Manchester United will head to the San Siro on Thursday evening to renew hostilities with AC Milan as we look to progress beyond round 16 of the Europa League. Both sides played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Old Trafford last week. Milan scored a late equaliser through Simon Kjaer, which canceled out Amad Diallo’s excellent debut goal for United.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær will be looking to draw on his own experiences of great United European nights of the past. We will be looking to go all the way in the competition and be lifting the trophy come the end of the season. United come into this game off the back of a 1-0 win against West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday. It was thanks to an own goal from Craig Dawson that gave us all three points. We showed our defensive capabilities as this was our fifth clean sheet in six matches.
The Red Devils have extended their unbeaten run now to 13 matches across all competitions with that narrow win on Sunday. However, in the last six games, United has drawn four of those and has only scored four goals in that time. Injuries to Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, and Donny Van De Beek have not helped either. We take consolation in the fact we have scored in all of their 13 Europa League knockout games outside of England.
In addition, United’s form away from home this season has been excellent as we are unbeaten in the last 12 games. We have had four clean sheets in the previous four games. This should give us the advantage when going to the San Siro as Milan’s home record has not been good this season.
Supporters of both clubs would be expecting to see each other in the final of the Champions League. However, we are now meeting each other in the last 16 of Europe’s second-tier competition as both United and Milan look to grab their hand on some silverware in an attempt to restore their former glories.
Opposition Preview
AC Milan’s form in the league looks like that the Serie A title will elude them for this season. They arrive into the second leg Europa League tie having tasted a 1-0 defeat against Napoli at the weekend as they fell behind league leaders and local rivals Inter Milan by nine points. They have only won two matches in the last nine across all competitions.
Without Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the team has struggled both in the league and in Europe as well. They only just got past Crvena Zvezda on away goals in the previous round of the Europa League before they earned the draw against United last week. It was Milan’s determination that saw Simon Kjaer produce an equaliser in injury time to cancel out United’s Amad Diallo effort.
In their current run of form, Milan’s two victories have come away from San Siro as they have not won on home soil in the last four games. The last time they won at home was when they beat Crotone 4-0 back on February 7th.
AC Milan vs Manchester United Details
Teams: AC Milan vs Manchester United
Date: March 18th, 2020 (Thursday)
KO Time: 20:00 GMT
Competition: UEFA Europa League
Stadium: San Siro
Referee: Felix Brych
Managers: Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Stefano Pioli
Manchester United Team News
Both Paul Pogba and Donny Van De Beek have recovered from their respective injuries to make the traveling squad. However, Edinson Cavani will not be available for the second leg after suffering a reaction during the final training session before the team headed to Italy.
Anthony Martial suffer a hip injury in the first leg and so he is not expected to feature. Eric Bailly will also not be available. David De Gea is back with the squad after completing his isolation period following his return from Spain. However, it is expected that Dean Henderson will be between the sticks for this game.
AC Milan vs Manchester United Pre-Match Press Conference
During the pre-match press conference, Ole was asked how does the San Siro compares to one of the best stadiums to play in. He said, “I think I only played once in a friendly at San Siro. I was mostly a spectator watching. Fantastic stadium with history and when it’s full, it’s an incredible place to play. We’re going to, unfortunately, play it in a different type of atmosphere.”
He was also asked how he’s measured the progress of the team. Ole said, “I think you have to say that when you see the culture of what’s happening every day. I feel a lot of improvement in the everyday routine, the everyday work. The boys have taken on everything I want. It’s for others to assess how much we’ve improved. We’re 12 points ahead of where we were in the league this time last season. Of course, we are all wanting to win trophies at this club.“
Marcus Rashford who joined Ole in the press conference was asked how much he is looking forward to the match. He said, “It’s a massive game for us and I’m feeling positive and optimistic. In the first performance, we showed that we can do well in tough positions, but now, going to the San Siro, we’re looking for a dominant display and ultimately score goals.”
AC Milan Team News
For our opponents, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is fit to face his former club after missing the first leg through injury. The 39-year old has just come out of international retirement after being called up by the Swedish national squad. Two other players Hakan Calhanoglu and Theo Hernandez who missed the first leg are expected to return. Ante Rebic could be handed a starting place due to the injury of Rafael Leao with a thigh problem. Alessio Romagnoli and Davide Calabria may make the squad if they are passed fit in time. Franck Kessie who impressed during the first leg at Old Trafford could potentially line up in midfield with Soualiho Meite.
Form Guide
Manchester United Europa League form: WDD
Manchester United form (all competitions): DDDWDW
AC Milan Europa League form: DWWDDD
AC Milan form (all competitions): DWDWDL
Interesting Facts
- Manchester United have won each of their last two away matches against Italian opposition in European competition, most recently against Juventus in November 2018. (source: Opta)
- Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes has scored seven goals in his last seven away games in the UEFA Europa League, in a run that started in November 2018 with Sporting CP – no player has scored more away goals in the competition over this period than Fernandes. (source: Opta)
- Of United’s current squad, Romero (Sampdoria), Telles (Inter), Pogba (Juventus), Cavani (Napoli), Fernandes (Udinese and Sampdoria) and Amad (Atalanta) all have experience in the Serie A.
- Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, only four players have managed hattricks in Europe for Manchester United. Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcus Rashford. Zlatan Ibrahimovic remains the only player to have a Europa League hattrick for Manchester United in that time.
- Manchester United have 88 goals this season in all competitions. Of those, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford have scored 41 goals. 46.6% of United’s season tally.
AC Milan vs Manchester United Predicted Lineup
Henderson; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw; Fred, McTominay; Greenwood, Fernandes, James, and Rashford.
Prediction
On paper, Milan’s woeful home record of late and United’s excellent away record this season should see the Red Devils progress. However, it is not as simple as that. Both sides are welcoming key players back with Paul Pogba for United and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Milan. It is all set to be an intriguing and exciting match. Milan does have the away goal from the first leg at Old Trafford. United is more than capable of going to the San Siro and achieving the desired result that all us fans want to see, which is the win.
Predicted Score
AC Milan 1-2 Manchester United
