The first away game in Europe under Ruben Amorim couldn’t have come at a better time, with the team sorely needing a win after back-to-back losses.
With Manchester City up next in the league, Plzen in the Europa League is, at least on paper, a winnable game in what could have been otherwise a proper losing streak.
Having said that, no away game is easy for Man United at the moment, with their last away win in Europe coming in March of last year.
Furthermore, United are yet to win away under Ruben Amorim, drawing at Ipswich Town before the loss to Arsenal at the Emirates.
Therefore, there’s no doubt he won’t be taking this one lightly but if United do manage to win here, not only will a huge monkey be lifted off their backs, but Ruben Amorim will also manage to do what United have never managed before in Europe.
Ruben Amorim, Head Coach of Manchester United, applauds the fans as he leaves the field as he looks dejected after defeat to Nottingham Forest duri...
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Ruben Amorim eyeing historic Man Utd victory
After Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, it has seemed like United break a new unwanted record almost every week, with teams fancying their chances of upsetting them home or away.
However, when United take to the pitch to face Plzen in the Europa League, they will have the chance to break a positive record which is unbelievable.
In Europe, United have never managed to win an away game at Czech opposition, with their last trip to the country in 2004, which ended in a goalless draw against Sparta Prague.
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United have played three games in Czechia, drawing two and losing one, so the game against Plzen gives them a chance to end this streak.
This record is made all the more remarkable because it is not even one of those which only started under Sir Alex but continued after him when United were on the slide.
Despite the small sample size, it adds extra motivation to a group of players who are just starting to develop and make memories together.
Anything positive where they can be “firsts” will go a long way towards building belief and confidence in the Man Utd squad that has been fragile too often.
Plzen vs Man Utd prediction
On paper, the Czech opposition can look like a winnable game for United regardless of the good or bad moment they are in but it’s not so simple.
As Amorim said before the game, Plzen run a lot and they are a formidable outfit at home.
Most importantly, they know that the chance to face Man United in a European competition doesn’t come around too often so expect the players to bring their top form and then some.
For a United team that has shown the propensity to throw games and collapse when faced with difficult circumstances, especially in Europe, this is not a straightforward fixture.
On the other hand, the win against Bodo showed that Amorim has already taken steps to fix that mentality issue, as United collapsed then too, but came back to get all three points.
The team would probably prefer a less stressful win but for that, they will have to start fast and get an early goal to quieten the crowd.
From then onwards, keeping the ball and minimising the threat of transitions will be key to walking away with a win that strengthens their prospects of finishing in the top eight.
Games like these are a better marker of progress under Amorim than, say, an away game at Man City or Arsenal so the Man Utd manager will undoubtedly keep a close eye on how his players fare.
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