Manchester United are set to take on Viktoria Plzeň this evening in Czechia, with their eyes firmly on securing a vital away win in the Europa League.
This clash marks the inaugural meeting between these two sides, each vying for a crucial victory as they both sit on nine points in the standings, eager to position themselves within the top eight, which guarantees automatic qualification for the knockout stages.
After enduring two consecutive defeats, manager Ruben Amorim will be desperate to turn the tide and claim a much-needed win this evening.
With United’s recent struggles in the league and tough domestic cup ties against heavyweights Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal looming, many fans see the Europa League as the most feasible path to silverware this season.
Here are three narratives that fans are buzzing about ahead of kick-off:
Rasmus Hojlund Aiming for the Record Books
The BBC reports that “twenty-one-year-old Rasmus Hojlund has netted eight major European goals for Manchester United, with only Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney scoring more at the same age (nine each).”
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Despite some inconsistent performances domestically, the Danish forward has consistently found the back of the net in Europe. He scored five times during last season’s Champions League group stage and has already added three more in this year’s Europa League.
After an electric display against FK Bodø/Glimt in the previous round of the competition, Hojlund will be hoping to add at least two more goals in the upcoming matches to surpass the remarkable tallies set by Rooney and Rashford.
However, he has a significant challenge ahead, with Rashford sitting on 26 European goals and Rooney on a notable 39.
United Seeking First Victory in Czechia
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Historically, United have not faced many Czech clubs, and their track record is less than stellar.
“Manchester United have never won an away match against Czech sides, managing two draws and a single loss, with their last visit resulting in a 0-0 stalemate against Sparta Prague in October 2004.”
With only two previous competitive encounters against Czech teams—Dukla Prague and Sparta Prague—they are desperate to break this unwanted streak. However, their home form has been formidable, as evidenced by Ruud van Nistelrooy’s four-goal haul in a 4-1 rout of Sparta Prague back in 2004.
Ending the European Away Day Jinx
United’s woes aren’t limited to just Czech rivals; they are in dire need of an away win in Europe, having gone too long without one.
This season, they’ve drawn both their away fixtures against Fenerbahce and Porto and couldn’t manage a victory in any of their matches last year. Their last taste of success on the road was at Real Betis in March 2023, over 21 months ago.
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Interestingly, despite their struggles to secure wins, United have been prolific in front of goal while playing away, netting three goals against Bayern Munich, FC Copenhagen, Galatasaray, and FC Porto, yet failing to secure a victory in any of those outings.
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While it’s typical for teams to exhibit stronger home form, especially in European competitions, it’s imperative for United to rectify this statistic if they hope to bolster their status as serious contenders for the title.
