Man United head to Belgium on Wednesday night hoping to protect their 3-1 lead as they look to qualify for the Champions League group stage.
A Memphis Depay double helped Louis Van Gaal’s men to a win in the first leg over Club Brugge at Old Trafford last week, but the visitors were able to claim a vital away goal to give them hope.
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Whether or not that comes back to haunt United remains to be seen, but they will certainly need to be focused on the task in hand in order to avoid an upset.
The Belgian outfit insisted prior to the first leg that they would look to play their game and match their opponents. Expect more of the same on Wednesday night particularly with a raucous home crowd cheering them on.
Van Gaal is likely to stick with his strongest starting XI given the importance of the game both on and off the pitch. As a result, that likely means Wayne Rooney will continue to lead the side despite his goal-scoring drought.
The England star has yet to find the back of the net this season, and it is increasingly becoming a real worry for United.
Two goals in three Premier League games as a team so far this season suggests that it isn’t just Rooney who is struggling, so more certainly is needed from the likes of Depay.
While they may be struggling offensively, Van Gaal has no concerns about his defence at the moment. Daley Blind and Chris Smalling have formed a formidable partnership, while Sergio Romero continues to feature in the absence of David De Gea.
Van Gaal is unlikely to ask his team to sit back and protect their lead for the entire game, so it promises to be an intriguing clash on Wednesday night with plenty on the line.
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