Manchester United take on the visitors Lyon in the second leg of UEFA Europa League round of quarterfinals. First leg result: 2-2. The match will be played on Thursday, April 17th at Old Trafford (Manchester).
Manchester United have somehow managed to produce even worse results this campaign than in 2023/24. The "success" of Rúben Amorim so far has left fans almost nostalgic for his predecessor, Erik ten Hag. United have already been eliminated from the domestic cups under the current manager, and their Premier League form continues to spiral downward — they’re now stuck in the bottom half of the table. Only in the Europa League have they delivered some positives, skipping the playoff round and heading straight into the round of 16. They drew away at Real Sociedad in San Sebastián, but comfortably crushed the Spaniards 4-1 at Old Trafford, with a Bruno Fernandes hat-trick. In France, Zirkzee looked to have secured victory with a late strike, only for the hosts to equalize at 90+2. Despite their league form, United are unbeaten in their last four European games. Fernandes remains in top form and has scored five goals in his last three Europa League appearances. However, their defence still looks shaky, having conceded in each of their last six matches.
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Lyon will fight for the result until the final whistle. The Weavers had a memorable last season, starting disastrously but storming back into European contention under little-known coach Pierre Sage. However, the club sacked him in the winter following a run of six winless games and brought in Paulo Fonseca to provide new momentum. The new boss complicated things by openly criticizing referees and earning a touchline ban lasting until the end of autumn. That hasn’t stopped him from successfully managing the team remotely — even giving instructions over the phone from the team bus. In the Europa League, where no such ban applies, his side breezed past Steaua with two goal-filled victories. Against United, they snatched a dramatic draw in stoppage time last week. Lyon have now scored in each of their last eight matches across all competitions. They remain dangerous late in games and have shown strong character in recent comebacks. However, their away form is inconsistent, especially against higher-level opposition.
The sides have met twice before, in 2004 and 2008. Both times, the English side combined an away draw with a narrow one-goal win at home. The English side will be highly motivated here. We believe the Red Devils will get the job done and take the win.
Prediction for the match: Manchester United to win.
