It's time for episode two of the Manchester United - Real Sociedad 16th Finals battle

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Competition: Europe Europa League
Competition: Thu 25.February
Match begins: 20:00 (UTC)
Venue: Old Trafford (75635 seats)

Get ready for the return leg of the Europa League 16th Finals between Manchester United and Real Sociedad. This should be an interesting match and this preview contains everything you need to know. Read on!

It's no vacation for neither Manchester nor Real Sociedad as both were in action only a few days ago. Expect some tired legs on the pitch and/or possibly some changes to the lineups.

It's time to recharge all electronic entertainment devices for Real Sociedad, who are travelling more than 1600 kilometers to play this game.

W W D W D

Manchester United form and stats

Last season, Manchester United's Europa League journey ended in the semi-finals.

6-3-4 (win-draw-lost) are the Premier League numbers at home for Manchester United so far this season.

Manchester's last game was hosting Newcastle United and winning 3-1. A strong away win before that one, visiting Real Sociedad and winning 4-0.

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 have performed under similar circumstances, so here are some numbers: When modest favourites like this (we found five games) they have won two times, drawn one and lost two.

The manager O. Solskjær will start preparations for the next game as soon this is finished, as the hosts are going to Chelsea in only three days.

With an average of more than two goals per home game in the league (28 in 13 games), Manchester United's attacking play is working. Manchester have conceded 19 in these home matches.

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Real Sociedad form and stats

The story so far for the visiting team on their La Liga travels is 6 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats. Total Europa League statistics for Real Sociedad: 2 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses.

Did you know that the longest clean sheet streak is 1816 minutes? This record is held by Mazaropi when he played in Vasco da Gama. Sociedad goalkeeper Alejandro Remiro Gargallo is eager to challenge this, with his 205 minutes of keeping balls out from the net.

Real Sociedad go into this game after a win, the home game against Deportivo Alaves that ended 4-0. A 0-4 loss hosting Manchester United before that.

As you can tell from the results above, Sociedad was very dominant against Deportivo Alaves, winning the match with a scoreline that even the finest fortune teller couldn't predict. 4-0 (!) with Alexander Isak (3) and Portu providing the goals. Alexander Isak certainly enjoyed Sociedad's last game versus Deportivo Alaves, appearing multiple times in the match report with three goals and the 4-0 victory.

Real Sociedad are the outsiders in this one, but not by much. Their performance in similar games (being the away team and moderate outsiders) is zero wins, two draws and three defeats. From a total of five matches.

There might be some complaints about the fixture list from the Sociedad manager I. Alguacil Barrenetxea as the team has another away game coming up in only four days, this time against Real Madrid.

Sociedad has displayed an ability to score goals in away matches in the league this season, 19 goals from 12 games. It's been trouble in front of goal recently, as only 2 of these goals has been scored in their last three away matches. It's not easy to score on Sociedad as they have only conceded 10 goals from these away games. There's been improvement defensively lately, as only 1 of these goals has been conceded in their last 3 away matches.

Head 2 Head

Manchester United and Real Sociedad have met before this season: Real Sociedad - Manchester United 0-4. H2H stats regardless of arena (last three matches): Manchester two wins, one draw and Real Sociedad zero victories. As for goals, one match ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), two games had two or less.

Top Goalscorers

ManchesterB. Borges Fernandes
B. Borges Fernandes
15 goals
Real SociedadA. Isak
A. Isak
12 goals
Real SociedadM. Oyarzabal Ugarte
M. Oyarzabal Ugarte
10 goals

Manchester United missing players

Real Sociedad missing players

Total First Half Second Half
Manchester United Real Sociedad
Total Home   Statistics Stat   Away Total
25 13   Played P   13 25
15 8   Won W   5 9
6 2   Drew D   4 10
4 3   Lost L   4 6
54 31   Scored S   16 35
28 16   Conceded C   13 28
88% 92%   Over 0.5 O 0.5   85% 92%
72% 69%   Over 1.5 O 1.5   62% 76%
60% 62%   Over 2.5 O 2.5   38% 40%
48% 46%   Over 3.5 O 3.5   23% 32%
28% 31%   Over 4.5 O 4.5   15% 12%
56% 54%   BTTS BTTS   54% 56%
40% 38%   Clean Sheets C S   46% 36%
16% 15%   Failed to Score F T   15% 16%
 
0 0   Corners for (avg) C F   0 0
0 0   Corners against (avg) C A   0 0
1.6 1.6   Yellow cards (avg) Y C   2.5 2.3
1 1   Red cards R C   1 2
 
15 16   Shots (avg) S (   11.6 12.3
6.4 6.5   Shots on Target (avg) S O   3.8 4.1
34% 37%   Goal Efficiency G E   32% 34%

  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 City 25 18 5 2 50 15 12 9 2 1 25 7 13 9 3 1 25 8 35 59
2 Manchester United 25 14 7 4 53 32 13 6 3 4 28 19 12 8 4 0 25 13 21 49
3 Leicester City 25 15 4 6 44 27 12 6 1 5 19 16 13 9 3 1 25 11 17 49
4 West Ham United 25 13 6 6 39 29 13 7 3 3 21 15 12 6 3 3 18 14 10 45
5 Chelsea 25 12 7 6 41 25 12 6 4 2 23 11 13 6 3 4 18 14 16 43
6 Liverpool 25 11 7 7 45 34 13 7 2 4 22 16 12 4 5 3 23 18 11 40
7 Everton 24 12 4 8 37 33 12 4 2 6 17 20 12 8 2 2 20 13 4 40
8 Aston Villa 23 11 3 9 37 26 11 5 1 5 20 16 12 6 2 4 17 10 11 36
9 Tottenham Hotspur 24 10 6 8 37 27 12 5 3 4 17 13 12 5 3 4 20 14 10 36
10 Arsenal 25 10 4 11 31 26 13 5 3 5 16 14 12 5 1 6 15 12 5 34
11 Wolverhampton Wanderers 25 9 6 10 26 32 13 5 4 4 15 14 12 4 2 6 11 18 -6 33
12 Leeds United 24 10 2 12 40 43 11 4 2 5 16 16 13 6 0 7 24 27 -3 32
13 Southampton 24 8 6 10 31 40 13 5 2 6 17 16 11 3 4 4 14 24 -9 30
14 Crystal Palace 24 8 5 11 27 42 12 4 3 5 14 21 12 4 2 6 13 21 -15 29
15 Burnley 25 7 7 11 18 30 13 4 4 5 10 14 12 3 3 6 8 16 -12 28
16 Brighton & Hove Albion 24 5 11 8 25 30 12 1 7 4 11 15 12 4 4 4 14 15 -5 26
17 Newcastle United 25 7 4 14 26 43 12 4 2 6 15 21 13 3 2 8 11 22 -17 25
18 Fulham 25 4 10 11 21 32 13 2 4 7 8 17 12 2 6 4 13 15 -11 22
19 West Bromwich Albion 25 2 8 15 19 55 12 1 4 7 8 32 13 1 4 8 11 23 -36 14
20 Sheffield United 25 3 2 20 15 41 12 2 1 9 9 18 13 1 1 11 6 23 -26 11
  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Atletico Madrid 23 17 4 2 45 16 12 9 2 1 26 7 11 8 2 1 19 9 29 55
2 Real Madrid 24 16 4 4 42 19 11 8 0 3 20 7 13 8 4 1 22 12 23 52
3 Barcelona 23 14 5 4 50 22 12 7 4 1 29 13 11 7 1 3 21 9 28 47
4 Sevilla 22 14 3 5 32 16 11 8 1 2 19 7 11 6 2 3 13 9 16 45
5 Real Sociedad 24 11 8 5 41 20 12 5 5 2 22 10 12 6 3 3 19 10 21 41
6 Villarreal 24 8 13 3 33 25 12 5 6 1 18 12 12 3 7 2 15 13 8 37
7 Real Betis 24 11 3 10 32 38 12 6 2 4 16 15 12 5 1 6 16 23 -6 36
8 Levante 24 7 10 7 34 33 12 4 6 2 19 16 12 3 4 5 15 17 1 31
9 Granada 24 8 6 10 29 41 12 6 3 3 17 15 12 2 3 7 12 26 -12 30
10 Athletic Club 23 8 5 10 33 27 12 6 2 4 20 11 11 2 3 6 13 16 6 29
11 Celta de Vigo 24 7 8 9 29 36 11 6 1 4 18 18 13 1 7 5 11 18 -7 29
12 Valencia 24 6 9 9 30 32 12 4 5 3 18 14 12 2 4 6 12 18 -2 27
13 Osasuna 23 6 7 10 22 31 11 4 3 4 13 15 12 2 4 6 9 16 -9 25
14 Cadiz 24 6 7 11 21 40 12 2 4 6 11 21 12 4 3 5 10 19 -19 25
15 Getafe 24 6 6 12 17 30 12 4 3 5 9 9 12 2 3 7 8 21 -13 24
16 Deportivo Alaves 24 5 7 12 20 38 12 3 4 5 10 15 12 2 3 7 10 23 -18 22
17 Eibar 24 4 9 11 19 27 12 1 5 6 6 13 12 3 4 5 13 14 -8 21
18 Elche 22 4 9 9 20 31 12 2 6 4 11 17 10 2 3 5 9 14 -11 21
19 Real Valladolid 24 4 9 11 22 35 12 2 4 6 12 20 12 2 5 5 10 15 -13 21
20 Huesca 24 3 10 11 21 35 12 2 5 5 9 14 12 1 5 6 12 21 -14 19

Manchester United:
Real Sociedad:
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 Atletico Madrid 23 17 4 2 45 16 12 9 2 1 26 7 11 8 2 1 19 9 29 55
2 Real Madrid 24 16 4 4 42 19 11 8 0 3 20 7 13 8 4 1 22 12 23 52
3 Barcelona 23 14 5 4 50 22 12 7 4 1 29 13 11 7 1 3 21 9 28 47
4 Sevilla 22 14 3 5 32 16 11 8 1 2 19 7 11 6 2 3 13 9 16 45
5 Real Sociedad 24 11 8 5 41 20 12 5 5 2 22 10 12 6 3 3 19 10 21 41
6 Villarreal 24 8 13 3 33 25 12 5 6 1 18 12 12 3 7 2 15 13 8 37
7 Real Betis 24 11 3 10 32 38 12 6 2 4 16 15 12 5 1 6 16 23 -6 36
8 Levante 24 7 10 7 34 33 12 4 6 2 19 16 12 3 4 5 15 17 1 31
9 Granada 24 8 6 10 29 41 12 6 3 3 17 15 12 2 3 7 12 26 -12 30
10 Athletic Club 23 8 5 10 33 27 12 6 2 4 20 11 11 2 3 6 13 16 6 29
11 Celta de Vigo 24 7 8 9 29 36 11 6 1 4 18 18 13 1 7 5 11 18 -7 29
12 Valencia 24 6 9 9 30 32 12 4 5 3 18 14 12 2 4 6 12 18 -2 27
13 Osasuna 23 6 7 10 22 31 11 4 3 4 13 15 12 2 4 6 9 16 -9 25
14 Cadiz 24 6 7 11 21 40 12 2 4 6 11 21 12 4 3 5 10 19 -19 25
15 Getafe 24 6 6 12 17 30 12 4 3 5 9 9 12 2 3 7 8 21 -13 24
16 Deportivo Alaves 24 5 7 12 20 38 12 3 4 5 10 15 12 2 3 7 10 23 -18 22
17 Eibar 24 4 9 11 19 27 12 1 5 6 6 13 12 3 4 5 13 14 -8 21
18 Elche 22 4 9 9 20 31 12 2 6 4 11 17 10 2 3 5 9 14 -11 21
19 Real Valladolid 24 4 9 11 22 35 12 2 4 6 12 20 12 2 5 5 10 15 -13 21
20 Huesca 24 3 10 11 21 35 12 2 5 5 9 14 12 1 5 6 12 21 -14 19

More from Europe - Europa League

Read more about Europa League

The UEFA Europa League, abbreviated as UEL and commonly referred to as just the Europa League, is an annual football club competition organised by UEFA. It is the second-tier competition for football clubs in Europa, beneath the UEFA Champions League in value and importance. Teams qualify through their performance in their national leagues and cup competitions. Some teams qualify from the Champions League; more precisely the teams who are knocked out in the playoff qualifying round and the third-place finishers of the group stage. The winner of the Europa League qualifies for the Champions League in their next competitive season.