Champions League Group A

Manchester United 2:0 Benfica

Old Trafford

Kick-off
Tue, 31 October 2017 @ 7:45pm GMT
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    Lucky McLuckerson

    The saviour of our season (ask Maradona10)
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    United.png
    ..VS....
    183px-SL_Benfica_logo.svg.png



    Date - Tuesday, October 31 2017
    Kickoff Time - 1945 Hrs BST
    Venue - Old Trafford, Manchester

    ac37f2a7c3f2ce0ea5825c4556f656de.jpg


    Champions League form guide

    Manchester United: WWW
    Benfica: LLL


    Previous Meetings

    Benfica 0-1 Manchester United

    Manchester United 2-2 Benfica

    Benfica 1-1 Manchester United

    Manchester United 3-1 Benfica

    Benfica 0-1 Manchester United


    All-Time Record

    Manchester United wins - 7
    Benfica wins - 1
    Draws - 2


    Pre-Match Pressers

    José Mourinho



    Rui Vitória




    Team News

    Manchester United

    Zlatan Ibrahimović, Marcos Rojo, Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick and Paul Pogba ruled out.

    Benfica

    André Almeida suspended. Douglas doubtful.



    Know the opposition

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    Sport Lisboa e Benfica, commonly known as Benfica (and nicknamed Águias: Eagles or Encarnados: Reds), is a Portuguese football club based in Lisbon, Portugal - playing in The Primeira Liga on the domestic level. Benfica was ranked twelfth in the FIFA Club of the Century, and ranked ninth in "Europe's Club of the Century" by IFFHS. As of the end of the 2016–17 season, Benfica is ranked ninth in the UEFA club coefficient rankings – the best position of a Portuguese club – and has the second most participations in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League.

    The club was founded in 1904, under the name of Sport Lisboa; the same year, they merged with Grupo Sport Benfica and changed their name to Sport Lisboa e Benfica. Shortly after the Portuguese league was officially formed in 1934, Benfica emerged as its most dominant team, clinching three consecutive titles from 1936 to 1938. By the end of the 50s, their trophy cabinet was home to 9 Primeira Liga titles and 10 Taça de Portugal trophies.

    It was, however, in the '60s where Benfica started making a name for itself on the European stage. Led by the incredible Eusébio and Coluna, Benfica were the first team to halt Real Madrid's streak of five consecutive European Cup victories, claiming the trophy for themselves in 1961. They repeated as champions the following year, while also making three more finals throughout the decade - most notably against Matt Busby's Manchester United at the Wembley Stadium in 1968. Domestically, Benfica destroyed the opposition and stormed to 8 Primeira Ligas and 3 Taça de Portugals by the end of the decade. In 1965, Eusébio made history by becoming the only player to win a Ballon d'Or while playing for a Portuguese club.

    Since Rui Vitória's appointment in 2015, the club has won 3 consecutive league titles, with an all-time record of 88 points from 34 matches, as well as 2 Taça de Portugal, 2 Taça da Liga, and 3 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira Cups. This season, however, they have suffered a slight dip following the departures of the likes of Gaitán (finally), Ederson, Semedo, Lindelöf, Guedes and Sanches in recent years. Benfica have two major historic rivals on the domestic front: cross-town club Sporting (matches between the two are termed Derby de Lisboa) and FC Porto (matches between the two are termed O Clássico). Benfica play their home games at the Estádio da Luz.


    Referee

    Gediminas Mažeika.​
     
    Team should be...

    ---------------De Gea---------------
    Valencia--Lindelof--Smalling--Blind
    -------Herrera-------Matic-------
    Mata----------Lingard----------Martial
    ---------------Lukaku---------------

    Subs: Romero, Bailly, Jones, Darmian, McTominay, Mhkitaryan, Rashford
     
    Herrera should play as the DM and Matic should be rested, he was visibly tired today.
     
    Hoping Pogba can get a cameo off the bench to give him some match fitness. Would need him against Chelsea.
     
    -------------------------DDG-----------------------
    ---------Lindelöf-Smalling-Bailly---------
    Darmian---------------------------------Blind
    -------------Herrera-McTominay----------
    -----------------------Lingard--------------------
    -----------Martial------------Rashford------

    I think we need to take a risk and rest both Matic and Lukaku.
     
    Win this, then we can play a weakened side for the remaining 2 CL games. We'll need full strength for our upcoming PL games at Chelsea, City, Arsenal and Watford.
     
    Let's be honest it would take a massive f*ck up for us not to go through the group, and with Chelsea at the weekend I'd happily rest a few.

    Romero
    Lindelof - Smalling - Tuanzebe
    Darmian - Herrera - McTominay - Blind
    Mata - Rashford - Mkhi​
     
    Early Predicted Lineup:
    ___________________________________________________________
    20. Romero

    25. Valencia 2. Lindelof 12. Smalling 17. Blind

    21. Herrera 39. McTominay

    8. Mata 14. Lingard 11. Martial

    19. Rashford
    __________________________________________________________
    Bench:     40. Pereira, 38. Tuanzebe, 23. Shaw, 36. Darmian, 31. Matic, 22. Mkhitaryan, 9. Lukaku

    Predicted Score: Man Utd 2-0 (Martial, Rashford)​
     
    De Gea
    Darmian Lindelof Smalling Blind
    Herrera Matic
    Lingard Mata Martial
    Lukaku​
    Something like this I'd guess. Tough week for us, have to keep an eye on Chelsea next week, and problem for me is the midfield playing 3 games in a week. Nobody really to rotate there.
     
    If I was Mourinho, unless we have midfield players back from injury, I would still be tempted to play 3-4-1-2 again, even if Benfica don't ever play a back three.

    But how will Mata fit in there, then?:confused:
     
    bosnian_red said:
    De Gea
    Darmian Lindelof Smalling Blind
    Herrera Matic
    Lingard Mata Martial
    Lukaku​
    Something like this I'd guess. Tough week for us, have to keep an eye on Chelsea next week, and problem for me is the midfield playing 3 games in a week. Nobody really to rotate there.
    Click to expand...
    I would call it criminal to play Matić and Herrera in this game just before Chelsea. We're almost qualified.
     
    Yeah, rest Matic and the big players. Maybe give Pogba half an hour?
     
    Will be hard to predict this one without some updates from the manager. We could either play a strong team to seal our qualification to the knockout rounds or we could play the team we used against Swansea hoping it would be enough to beat this Benfica side.
     
    Think Lukaku needs to score again soon, else it will turn into a 'thing'.
     
    Should be an easy ride, let's finish the job.

    De Gea
    Young - Smalling - Lindelof - Blind
    Matic - Herrera
    Mata - Mikhi - Martial
    Lukaku​
     
    If he keeps 3-4-1-2, and in a way to fit Mata in there, I think we have a chance of seeing something like this upfront, for the first time since pre-season friendlies:

    Lingard
    Mata–Lukaku
    ​
    Although I recognize it doesn't make much sense to bench Martial.
     
    Kapardin said:
    Play the same side as we did in the league cup against Swansea, I think we will win this one even so.
    Click to expand...
    Do you really want to start Herrera, up for a man marking job on Hazard, and Rashford?
     
    Android1974 said:
    Do you really want to start Herrera, up for a man marking job on Hazard, and Rashford?
    Click to expand...

    If Carrick is still injured, we have no choice. Midfield options are thin unless you want to go with McTominay alone there. Obviously some first team players have to start to make up the XI, but I suppose they can be subbed off at HT or '60.

    Dunno if Jose will employ the same Hazard man-marking tactics as last season either. What worked once, may not necessarily work twice. Not saying he wouldn't, but again, wouldn't be sure.
     
    Kapardin said:
    If Carrick is still injured, we have no choice. Midfield options are thin unless you want to go with McTominay alone there. Obviously some first team players have to start to make up the XI, but I suppose they can be subbed off at HT or '60.

    Dunno if Jose will employ the same Hazard man-marking tactics as last season either. What worked once, may not necessarily work twice. Not saying he wouldn't, but again, wouldn't be sure.
    Click to expand...
    It seems likelier for me that he would start Matić, who was rested for Swansea, then.

    Also, even if Herrera doesn't man mark Hazard, he'll still be very needed energy wise.
     
    If we put out our full team, we would put a few past them. He will probably rest some players though for Chelsea.
     
    We need to rest Matic.

    What is happening with Carrick? And Fellaini?
     
    rampo said:
    We need to rest Matic.

    What is happening with Carrick? And Fellaini?
    Click to expand...
    Injured.

    I think Valencia and Young would get rested as we need them to counter potential Chelsea back 3 tactic.
     
    Benfica are awful - time to rotate - not sure if Carrick is fit and were a bit light

    -------------------------Romero-------------------------
    --------Tuanzebe--Smalling---Lindelof-------
    Darmian---Herrera---McTominay----Blind
    -------------------------Mata----------------------------
    ------------------Lukaku------Martial---------------

    when you consider the squad we are a little light - the sooner we get the injured players back the better
     
    ti vu said:
    Injured.

    I think Valencia and Young would get rested as we need them to counter potential Chelsea back 3 tactic.
    Click to expand...

    I was asking more of a time frame for their return. Couldn't get anything from their performance threads either :(

    Matic desperately needs some rest. Really worried we might burn him out too early in the season
     
    buckooo1978 said:
    Benfica are awful - time to rotate - not sure if Carrick is fit and were a bit light

    -------------------------Romero-------------------------
    --------Tuanzebe--Smalling---Lindelof-------
    Darmian---Herrera---McTominay----Blind
    -------------------------Mata----------------------------
    ------------------Lukaku------Martial---------------

    when you consider the squad we are a little light - the sooner we get the injured players back the better
    Click to expand...
    Awful, but still we practically had no chances away and won with a fluke goal. They can give us a game if we play a second team, and we must play a second team to save players for Chelsea.
     
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Post-match discussion

Man of the Match

Anthony Martial image Anthony Martial 41% of 645 votes

Runners-up

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Player Ratings

6.3 Total Average Rating

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Compiled from 461 ratings.
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Score Predictions

587,5,16
  • Man Utd win
  • Benfica win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 45% Man Utd 2:0 Benfica
  • 29% Man Utd 3:0 Benfica
  • 7% Man Utd 4:0 Benfica
  • 5% Man Utd 1:0 Benfica
  • 4% Man Utd 2:1 Benfica
  • 3% Man Utd 3:1 Benfica
  • 2% Man Utd 5:0 Benfica
  • 1% Man Utd 0:0 Benfica
  • 1% Man Utd 1:1 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 3:2 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 4:1 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 0:2 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 1:3 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 4:3 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 2:2 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 4:4 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 1:2 Benfica
  • 0% Man Utd 5:1 Benfica
Compiled from 608 predictions.
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Match Stats

  1. Man Utd
  2. Benfica
Possession
51% 49%
Shots
16 12
Shots on Target
5 4
Corners
4 6
Fouls
13 11

Referee

Gediminas Mazeika

Man Utd Lineup

Substitutes

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