Manchester United take on the visitors Twente in the round 1 match of UEFA Europa League group stage. The match will be played on Wednesday, September 25th at Old Trafford (Manchester).
Manchester United are now in their third season under Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman's debut year in England was somewhat successful — they won the League Cup and finished 3rd in the Premier League standings. However, the 2023/2024 season was disastrous: 4th place in a relatively easy Champions League group, a drop to 8th in the Premier League... But they did manage to secure a cup in the final match of the season. As a result, Erik not only stayed, but the club made signings like Zirkzee, De Ligt, and even Mazraoui, which are clearly his choices. They also purchased Yoro, who immediately got injured and won’t return anytime soon, and PSG's defensive midfielder Ugarte. The necessity of that signing was evident in their early matches, with defeats to City (on penalties), Brighton, and especially Liverpool. After the September break, the club lifted fans' spirits with confident and big wins, albeit against Southampton and Barnsley in the League Cup. Against a stronger Crystal Palace, they could only manage a goalless draw.
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Twente yet to reach last season’s level. The "Pride of the East" hasn’t repeated their sensational Eredivisie triumph of 2010 in over a decade. But since returning from the second division, the club has consistently stayed in the top 5 for three consecutive seasons, finishing 4th last spring. This earned them a spot in European competition again and allowed them to attract players like Lammers. However, Joseph Oosting's men have yet to impress — right when their Europa League campaign is kicking off. In August, they fought in the Champions League qualification, but only managed a draw at home after losing 1-2 in Austria. On the domestic front, they’ve stumbled, even losing to Utrecht. On the other hand, a resounding win over Almere marked their second consecutive victory.
For the boys from Enschede, this will be their first-ever visit to Old Trafford. Manchester United are, of course, the clear favorites here. However, they are far from their peak form, so it's not worth counting the Dutch side out. A bet on Twente with a +1.5 goal handicap looks like a smart option.
Prediction for the match: Twente to win with +1.5 handicap.