three-point advantage over second-placed Basel and third-placed CSKA, meaning that a draw would be enough to guarantee first position in the group.
That said, United can also afford to lose by six goals and still go through. If CSKA and Basel both win, the top two will be decided in a three-way head to head, and United would be through unless they lost by seven goals.
It should never have come to this after the 20-time English champions won their first four Group A matches, but it would be safe to assume that they will be present when the draw for the last-16 stage of the tournament is made.
The second qualification position is where it becomes interesting, with CSKA needing to pick up more points than Basel, who finish away to Benfica, to advance. If both teams win, CSKA must be victorious by a margin of three or more goals to advance in the three-way head-to-head.
It is a tough assignment for CSKA, however, when considering that they have never beaten United in European competition. Tuesday will bring their sixth meeting, with the Russian outfit losing three of the previous five.
They suffered a 4-1 home defeat to United in the reserve match back in September, and lost 1-0 when they last travelled to Old Trafford, with that match-up occurring during the group stage of the 2015-16 Champions League.
United are also unbeaten in 20 European home matches – winning 16 times in the process. It is a run that stretches back to a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in 2013, while they have won all 10 of their competitive fixtures on home soil this term.
David Moyes and Louis van Gaal both found it difficult to make Old Trafford a fortress after Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure, but Mourinho has helped United become extremely strong on home soil once again.
United will also enter the match off the back of successive away Premier League wins. Indeed, a 4-2 victory over Watford on November 28 was followed by a 3-1 success at Arsenal in Saturday’s late kickoff. The Red Devils have now won their last four in the league, but still sit eight points off the leaders Manchester City.
The Manchester giants will lock horns at Old Trafford next weekend in a match that could have a huge say in the title race, but Mourinho will not allow his players to think about that clash with Champions League qualification yet to be finalised.
While United played in London on Saturday night, CSKA were in league action on Friday – recording a 6-0 win over Tosno to move third in their domestic table. They are unbeaten in all competitions since the end of October, and have won both of their away Champions League matches this season.
The Russian giants have not reached the round of 16 since the 2011-12 campaign, and despite boasting an impressive away record, home defeats to United and Basel have left them needing a lot of things to fall their way on the final matchday in order to secure qualification for the knockout stage.
Mathematically United need a point to secure first position in Group A, but Mourinho will be looking for all three – and an impressive performance to match – ahead of the huge Manchester derby on Sunday afternoon.
Team news
Marouane Fellaini, Eric Bailly and Phil Jones are all still out for United, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not feature as Mourinho treads carefully with the Swede following a lengthy absence.
Paul Pogba will start after his red card against Arsenal at the weekend, and there could also be spots in the team for Sergio Romero, Matteo Darmian, Daley Blind and Scott McTominay as Mourinho prepares to rotate his side.
Ander Herrera, Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata are also in line to feature from the start, but Romelu Lukaku should continue in the final third of the field.
Pontus Wernbloom and Bibras Natcho are both suspended for CSKA after the pair picked up bookings during the 2-0 win over Benfica last time out, while wing-back Georgi Shchennikov is injured.
As a result, Konstantin Kuchaev, Kirill Nababkin and Aaron Olanare are pushing for spots in the XI, and the latter could join Alan Dzagoev and Vitinho in the final third of the field.
Sergei Ignashevich and Vasili Berezutski both found United forward Lukaku tough to play against in the reverse match, but the pair will form part of a three-man central defence once again.
Expected starting lineups
United: Romero; Darmian, Lindelof, Rojo, Blind; Pogba, Herrera, McTominay; Rashford, Lukaku, Mata
CSKA: Akinfeev; Ignashevich, Vasin, V.Berezutski; Nababkin, Golovin, Kuchaev, Fernandes; Dzagoev, Olanare, Vitinho
Did you know?
CSKA have previously won in Manchester – recording a 2-1 victory over City during the group stage of the 2014-15 Champions League.
Prediction
There are a lot of different permutations surrounding the match, but there is no question that Mourinho will send his team out expecting to pick up all three points.
CSKA have been impressive on the road this season, but they struggled badly when the two teams met in Moscow, and whichever United XI takes to the field should have more than enough to secure a comfortable win.
Score prediction: Manchester United 2-0 CSKA Moscow
