Tactical analysis: Real Sociedad vs Manchester United | OneFootball

Manchester United will be looking to get their UEFA Europa League round of 16 off to a strong start when they face Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena tonight.

Following their disappointing FA Cup exit at the hands of Fulham, Man United’s season has rapidly disintegrated, with the Europa League remaining as the only tournament in which the team could possibly earn some silverware this season.

In order to clinch some valuable away points in the first leg, manager Ruben Amorim will need to ensure that his team boost their concentration up front following another wasteful evening last Sunday.

Despite dominating up front with 20 shots on goal, it took until the 71st minute for United to find the back of the net, with captain Bruno Fernandes bailing his team out of trouble yet again.

United’s attack consistently takes too long to liven up in matches. This season, Amorim’s side have scored 22 second-half goals in 27 Premier League matches, while only managing to score 11 goals in the first 45 minutes of each game in total. (FootyStats)

Such slow starts make the team’s job more difficult, as was the case yet again in the Fulham encounter where they needed some late creative genius by Fernandes to take the game to extra time, even though a normal time victory should have been possible given the sheer number of scoring opportunities created.

In the FA Cup defeat, United’s poor defending at set pieces let them down yet again, as an unmarked Calvin Bassey raced into the box and headed the ball into the net from a corner.

Looking at Sociedad’s form, such defensive and attacking shortfalls could prove highly problematic.

Sociedad’s recent form looks somewhat inconsistent, with the team winning two and losing three of their past five matches. During this time, they’ve scored eight goals and conceded ten.

Still, this shaky form does not tell the full story. The Spanish club has proven highly dangerous on numerous occasions throughout the season, going toe-to-toe with some elite opposition.

Earlier in the season, Sociedad drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in a hard-fought encounter.

Perhaps their most impressive moment came when they defeated FC Barcelona 1-0 in another convincing home game, proving how formidable they can be in their own territory.

These weren’t the only occasions when Sociedad beat teams above them in La Liga standings. They have also come away with a 2-0 victory over Real Betis and a 1-0 triumph over Villarreal. (Transfermarkt)

What’s also important to note is how quick the Spanish side is to strike. While they have fewer goals than United this season, they have a more balanced proportion of first-half to second-half goals (ten to 13 respectively). This is something United will need to be mindful of, particularly if they don’t want to fall behind early and face another uphill battle.

Despite not being one of Spain’s most formidable teams, Sociedad have proven that they have what it takes to punch above their weight when push comes to shove.

This means that United will need to bring all of the creativity, energy, and aggression that they can in order to come away with a result against the Spanish outfit.

What’s more, scoring earlier could be key to avoiding defeat. As seen by Sociedad’s victories over Barcelona, Betis, and Villarreal, once they get the lead, they often manage to hold steady and see out the match, no matter how early they find the back of the net. By allowing Sociedad to take an early lead and playing catchup as per usual, United may not be able to squeak out a result as they have often done against weaker opposition.

Clearly, United cannot afford to provide a single ounce of leeway to Sociedad. Instead, they need to attack straight out of the gate.

Showing aggression up front from early on, getting shots on target, and no longer hesitating or slowing down the attacking build-up in the final third will be key.

If United put anything less than their full effort into this match, their season could very well be all but over by the time that the full-time whistle blows.

Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images

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