Manchester United are heading to the picturesque Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium to face Italian side Como in the third round of the Champions League group stage. The primary objective for Michael Carrick’s men is to end a lengthy six-match winless streak.
It's been a tough week for the English club, capped off with a gritty 1-1 draw against Leeds. Carrick labelled this result as a "fresh start", but he is desperately in need of just the third win of the season. Last week’s defeat to Atletico Madrid has made life difficult for the Mancunians in the European competition, with the team boasting a dismal record away from home: they’ve won just one of their last ten Champions League away matches.
For Como, under the guidance of Cesc Fabregas, this match represents a dream come true. The Italian club made a bright debut in the tournament, confidently beating RB Leipzig, but stumbled against Feyenoord in their second game. However, the hosts secured an impressive 3-1 victory over Fiorentina at the weekend, climbing to fifth place in Serie A.
United’s main concern ahead of this crucial clash is a genuine injury crisis. Kobbi Mainu and Luke Shaw are still sidelined, while Benjamin Sesko and Patrick Dorgu are also struggling with injuries. The participation of Aidan Heaven, Lisandro Martinez, and Noussair Mazraoui is highly doubtful, and defender Leni Yoro will miss the game due to suspension. The one bright spot could be the return of Matthijs de Ligt, who has finally recovered from a serious back injury.
Como also faces significant absences, with Moise Kean and Assane Diakhate, who has scored in both of their previous Champions League games, both ruled out due to injuries. Expected to lead the attack is Anastasios Duvikas, while Croatian playmaker Martin Baturina is set to return to the starting line-up after recovering from illness.
Match prediction:
Como 2:1 Manchester United
Predicted Como line-up (4-2-3-1):
Butes; Couto, Chalobah, Ramon, Valle; Milya, Da Cunha; Rodriguez, Pas, Baturina; Duvikas.
Predicted Manchester United line-up (4-2-3-1):
Lammens; Dalot, De Ligt, Maguire, Mazraoui; Santos, Baleba; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.
