How Manchester United Will Line Up Against Real Sociedad
The return of the Champions League sees Manchester United host Real Sociedad at Old Trafford.
With their rivals for control of Group A, Bayer Leverkusen and Shakhtar Donetsk, facing offer against each other in Germany, David Moyes' team have a fantastic opportunity to start making the top spot their own.
The manager has told the press as much, commenting, "I feel that this is an important one for us. If we could win this one, it would give us a strong position in the group," as per CrunchSports.com.
Yet while Sociedad may be lagging behind the other three teams in the group with zero points from two games, the club from the Basque city of San Sebastian cannot be underestimated. United must put in a good home performance if they are to secure the points that are up for grabs in Champions League Match Day 3.
A Premier League tie against Stoke City awaits Wayne Rooney and company on the other side of their European clash, but with Mark Hughes' team struggling to rediscover their tenacity and imposing aura, the game will likely be of little consideration when it comes to selecting a team to face La Real.
Click on the button below or use the arrows above for a slide-by-slide preview of how United could line up against Sociedad and what threats the La Liga team may pose.
Team News
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Tom Cleverley and Nemanja Vidic's participation in the fixture hangs in the balance with the midfielder and defender both nursing injuries.
The possible return of Rio Ferdinand to first-team action along with the availability of Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, should mean that United's captain absence can be covered. Cleverley's layoff is a bigger issue in terms of the squad's depth and a lack of alternatives for a three man midfield. Anderson may find himself on the bench at least.
QPR's Esteban Granero is currently on loan at La Real but will not play any part in the club's visit to Old Trafford. The midfielder ruptured his knee ligaments in Sociedad's first Champions League game of the season, ruling him out of contention for the foreseeable.
Assessing Sociedad's Qualities
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Sociedad have not enjoyed the most emphatic of starts to the season this year, but the Basque side play a brand of football that United may struggle to cope with.
Last year, on their way to finishing fourth, a number of pundits suggested that Philippe Montanier's team played almost like a hybrid between Real Madrid's direct, flair-filled counterattacks and Barcelona's tiki-taka possession play.
They press well and make good use of their technically proficient and largely homegrown squad, who don't lack for pace either.
However, the team that will step out on the Old Trafford turf on Wednesday October 23 is quite different to the one that finished fourth in La Liga in 2013.
Jagoba Arrasate has replaced Montanier as manager, with the French coach leaving to manage Rennes in France's Ligue 1, and Asier Illarramendi was sold to Madrid for £34m in the summer.
Yet their roster still features the talents of ex-Arsenal forward Carlos Vela, French-Basque winger Antoine Griezmann, young midfielder Ruben Pardo, David Zurutuza and striker Imanol Agirretxe.
United must keep things tight and stay alert to ensure the Sociedad's talented individuals and celebrated style of play doesn't take them by surprise at home.
After all, Moyes' team have struggled against similar sides such as West Bromwich Albion and Southampton, losing and drawing with the teams respectively at Old Trafford in recent weeks.
In their last domestic game before heading off to Manchester, Sociedad beat Valencia 2-1 at the Mestalla, sounding a warning to their Champions League hosts of their capabilities on the road.
Goalkeeper
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GK: David De Gea
Who else but Big Dave? His selection is now practically a formality, with Anders Lindegaard's challenge for games dropping off and the Spaniard now putting in the sort of commanding performances to prove he is the club's undisputed first choice goalkeeper.
The former Atletico Madrid keeper may not have faced Sociedad at their peak, but he should be well aware of the potential threats within their ranks.
Defence
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CB: Jonny Evans and Rio Ferdinand
Phil Jones didn't enjoy the best of games against Southampton, with the Englishman's lapse in concentration in the dying minutes leading him to concede the Saints' corner and then failing to pick up Dejan Lovren's run behind him.
That could see Ferdinand returned to the starting line up alongside Evans who, in contrast to Jones' hyperactive and uncontrolled energy, was an assured presence at the back.
Both Ferdinand and Evans are excellent ball-players, which should help United retain and recycle the ball, and set the tempo for their home Champions League clash.
FB: Patrice Evra and Rafael
Like De Gea in goal, at present there is no one else to consider than Evra at left-back. Alexander Buttner lacks the quality and Moyes doesn't seem to trust the right-footed Fabio on the left.
Rafael has risen to become his club's best option at right-back when fit, although Jones and Smalling will likely continue to get games when a more defensive presence is required.
Against Sociedad, the Brazilian will help to keep the visitors' wide threats at bay by distracting them with his own imposing, attacking presence down the right.
Midfield
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CM: Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini
Judging by their early appearances together, and their respective playing styles and skill sets, Carrick and Fellaini don't look like the perfect midfield pivot pair but for now they will have to do.
It's worth considering how United's midfield would look had Moyes succeeded in bringing in another of his midfield targets such as Ander Herrera from Sociedad's great rivals Athletic Club from the Basque regional capitol of Bilbao.
A midfield three of Fellaini, Carrick and Herrera—a tackler, passer and creator—would likely be an excellent fit for United, with Tom Cleverley's recent appearances alongside the two senior midfielders hinting at what may yet be achievable in January.
With Cleverley injured however, Anderson could get the nod to play in the three, but with Rooney and Van Persie in good form and United wanting to dominate their opponents at home, the Brazilian may have to start on the bench, with slots in the teams offered to players further forward instead.
Attack
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Wings: Adnan Januzaj and Nani
Although Januzaj was not registered for United's opening Champions League games, the young winger has now been brought into the squad and will be available to play against Sociedad.
With Moyes seemingly pinning his hopes on the youngster's inspirational impact to supercharge his team selections, Januzaj could well feature sooner rather than later.
On the other flank, Nani looks to be the best and most in-form option down the right. His growing chemistry with Rafael is beginning to wreck one of Antonio Valencia's key arguments for starts.
ST: Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie
With United next set to play an underwhelming Stoke City side in the Premier League, Moyes may feel that he can give both of his star strikers a run out against Sociedad in order to build up a strong position at the stop of Group A.
How United Could Line Up
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Now let's put it all together. Here's a potential United line-up to play Sociedad at home in the Champions League:
4-2-3-1
GK: De Gea
DF: Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra
MF: Carrick, Fellaini
AM: Nani, Rooney, Januzaj
ST: Van Persie
With Evra and Januzaj on the left and Rafael and Nani on the right—forcing the visitors to focus their resources out wide to counter such threats—the sluggish pace of Carrick and Fellaini should not be tested too greatly, with Rooney dropping deep to support his midfielders.
Match Prediction
United's defensively minded midfield pivot should allow Ferdinand and Evans to hold their positions and keep Sociedad's attackers at bay while the ball is set fast and wide to get at La Real's defence.
United 2-0 Sociedad
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