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Ruben Amorim speaks to TNT Sports. “We did well in France … we also can do better … we have some players that cannot start … so you need to think about every possibility … extra time … every situation of the game … Onana just needs to focus on doing a good game … he is professional … our player and in our starting XI … they will change something … more or less the same approach but we’ll see … we need to be really smart … we have to be patient … cope with pressure … do a good game.”
… and if that doesn’t augur well enough … United have made it through on 14 of the 20 occasions they’ve drawn the first leg of a European knockout tie away. Furthermore, on the one occasion they’ve drawn the first leg away 2-2, in the 2022-23 Europa League against Barcelona, they went on to win the second leg 2-1. So, a 100% record in this exact situation then, which compares very favourably with Lyon’s own 100% record: the French club have lost on all nine of the previous occasions they’ve drawn the first leg of a European tie at home. History firmly on United’s side all right.
History is firmly on Manchester United’s side tonight. Lyon have visited Old Trafford on two previous occasions, and lost both times. In the Champions League groups in 2004-05, Ruud van Nistelrooy scored the winner in a 2-1 win, after Gary Neville’s opening goal had been cancelled out by Mahamadou Diarra. Three seasons later, in the 2007-08 Champions League round of 16, Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal was enough. Why not relive those matches with ye olde reports?
Group D: Manchester United 2 – 1 Lyon
Champions League: Man Utd 1-0 Lyon
The first leg. Here’s a reminder of what happened this time last week, in both MBM and match-report form. Oh André.
Both sides name exactly the same starting XIs as they did last week at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais. United’s bench is the same, as well, save the absence of the hamstrung Joshua Zirkzee.
Manchester United: Onana, Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro, Dalot, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu, Garnacho, Fernandes, Hojlund.
Subs: Bayindir, Heaton, Lindelof, Mount, Eriksen, Shaw, Mainoo, Amass, Moorhouse, Kamason, Kukonki.
Lyon: Lucas Perri, Maitland-Niles, Mata, Niakhate, Tagliafico, Tolisso, Akouokou, Veretout, Cherki, Almada, Mikautadze.
Subs: Descamps, Diarra, Lacazette, Fofana, Tessmann, Abner Vinicius, Kumbedi, Omari, Matic, Caleta-Car.
Referee: Sandro Scharer (Switzerland).
In a calm and rational world, all that’s up for grabs for Manchester United tonight is a place in the Europa League semi-final against either Athletic Club of Bilbao or Rangers. But that’s not the reality of the situation, and so the quarter-final, first-leg visit of Lyon could have big repercussions going forward for under-fire goalkeeper André Onana, under-pressure manager Ruben Amorim, and under-performing … well, you get the gist, we could be here all night. Should United get knocked out this evening, expect plenty of external brouhaha for the next few hours/days/weeks/months; United are the second-biggest soap opera based in Manchester, after all.
Look at it the other way, though. United played well in patches in Lyon, and that knowledge should stand them in good stead this evening. And if they get through, they’ll be just three matches from glory, more European silverware, and a place in next season’s Champions League. Game-changers all, and that’s before we’d get to vindication for goalkeeper, manager, etc., and so on. So yes, OK, perhaps there is more up for grabs for Manchester United tonight than just a place in the Europa League semi-final against either Athletic Club of Bilbao or Rangers. It’s a big one tonight. Kick-off is at 8pm BST. It’s on!
