Manchester United take on CSKA Moscow in the Champions League next week, with both teams looking to confirm their place in the knockout phase of the competition. Jose Mourinho’s require just a single point to guarantee their progress, while their Russian opponents must claim something from their trip to Old Trafford in order to give themselves hope.
Champions League – Old Trafford, Manchester – Tuesday 5th December – 19:45 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 19/5 at William Hill |
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Manchester United
CSKA MoscowMatch Preview
Manchester United host Russian side CSKA Moscow in the Champions League next week, with the home side looking to make up for a surprising defeat against Basle last time out in Switzerland. Jose Mourinho’s men are still the firm favourites to qualify for the knockout phase of the competition, however it is by no means a foregone conclusion. United defeated CSKA comfortably earlier on in the campaign, with manager Mourinho set to name a strong starting eleven in order to secure their qualification. Despite the home side being the strong favourites, there are still plenty of betting markets worth checking out before kick-off. For those still unsure of who to back, be sure to check out our top betting tip below. However, let’s first take a closer look at the two teams.
Manchester United Team News & Form
United followed up their defeat in Switzerland last week with a Premier League win over Brighton & Hove Albion, however Mourinho’s men are yet to rediscover their best form after a positive start to the season. Romelu Lukaku is set to feature despite a potential domestic ban, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic could make his first start since his return from long-term injury. Marcos Rojo impressed in his first 90 minutes following his return against Basel, with the Argentine potentially lining up alongside Chris Smalling once more. United have scored 10 goals from their five Group A matches to date, conceding just two in the process.
CSKA Moscow Team News & Form
CSKA Moscow comfortably defeated Benfica last time around in Group A, however they still remain behind both Basel and United in the standings. Defeats against the duo earlier on in the season mean that the Russian’s require something from the game at Old Trafford, with manager Viktor Goncharenko looking to mastermind what would be one of the biggest surprises of the season so far. The likes of Vitinho, Alan Dzagoev and Aleksandr Golovin are perhaps the biggest attacking threats for the visitors.
Head to Head
United defeated CSKA 4-1 earlier on in the season, with the Russian giants still searching for a first win over the English side. United have won three of their five encounters in the past, as well as playing out two draws in the process.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Given their standing in Group A and their status as the home team, it probably comes as little surprise that it is Manchester United who go into the match as the favourites for victory with the majority of bookmakers. The hosts can be backed at odds of 2/5 with Skybet, while those looking to bet on an away win for CSKA Moscow can take advantage of 8/1 odds from the same bookmaker.
Top Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on Manchester United keeping a clean sheet at Old Trafford next week, which can be found at odds of 5/6 with Ladbrokes.