The magic of the cup as Manchester United greet AZ Alkmaar visitors in Europa League tie

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Competition: Europe Europa League
Date: Thu 12.December
Match begins: 20:00 (UTC)
Venue: Old Trafford (75635 seats)

It's time for cup football and it's the Europa League Group Stage between Manchester United and AZ Alkmaar. Here's the biggest preview available before kick-off:

Manchester United and AZ Alkmaar should both be in good shape for this meeting, as there's been enough days for both of them to train and rest since their last matches.

It's quite the trip for AZ Alkmaar when visiting Manchester United as the cities are 900 kilometers apart.

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Manchester United form and stats

Last season their Champions League adventure ended in the quarter-finals against Barcelona.

Manchester United have collected 15 points from their Premier League home games so far after 4-3-1.

Happy days for Manchester United in their previous game, a Premier League match away at Manchester City that ended with a 2-1 victory. Previous to that game, a Premier League home match hosting Tottenham Hotspur in a game that was won 2-1.

The hosts are modest favourites in this match, with the bookmakers estimating the chance of a home win at about 50% +- five percent. It's interesting to look at how Manchester United have performed under similar circumstances, so here are some numbers: When modest favourites like this (we found two games) they have won 2 times, drawn 0 and lost 0.

Another home game is coming up fairly shortly for the hosts, as Everton are coming to town in three days.

A decent goal production from Manchester United in their home games so far, with 15 goals from 8 league matches. On the other hand, Manchester United have conceded 8 goals.

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AZ Alkmaar form and stats

AZ Alkmaar was sent out of Europa League in the 2nd qualifying round last season, when Kairat turned out to be too strong.

The away team have been very comfortable on their travels so far, racking up 6 wins, 1 draw and only 1 loss in the Eredivisie. Impressively, the visitors are on a six-match winning run which they hope continue versus Manchester United. Having won their last three away games AZ Alkmaar has no reason to fear anyone.

AZ Alkmaar play their second away game in a row, but can be confident going into this one after the 3-0 victory visiting PEC Zwolle. That result followed a home victory 1-0 versus VVV-Venlo in the Eredivisie.

Goalkeeper Marco Bizot was absolutely vital in the AZ Alkmaar victory against PEC Zwolle, making 6 saves.

AZ Alkmaar are the outsiders in this one, but not by much. Their performance in similar games (being the away team and moderate outsiders) is 2 wins, 0 draws and 0 defeats. From a total of two matches.

A new game in only three days for AZ Alkmaar, the Eredivisie home match versus Ajax. Busy days.

AZ Alkmaar have scored more than twice on average per away game (in the league), an impressive attacking display. They have 18 goals from 8 away matches. AZ Alkmaar's manager A. Slot has created a great defensive setup working very nicely in away games with only 3 conceded goals. You can find more goal stats on the Statistics tab above.

Head 2 Head

The two sides played each other earlier this season: AZ Alkmaar - Manchester United 0-0.

Top Goalscorers

Manchester UnitedM. Rashford
M. Rashford
10 goals
AZ AlkmaarM. Boadu
M. Boadu
10 goals
AZ AlkmaarO. Idrissi
O. Idrissi
9 goals

Manchester United missing players

AZ Alkmaar missing players

Total First Half Second Half
Manchester United AZ Alkmaar
Total Home   Statistics Stat   Away Total
25 12   Played P   12 25
11 6   Won W   8 16
9 5   Drew D   3 7
5 1   Lost L   1 2
37 22   Scored S   29 62
25 11   Conceded C   6 14
96% 100%   Over 0.5 O 0.5   92% 88%
72% 83%   Over 1.5 O 1.5   83% 80%
48% 58%   Over 2.5 O 2.5   67% 64%
24% 33%   Over 3.5 O 3.5   33% 40%
4% 0%   Over 4.5 O 4.5   17% 20%
60% 67%   BTTS BTTS   33% 32%
28% 33%   Clean Sheets C S   67% 68%
16% 0%   Failed to Score F T   8% 12%
 
5.9 5.8   Corners For (avg) C F   5.1 7.1
4.6 3.5   Corners Against (avg) C A   4.3 3.3
1.8 1.7   Yellow Cards (avg) Y C   2 1.8
0 0   Red Cards R C   2 3
 
376 200   Total Shots T S   163 380
119 69   Shots on Target S O   76 151
31% 32%   Goal Efficiency G E   38% 41%

  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Manchester United 5 3 1 1 6 2 2 2 0 0 4 0 3 1 1 1 2 2 4 10
2 AZ Alkmaar 5 2 3 0 15 4 3 1 2 0 8 2 2 1 1 0 7 2 11 9
3 Partizan 5 1 2 2 6 9 2 0 1 1 2 3 3 1 1 1 4 6 -3 5
4 Astana 5 1 0 4 3 15 3 1 0 2 3 8 2 0 0 2 0 7 -12 3
  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Liverpool 16 15 1 0 40 14 8 8 0 0 24 9 8 7 1 0 16 5 26 46
2 Leicester City 15 11 2 2 35 9 8 7 1 0 18 4 7 4 1 2 17 5 26 35
3 Manchester City 16 10 2 4 44 19 8 5 1 2 22 8 8 5 1 2 22 11 25 32
4 Chelsea 16 9 2 5 31 24 8 4 2 2 11 7 8 5 0 3 20 17 7 29
5 Manchester United 16 6 6 4 25 19 8 4 3 1 15 8 8 2 3 3 10 11 6 24
6 Tottenham Hotspur 16 6 5 5 30 23 8 5 2 1 19 7 8 1 3 4 11 16 7 23
7 Wolverhampton Wanderers 15 5 8 2 21 17 8 3 4 1 12 10 7 2 4 1 9 7 4 23
8 Crystal Palace 16 6 4 6 14 18 8 3 2 3 6 7 8 3 2 3 8 11 -4 22
9 Sheffield United 15 4 7 4 17 15 8 3 1 4 9 9 7 1 6 0 8 6 2 19
10 Arsenal 15 4 7 4 21 23 8 3 4 1 14 12 7 1 3 3 7 11 -2 19
11 Newcastle United 15 5 4 6 15 22 7 2 4 1 7 6 8 3 0 5 8 16 -7 19
12 Brighton & Hove Albion 15 5 3 7 18 22 7 3 2 2 10 8 8 2 1 5 8 14 -4 18
13 Burnley 16 5 3 8 21 29 8 4 0 4 12 13 8 1 3 4 9 16 -8 18
14 Everton 16 5 2 9 19 28 8 4 1 3 11 11 8 1 1 6 8 17 -9 17
15 AFC Bournemouth 16 4 4 8 18 24 8 2 3 3 9 12 8 2 1 5 9 12 -6 16
16 West Ham United 15 4 4 7 17 25 7 2 1 4 10 14 8 2 3 3 7 11 -8 16
17 Aston Villa 15 4 3 8 22 24 7 3 2 2 10 7 8 1 1 6 12 17 -2 15
18 Southampton 15 4 3 8 17 33 8 2 1 5 9 23 7 2 2 3 8 10 -16 15
19 Norwich City 15 3 2 10 16 32 7 2 1 4 12 18 8 1 1 6 4 14 -16 11
20 Watford 16 1 6 9 9 30 8 0 4 4 4 13 8 1 2 5 5 17 -21 9
  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Ajax 16 13 2 1 52 14 8 7 0 1 28 4 8 6 2 0 24 10 38 41
2 AZ Alkmaar 16 12 2 2 38 8 8 6 1 1 20 5 8 6 1 1 18 3 30 38
3 PSV 16 9 4 3 37 19 8 6 1 1 23 9 8 3 3 2 14 10 18 31
4 Willem II 16 9 2 5 25 21 8 5 1 2 12 7 8 4 1 3 13 14 4 29
5 Heracles 15 7 3 5 29 22 8 5 1 2 21 9 7 2 2 3 8 13 7 24
6 SC Heerenveen 15 6 6 3 24 18 8 3 5 0 10 7 7 3 1 3 14 11 6 24
7 Feyenoord 15 6 6 3 27 25 8 4 3 1 16 12 7 2 3 2 11 13 2 24
8 FC Utrecht 15 7 2 6 28 22 8 5 0 3 18 8 7 2 2 3 10 14 6 23
9 Vitesse 15 7 2 6 26 24 7 4 1 2 14 10 8 3 1 4 12 14 2 23
10 FC Groningen 15 6 3 6 18 16 7 4 1 2 12 6 8 2 2 4 6 10 2 21
11 Sparta Rotterdam 15 5 4 6 24 28 7 4 1 2 16 10 8 1 3 4 8 18 -4 19
12 FC Twente 16 5 4 7 26 31 8 3 2 3 17 16 8 2 2 4 9 15 -5 19
13 FC Emmen 16 4 3 9 18 32 8 4 2 2 14 10 8 0 1 7 4 22 -14 15
14 Fortuna Sittard 16 4 3 9 20 40 8 4 2 2 15 10 8 0 1 7 5 30 -20 15
15 VVV-Venlo 16 5 0 11 16 39 8 4 0 4 10 17 8 1 0 7 6 22 -23 15
16 PEC Zwolle 16 4 1 11 22 37 8 3 1 4 17 20 8 1 0 7 5 17 -15 13
17 ADO Den Haag 16 3 3 10 17 30 8 1 3 4 8 13 8 2 0 6 9 17 -13 12
18 RKC Waalwijk 15 2 2 11 16 37 7 1 1 5 6 13 8 1 1 6 10 24 -21 8

Manchester United:
Table
  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Manchester United 5 3 1 1 6 2 2 2 0 0 4 0 3 1 1 1 2 2 4 10
2 AZ Alkmaar 5 2 3 0 15 4 3 1 2 0 8 2 2 1 1 0 7 2 11 9
3 Partizan 5 1 2 2 6 9 2 0 1 1 2 3 3 1 1 1 4 6 -3 5
4 Astana 5 1 0 4 3 15 3 1 0 2 3 8 2 0 0 2 0 7 -12 3

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