Manchester United face a must-win concluding Group A clash against Bayern Munich in Group A of 2023-24 UEFA Champions League.
Victory would only see Man Utd advance to the Round of 16 if Copenhagen and Galatasaray draw in their meeting, although they can finish third and qualify for the Europa League with a win if there is a winner in the other group match.
Bayern Munich meanwhile are already confirmed as Group A winners regardless of their result.
Team News
Victor Lindelof is a doubt for Man Utd after he missed their Premier League loss to Bournemouth with a knock.
Mason Mount (calf), Lisandro Martinez (foot), Casemiro (hamstring), Christin Eriksen, Tyrell Malacia, Amad Diallo (all knee) and Jadon Sancho (personal) remain sidelined.
Bayern will be without Serge Gnabry after the German suffered a groin injury during their 5-1 Bundesliga defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Bouna Sarr (ACL), Matthijs de Ligt (knee) and Tarek Buchmann (hamstring) are ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Man Utd host Bayern Munich in a 8pm GMT kick-off at Old Trafford on Tuesday 12 December, live on TNT Sport 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Man Utd have won just one of their last five Champions League meetings against Bayern Munich (W1, D1, L3).
- Bayern Munich have won one of five away Champions League visits to Man Utd at Old Trafford (W1, D3, L1).
- Both teams have scored in each of their last five meetings, with Utd having scored nine goals to Bayern’s 11 goals.
- Jamal Musiala has scored in each of Bayern’s two away matches in this group (W2), during which Bayern failed to keep a clean sheet.
- Two of Man Utd’s three goals at home in this group were scored by Rasmus Højlund.
Prediction
Although Erik Ten Hag did the wise thing in benching Højlund and Marcus Rashford for Utd’s defeat to Bournemouth, those who started were really poor from shaky defending against the Cherries’ fast-paced attacks to poor attacking end product up front.
A huge improvement is therefore imperative because Utd absolutely must win this game if want any sort of football in Europe next season, yet their fate is nevertheless partially out of their hand but they must still deliver on their end of the permutations and hope for luck elsewhere.
Bayern meanwhile are pretty much in a dead rubber but after their embarrasing Bundesliga loss to Frankfurt, I don’t see Thomas Tuchel resting many regulars so it wouldn’t be a shock if the German club turn up ready to mount a furious response to that performance.
Should that indeed be the case and Utd’s defence is as sloppy as it was against Bournemouth, I do feel that this will be the end of the road for the Red Devils’ European adventures this season.
Prediction: Manchester United 1-3 Bayern Munich
Result: Manchester United 0-1 Bayern Munich
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