Prediction: Manchester United vs RB Leipzig

Verdict: RB Leipzig double chance

Best Odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: Unibet

Desperate to improve on their Old Trafford blip, Manchester United will host a high-flying RB Leipzig from behind closed doors on Wednesday night.

Manchester United

Starting with the hosts, while on paper Manchester United might have lost just one of their last seven matchups across all competitions and secured that stunning late winner in Paris last week, it doesn’t quite tell the whole story. With many still questioning if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the man to guide the former Premier League champions back to the promised land, the Reds were last seen over the weekend playing out an incredibly dull 0-0 stalemate against Chelsea. Managing to collect just a points tally of seven from their opening five top-flight appearances since opening the 2020/2021 campaign, it is no surprise that fans around the red half of Manchester will have a growing headache over their side’s continued issues on home soil. Including that lackluster meeting against the Blues on Saturday evening, United have remarkably failed to win any of their previous five Premier League appearances at Old Trafford continuing on from last season, a run highlighted by those thumping defeats at the hands of Tottenham and Crystal Palace earlier in the campaign.

Team News

Unlucky to have missed out over the weekend after his eye-catching display out in Paris last week, defender Axel Tuanzebe looks set to be in line for a recall.

Elsewhere, stealing most of the headlines in the build-up, Donny van de Beek could feature at some stage.

RB Leipzig

As for the visitors, while RB Leipzig would have been left heartbroken to have seen PSG end their maiden European adventure over the summer, the German outfit have bounced back in some style. Although the Red Bulls might have seen the likes of Timo Werner secure a move away during the transfer window, the highly-regarded Julian Nagelsmann finds the mood in his camp at a real high as they travel to Old Trafford in midweek. Last seen on domestic duties over the weekend picking up a 2-1 win against Hertha Berlin on home soil, they have found a route to the top of the Bundesliga table and many have even billed them as a real dark horse this time around. With an ever-growing reputation for their rugged displays at the back, Leipzig find themselves in the midst of a four-match winning run across all formats, a run that also saw them open their Champions League campaign with a routine 2-0 win against Istanbul Basaksehir in Germany last week.

Team News

Limping off over the weekend, Nordi Mukiele looks set to miss out and should be replaced by Benjamin Henrichs.

Marcel Sabitzer could be in line for a return to Leipzig’s starting XI after coming off the bench and bagging the winner on Saturday.

Key Factors to Consider

• Manchester United have failed to win any of their last five Premier League contests at Old Trafford.
• Wednesday’s hosts have also previously lost back-to-back Champions League appearances on home soil.
• RB Leipzig find themselves in the midst of a four-match winning run across all competitions and are unbeaten across all formats since opening the 2020/2021 campaign.
• The Red Bulls have conceded just a single goal in over 400 minutes of action.
• Aside from that Champions League defeat against PSG over the summer, Leipzig have lost just one of their last 13 matchups across all formats on the road.

Conclusion

While Manchester United might open Wednesday’s meeting as a favourite with the bookmakers, there is no doubt that RB Leipzig will be hugely confident of causing a real upset at Old Trafford. Now in the midst of a four-match winning run across all formats and finding a route to the top of the Bundesliga standings, the German outfit also managed to open their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win against Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir last week. With the Premier League giants now failing to win any of their last five straight top-flight contests at Old Trafford, including thumping defeats at the hands of Spurs and Crystal Palace, don’t be surprised to see a European upset in Manchester City this week.

Verdict: RB Leipzig double chance

Best Odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: Unibet