Match preview: United v Real Betis

A reaction is required for Erik ten Hag’s men after Sunday’s shock result at Anfield, but the Andalusians are likely to provide stiff opposition.

The Seville outfit won five of their six Europa League group games to make it to this stage and are competing for a Champions League spot in La Liga this season.

Here’s what you need to know as we start to look ahead to another European night at Old Trafford…

HOW TO WATCH AND FOLLOW

Thursday’s 20:00 GMT kick-off will be broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate.

MUTV will also have exclusive pre-match build-up via our Matchday Live show from 18:55 GMT, followed by live radio commentary and post-match analysis.

Along with that, there will be further content for your matchday on ManUtd.com and in the United App, including in-game data, interviews and more.

TEAM NEWS

Luke Shaw and Jadon Sancho returned to the matchday squad at Anfield on Sunday, although the latter was an unused substitute during what was a tough afternoon on Merseyside.

Victor Lindelof missed that game with a small knock, and it remains to be seen whether he’ll be fit to face Betis. Anthony Martial is still recovering from the hip injury which has kept him out for over a month.

Erik ten Hag may provide a further update on his squad when he faces the media for his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

The visitors will be without France international forward Nabil Fekir, who has undergone surgery on a knee ligament injury. Fekir, who scored the winning goal when the sides met in a friendly back in December, had already been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

However, the equally influential Sergio Canales is expected to return for the first leg, having missed La Liga games with Elche and Real Madrid due to a muscular injury. Former Brighton right-back Martin Montoya has not been registered in the Europa League squad.

FORM GUIDE

United’s 7-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday brought a 12-game unbeaten run to a crashing end but the Reds will hope that was just a blip in what’s been a promising 2023 so far.

Our Spanish opponents have had a frustratingly inconsistent few months since the World Cup, with home defeats to Barcelona and Celta Vigo juxtaposed against a good run on the road which has seen them win four of their last five away games.

They currently sit fifth in La Liga, three points behind Real Sociedad in the final Champions League qualification spot. The latest outing for Manuel Pellegrini’s men saw them hold Spanish and European champions Real Madrid to a goalless draw at Estadio Benito Villamarin.

JOURNEY SO FAR

The Reds reached the round of 16 via a memorable 4-3 victory over La Liga leaders Barcelona last month. After securing a 2-2 draw in a brilliant contest at the Nou Camp, goals from Fred and Antony helped turn around a first-half deficit to defeat the Catalan side at a buoyant Old Trafford.

Real Betis qualified for the round of 16 automatically after topping Europa League Group C prior to Christmas. The Andalusians finished six points clear of Jose Mourinho’s Roma in a pool which also included Bulgarian side Ludogorets Razgrad and Finnish champions HJK Helsinki.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Borja Iglesias is Real Betis’s leading marksman, with 10 goals in all competitions - five of them from the penalty spot. Nicknamed ‘the Panda’, the 30-year-old was something of a late bloomer at the top level, making his breakthrough with Espanyol in 2018/19 before earning a move to Andalusia. He was the top-scoring Spaniard in La Liga during 2022, which helped him win a first senior cap for La Roja back in the autumn.

Canales is a vital cog in the Betis machine, with the former Real Madrid man having registered six goal involvements in 19 La Liga games so far this season, while Argentina World Cup winning duo German Pezzella and Guido Rodriguez form a solid spine, with the latter often partnering Portugal international William Carvalho in the centre of midfield.

Former Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has been given the nod over no.1 Rui Silva in Europe this season, although the Chilean has played in the last three league fixtures while Silva has been recovering from injury.

EUROPA LEAGUE FIXTURES

17:45 GMT kick-offs

Bayer Leverkusen v Ferencvaros
Roma v Real Sociedad
Sporting v Arsenal
Union Berlin v Union Saint-Gilloise

20:00 GMT kick-offs

Juventus v Freiburg
UNITED v Real Betis
Sevilla v Fenerbahce
Shakhtar Donetsk v Feyenoord