MANCHESTER UNITED v ASTANA 
Thursday 19thSeptember 2000hrs
Football – Europe – Europa League
Pick Manchester Utd HT/FT
Bookmaker Boylesports
Odds: 1.80 (odds taken 00:33 GMT, 19 September )
 |
1 | X | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.22 | 6.15 | 14.50 |
(Betting Odds were taken from 22Bet on September 19, 2019 at 00:33)
The opening matches of Matchday 1 in the Europa League commence on Thursday night and our next preview features a Group L clash between Manchester United and Astana as the betting tips continue at Old Trafford.
Manchester United Prediction – Can Manchester Utd get off to a flying start?
Manchester United will be expecting to not only win this opening match in Group L but also win this group which consists of AZ Alkmaar, Partizan Belgrade and tonight’s visitors, FC Astana as a lot is expected of the Red Devils in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first full season in charge.
Thursday night’s hosts registered a 1-0 home win against early high-fliers, Leicester City at Old Trafford on the weekend, and having lost just once so far this season in the Premier League, United occupy 4th place and a top four finish is the minimum requirement for Manchester United this season.
Their one defeat this term was an unexpected 2-1 loss at home to Crystal Palace, but home form in the Europa League has been excellent in recent times as the hosts are unbeaten in their last 9 home ties in this competition, a sequence that includes 7 wins.
In addition, Manchester United have kept 4 clean sheets within this 9-match period and this could be one of the catalysts behind a quick start for United here with the likes of Rashford (3 goals) keen to add to his goal tally here.
Astana Prediction – Can Astana contain Red Devils?
The Kazakhstan visitors have had to make their way through the early qualifying rounds of the Europa League to reach the group stage of the competition, and their journey started back in July when they recorded a 4-1 aggregate win over Andorran outfit, Santa Coloma, in the 2nd qualifying round.
A 3rd qualifying round crushing 9-1 win on aggregate over Maltese side, Valletta, saw Astana cruise into the play-offs where they registered a narrow 3-2 win over two legs against Belarus outfit, BATE, to reach the lucrative group stage.
Recent overall form has been pretty decent from Astana who have recorded 6 wins out of their last 7 matches in all competitions, but results on the road have produced a mixed return for the Kazakhstan side.
3 away wins out of their last 9 matches in all competitions doesn’t inspire much confidence in them getting a result at Old Trafford, nor does the fact that Astana have managed just 1 away win out of their last 8 ties on the road in the Europa League.
Key-Facts – Manchester Utd v Astana
- Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 9 home ties in the Europa League
- Manchester United have kept 4 clean sheets out of these last 9 home ties too
- Astana have managed just 1 away win out of their last 8 on the road in the EL
Betting Tips Verdict
Manchester United possess superior quality in their squad and although Solskjaer is expected to rotate his side here, they should record a comfortable win after getting an early goal.
