Real Sociedad vs Manchester United betting tips: Preview, predictions & odds

By Andrew Thompson Published: February 18, 2021 6:22 am

Real Sociedad

0

-

4

Manchester United FC

Match ended

Show players

90'

James, Daniel

Le Normand, Robin

88'

Oyarzabal, Mikel
Bautista, Jon

86'

83'

Greenwood, Mason
Traore, Amad

83'

Fernandes, Bruno
Mata, Juan

Isak, Alexander
Barrenetxea, Ander

80'

Januzaj, Adnan
Portu

80'

Illarramendi
Guevara, Ander

74'

Zaldua, Joseba
Gorosabel, Andoni

73'

69'

Rashford, Marcus
Martial, Anthony

64'

Rashford, Marcus

60'

McTominay, Scott
Matic, Nemanja

57'

Fernandes, Bruno

27'

Fernandes, Bruno

8'

Wan-Bissaka, Aaron

Starting lineup

Remiro, Alex1

Zaldua, Joseba2

Zubeldia, Igor5

Le Normand, Robin24

Monreal, Nacho20

Illarramendi4

Merino, Mikel8

Silva, David21

Oyarzabal, Mikel10

Januzaj, Adnan11

Isak, Alexander19

26Henderson, Dean

29Wan-Bissaka, Aaron

3Bailly, Eric

5Maguire, Harry

27Telles, Alex

11Greenwood, Mason

17Fred

18Fernandes, Bruno

39McTominay, Scott

21James, Daniel

10Rashford, Marcus

Substitutes

Marrero Larranaga, Unai31

Gorosabel, Andoni18

Munoz, Aihen12

Sagnan, Modibo15

Guevara, Ander16

Merquelanz, Martin17

Barrenetxea, Ander22

Guridi, Jon14

Zubimendi, Martin36

Bautista, Jon25

Portu7

Lopez, Roberto28

13Grant, Lee

1De Gea, David

2Lindelof, Victor

23Shaw, Luke

33Williams, Brandon

38Tuanzebe, Axel

8Mata, Juan

31Matic, Nemanja

74Shoretire, Shola

9Martial, Anthony

19Traore, Amad

Real Sociedad vs Manchester United betting tips

This article covers Real Sociedad vs Manchester United betting tips and predictions.

Also included is a thorough Real Sociedad vs Manchester United betting preview.

Note: All odds mentioned in this article are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.

Real Sociedad vs Manchester United: Match details

Match: Real Sociedad vs Manchester United

Competition: UEFA Europa League

Date: February 18, 2021

Kick-off time: 5:55 pm, February 18, 2021 (UK time)

Stadium: Allianz Arena (Juventus Stadium)

SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 29: Mikel Oyarzabal of Real Sociedad celebrates after scoring goal during the La Liga Santader match between Real Sociedad and Villarreal CF at Estadio Anoeta on November 29, 2020 in San Sebastian, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Betting prediction: Real Sociedad 2-2 Manchester United

Real Sociedad to draw 2-2 vs Manchester United

Betting odds: 12/1

Do not let the gap in pedigree fool you; Real Sociedad are a good side capable of causing issues for most clubs they come up against. With an in-form center-forward, crafty technical players in all areas of midfield, and a strong spine, they should be capable of squaring-off against a Manchester United outfit that has been Jekyll & Hyde ever since Ole Gunnar Solskjær took charge. Either side is capable of a result here, but a scoring draw seems like a decent bet.

Real Sociedad vs Manchester United: Recommended bets

To Score Anytime: Alexander Isak 

Alexander Isak to score anytime vs Manchester United

Betting odds: 17/10

He didn’t start the season well, but Swedish international center-forward Alexander Isak has been in hot form of late in La Liga, bagging seven goals in his last eight appearances, including four in the last three against Villareal, Cadiz, and Getafe. Though he has no goals in the Europa League this season, his blank goal record in the group stage was off the back of poor goal-scoring form on the domestic front. That could very easily change here.

Result/Total Goals: Draw – Over 2.5

There is a lot to like about a scoring draw with this one. With Mikel Oyarzabal back fit and Alexander Isak finding his goal-scoring form, Sociedad has the ability to find a couple of goals if they are on it. As for United, they sit atop the goal charts in the Premier League (50), though their 9-0 demolition of Southampton played a large part in that. Regardless, United’s firepower upfront and through Bruno Fernandes remains considerable, and though they crashed out of the Champions League group stage, they were one of the highest-scoring sides in that competition.

Real Sociedad vs Manchester United: What are the betting odds?

Real Sociedad vs Manchester United – recent form and head to head statistics

Real Sociedad vs Manchester United: Match preview

It’s not every season that Real Sociedad gets to stick their chests out just a little bit further than Basque rivals Athletic Club Bilbao, but the 2020-21 campaign is one of them. Sitting fifth in La Liga, ten points clear of Los Leones, and with a chance at European football next term, things are going well in San Sebastian. This is further evident by Sociedad’s navigation to the knockout stages of the Europa League, after they negotiated a tricky group containing SS Napoli and a gifted young squad in AZ Alkmaar.

Manager Imanol Alguacil, a product of the Sociedad academy and a man who has managed all throughout the clubs’ youth sector from 2011-18, has kept the club in good standing for three years at current. Finishing ninth in his first year in charge, La Reales then climbed to sixth last term, and have an outside chance of sneaking into the top four if their form outstrips Sevilla who sit seven points clear of them in fourth. A deep run in the knockout stages of the Europa League this term could prove continued progress under the native of Orio.

Under his command, Alguacil certainly has both technical quality as well as balance. Players the likes of Alexander Isak, Adnan Januzaj, Asier Illaramendi, Mikel Merino, former Premier League veterans David Silva and Nacho Monreal, and the hyper-talented Mikel Oyarzabal offer up plenty of quality to compete.

Their lone-loss in the group stage was a tight 1-0 home defeat against Napoli on matchday two. They bounced back with a win against AZ, but then three successive draws to close out group play almost saw them ousted from the competition, if not for HNK Rijeka perpetrating a shock win against AZ on the final matchday. Now, with Isak firing in goals (compared to earlier in the season), and key players available, Sociedad could be a sneaky dark horse pick for a deeper run and are certainly capable of giving Manchester United a run for their money in Turin.

Goals are a badly needed currency for Manchester United’s forwards

When you hit fifty goals in twenty-four matches in the Premier League, and fifteen in six during the Champions League group stage, the last assumption one would make is the notion that your forwards need to contribute more goals. But for Manchester United and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær, that is precisely the case.

The former Norwegian international and United striker recently reflected on his underperforming forward line. Edinson Cavani, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Mason Greenwood have combined for just nineteen goals in the Premier League. In other words, only five more than club leading goal scorer Bruno Fernandes’ fourteen. The same can be said for United’s failed Champions League campaign, one which saw Fernandes hit the most goals for the Red Devils in the group stage with four, resting in the top ten on the scoring charts in the process.

But credit certainly has to be given to United despite the lower goal returns from their forward corps. They can and do find goals from every area of the pitch, and that one factor makes them one of the more dangerous sides in the knockout round. However, their failure to reach the same stage in the Champions League could be a cause for concern, especially given the fact that they gifted Istanbul Basaksehir their only win in the group stage. Had United have taken all three points that night, they would still be competing in Europe’s most elite club competition.

For all their goals and their strong season on the home front, United still should be wary of complacency. There is a lot of talent in the Europa League, and Sociedad is certainly a side that needs to be approached correctly. Part of that approach will have to come through the forwards. Any increase in goal production from the forward line instantly makes United one of the favorites to make a run to the final.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JANUARY 24: Bruno Fernandes (R) of Manchester United celebrates with Edinson Cavani, Marcus Rashford and team mates after scoring their side’s third goal during The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford on January 24, 2021 in Manchester, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Phil Noble – Pool/Getty Images)

Real Sociedad team news vs Manchester United

Manager Imanol Alguacil will be without the services of Miguel Ángel Moyá and Luca Sangalli, but neither absence has much bearing on the matchday XI.

Sociedad will be boosted by the rapid-return of Mikel Oyarzabal, and should also be able to welcome back Asier Illaramendi back into the heart of midfield.

Manchester United team news vs Real Sociedad

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have to negotiate tricky opposition without both Paul Pogba and Phil Jones.

A strong – if not their strongest possible – XI should be on show for the Red Devils, who square off against Newcastle United in the league on Sunday.

Predicted Real Sociedad line-up vs Manchester United

Predicted Manchester United line-up vs Real Sociedad

Real Sociedad vs Manchester United – Official videos

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This article was edited by Benjamin Newman.

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