It’s been more than a half-decade now since Manchester United won a trophy, and for a club of that size, it’s a long time. Winning the UEFA Europa League this season, a competition where they are strongly among the favorites, would check that box off finally.
It would serve another purpose too, as claiming this title would get the Red Devils back in the big competition of Europe, which has to be the ultimate goal for manager Erik ten Hag in his debut campaign in England. The quest begins Thursday night at home versus Real Sociedad.
Manchester United vs Real Sociedad Europa League Group Stage FYIs
Kick Off: Thursday, Sep 8, 2022, at 8 pm local Old Trafford
Competition: Group E, Match Day 1 of 6
MUFC Starting XI Prediction: go here
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United Team News
Little used midfielder Donny van de Beek missed Sunday’s win over Arsenal due to injury while Luke Shaw returned to the squad. Meanwhile the surplus to requirements right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka remained an injury absentee. Forward Anthony Martial had a great preseason, but picked up an injury towards the end of it. That forced him to miss the beginning of the campaign, and when the Frenchman returned, in the win over Liverpool, he picked up another injury.
Ten Hag said “he cannot tell at this moment” when Martial will be back. So the Martial Plan has no timetable for return and the specific details of the situation are not being made public.
Finally, fringe players (and thus the type of squad players that would be selected for this kind of match) Phil Jones (OMG! He’s still on the team?), Facundo Pellistri, Axel Tuanzebe (Oh wow! He’s also still on the team) and Brandon Williams are also on the shelf.
However, Jones and Williams weren’t registered (due to their injury recovery timetable) for European competition in time to feature here anyway.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him and the website on Twitter and Instagram.