5 reasons why Manchester United will thrive against RB Leipzig | UEFA Champions League 2020-21
Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig enter the final round of the UEFA Champions League group stage tied on 9 points. As the Red Devils travel to take on RB Leipzig, a draw will do the trick for them. But RB Leipzig will be looking to exact revenge for the 5-0 humbling in the reverse fixture.
A 2-1 defeat away to Istanbul Basaksehir was the glitch in their group stage that Manchester United could have avoided. But they can still ensure that they're not in a place to rue that missed opportunity if they can get a positive result against Julian Nagelsmann's side tonight.
Both Manchester United and RB Leipzig enjoyed encouraging results this past weekend. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will know that his team that is perpetually under the scanner can come in for an incredible amount of stick should they fail tonight.
But as things stand, Manchester United look favourites to go through to the Round of 16. Without further ado, let's take a look at five reasons why Manchester United will thrive against RB Leipzig.
#5 Manchester United will feel confident after that 5-0 win
Manchester United beat, nay, thrashed RB Leipzig 5-0 in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford. Mason Greenwood put Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men ahead in the 21st minute. The game then looked evenly poised until Marcus Rashford's introduction in the second half.
Rashford took on the tired RB Leipzig defenders and scored an exceptional hattrick off the bench. Anthony Martial also got on the scoresheet for them. It was a game where Manchester United asserted their dominance in the business end of the game and they could have had even more goals.
Solskjaer wouldn't want his players to be complacent and instead draw confidence from having already bested their Tuesday night opponents just a month and a half back.
#4 RB Leipzig might find Manchester United's intensity in the second half hard to deal with
RB Leipzig's relative success has a lot to do with the man at the helm, Julian Nagelsmann. And for the greater part of that 5-0 humbling they received at Old Trafford, it would be fair to say that RB Leipzig were able to keep Manchester United in check.
Their high-press often caused Manchester United to backtrack or make a few mistakes. But the problem with the high-press is that you can't keep it up for the entirety of the 90.
Manchester United have time and again proved that they are excellent in the second half. Their comeback wins in the Premier League speak volumes of this ability of theirs.
They have a lot of quality on the bench and though Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial have been ruled out, given the depth they have in midfield, Ole could always switch things up for maximum impact in the final quarter of the game against some tired RB Leipzig legs.