Real Betis vs Man Utd – Analysis, Prediction, Team News

As part of our Europa League Predictions, we examine the second of the round of 16 tie between Real Betis and Man Utd. United responded well to their disappointing derby defeat with a 4-1 victory – can Betis gain a foothold? Read on with our Real Betis vs Man Utd prediction.

Real Betis vs Man Utd Match Preview

Real Betis would have perhaps understandably felt that following Man United’s horrific performance in their 7-0 capitulation against bitter rivals Liverpool, last Thursday was the right time to be facing ten Hag’s men. United were somewhat understandably nervous during a first-half display where they had more of the ball and created more but still could’ve been 2-1 down if not for the frame of the goal. Their second-half display was much improved though as they reined down efforts on the Betis goal. 16 shots, with 9 on target compared with 1 shot and 1 shot on target from Manuel Pellegrini’s men tells its own story.

Therefore, Real Betis have a real mountain to climb here. While they are a very capable team in their own right having topped their Europa League group ahead of Roma, they haven’t been in the same kind of form as they were in August and September since the restart following the winter World Cup. This is perhaps due to the effect of a condensed fixture calendar upon a relatively small squad for a side involved in European football. A 1-1 draw away with Villarreal on the weekend was a creditable result, though they created fewer chances than their opponents and they’ll have to be more creative to get back into this tie.

Man Utd will feel that they have the tie more or less wrapped up, as it’s unlikely that Betis have the firepower to score three goals or more against the third-placed Premier League side. While their form has been patchy of late and playing an hour against Southampton with 10 men on the weekend certainly won’t have helped, the manner of their second-half performance at Old Trafford against Real Betis was emphatic and while we won’t be as bold as to say they have nothing to fear here, it would take a monumental effort from the Seville side to change the complexion of the tie.

Team News

Injuries and Suspensions

Real Betis:

Might Not Play: Cruz

Will Not Play: Fekir, Luiz Felipe

Man Utd:

Might Not Play: Lindelof, Martial

Will Not Play: Eriksen, Garnacho, Van de Beek

Real Betis vs Man Utd Lineups (Predicted)

Real Betis (4-2-3-1): Bravo; Miranda, Ruiz, Pezzella, Sabaly; Carvalho, Rodriguez; Perez, Rodri, Canales; Iglesias

Man Utd (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Shaw, Martinez, Varane, Dalot; Fred, Casemiro; Rashford, Fernandes, Sancho; Weghorst

Our Prediction

We think that Manchester United can put the tie to bed but not necessarily emerge with another victory. They’re not quite the same side away from home (though many aren’t – this isn’t meant to be a criticism), and they already hold a 4-1 lead so we don’t envisage them exerting too much. United have an FA Cup quarter-final fixture against Fulham to look forward to on Sunday in a fixture that’s trickier than it looks, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see ten Hag’s men prioritise conserving energy levels if they can get away with it.

Once it’s clear that the tie is completely out of sight, we can expect to see the United bench empty in order to give some of their senior players some much-needed rest before the weekend. While United do have some talented players to call upon from the bench, particularly Martial (if available) and Pellistri but not the injured Garnacho, we think that the game would wind down to its inevitable conclusion. There’s no real need to make a statement win here and if they find themselves level with about an hour to go we expect them to close the game out with the minimum of fuss.

Clearly, Real Betis will be having a go from the first whistle in order to close the gap quickly. A more passive, patient approach probably won’t work here, and so we expect them to try to unsettle United at every opportunity early on in the hope of grabbing a couple of goals to get them rattled. We wouldn’t be surprised to see Betis take the lead, but for United to respond and effectively kill the game off with a goal of their own as Betis will have to open up a lot to generate a threat of their own.

Real Betis 1-1 Man Utd

Real Betis vs Man Utd Betting Tip – Draw Odds: