Sheriff v Manchester United: Red Devils won't run riot

Sheriff v Manchester United
Thursday 15 September, 17:45
Live on BT Sport 2

Sheriff hoping to recapture last season's glory

The ball bounced on the edge of the area, and Sebastien Thill drew back his left leg, before firing a perfect half-volley beyond the despairing dive of one of the world's best goalkeepers. Real Madrid's Thibault Courtois was left grasping at thin air, and the most successful club in the history of the European Cup and Champions League had been beaten at home by a side from Moldova.

Since that remarkable 2-1 group-stage win, Sheriff have found themselves pushed into the Europa League, and Thill has departed for German side Hansa Rostock. Of course, Real Madrid didn't suffer as a result of that ignominious home defeat, because they went on to win the tournament courtesy of one of the greatest sequences of results that top-level European football has seen.

Sheriff, from the controversial Moldovan region of Transnistria (a part of the country that largely identifies as Russian) are still dominant domestically. They are already six points clear at the top of their league. In the UCL qualifiers this term, Sheriff lost home and away to Czech champions Viktoria Plzen, but in the UEL they have started the group stage with a 3-0 victory at Neil Lennon's Cypriot side Omonia Nicosia.

This game won't be played in Tiraspol, and will instead take place in the Moldovan capital Chisinau (after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, UEFA banned Sheriff from playing continental games at their usual home). Goalkeeper Dimitru Celeadnic is the only potential absentee after he recently contracted COVID-19.

United have little margin for error

One of the smartest tweaks that UEFA have made to the Europa League recently is to put more emphasis on the value of winning your group. Only the top side in each section goes through automatically to the last 16, with the runners-up forced into a playoff against a Champions League dropout. That means Manchester United are playing catch-up, after a limp 1-0 home defeat to Real Sociedad last week.

United boss Erik ten Hag made a number of changes to what had been a successful side, handing starts to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Maguire. The Red Devils struggled to create chances, generating just three shots on target. At the other end they were unfortunate, as the visitors were awarded an outrageous penalty for handball. In his first start for United, highly-decorated midfield ace Casemiro didn't exactly have his best game.

Ten Hag must now decide whether to revert to a team closer to the one that overcame the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Leicester City. Given that United didn't have a game at the weekend and that their forthcoming game against Leeds United has also been postponed, there is no reason why United's new coach shouldn't field his strongest available side.

Anthony Martial is injured, while it remains to be seen whether Marcus Rashford will be 100% fit. Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez could return to the starting XI.

United too short for comeback win

The visitors are 1.222/9 to take maximum points here, and that's just too short to be of interest. Sheriff aren't quite as strong as they were last season when they shocked Real Madrid, but they aren't the no-hopers that price would suggest, and I think United will only win by a narrow margin. You can back Sheriff +2.0 on the Asian Handicap at 1.865/6, which means you only lose your stake if Sheriff go down by three goals or more.

Alternatively you could back United to win and Under 3.5 Goals at evens on the Sportsbook's Bet Builder. United won 1-0 at Southampton and Leicester, and I think we'll see a similar pattern here.

Back Bruno to find the net

Bruno Fernandes looks to be one of the beneficiaries of the Erik ten Hag reign. He scored the winner against Southampton, and he has also recorded an assist. He's already racked up 11 shots in the Premier League, and he's starting to look less inhibited.

You can back the Portuguese international to find the net here at 2.255/4, and it's worth noting that he has scored five goals across his last ten Europa League appearances.