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Manchester United vs Juventus preview – can the Red Devils stop Cristiano Ronaldo?

By Ali Akbar

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Manchester United host a top European side for the first time in years in the form of Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus, who have brought a familiar face along with them…

This game will be one to remember for sure.

The last time Manchester United hosted a top European side was under David Moyes in the 2013-14 season when Bayern Munich held us to a draw at Old Trafford.

United have been in and out of the Champions League in the turbulent years since and have not really played a formidable European opponent at Old Trafford for far too long.

Now, the Red Devils host a quality Juventus side who have won the Italian Serie A title seven times in a row. What’s more is that the Turin club signed Cristiano Ronaldo for £99 million this summer, who is set to start on Tuesday after serving his ban due to a red card he picked up against Valencia.

The former Manchester United man’s homecoming will be a delight to many at Old Trafford, but we can’t let it distract us. This is a chance to right the wrongs of the last few years. We need to start beating the big teams if we want to get back to our glory days under Sir Alex Ferguson.

So, here’s what it will take for United to come up with a victory on Tuesday…

Players cannot afford to be star struck

For some United players, this is the first time they’ve played against world-class players from outside the Premier League for a while. But they can’t just roll over on their home turf. They’ll need to get the better of Juventus if we are to make it through the group stages.

One player I am a little worried for is Victor Lindelof. The Swedish defender has looked shaky even when playing against the lesser sides in the league. A mistake against the forwards of Juventus could be very costly for United, so hopefully, he will be at his best.
One player I am a little worried for is Victor Lindelof. The Swedish defender has looked shaky even when playing against the lesser sides in the league. A mistake against the forwards of Juventus could be very costly for United, so hopefully, he will be at his best. /

If Ronaldo ends up playing on the left, Ashley Young – who will likely start at right-back – will have to be at his best also. Against Chelsea on the weekend, the 33-year-old did a phenomenal job keeping Hazard quiet for much of the game. However, Ronaldo is an entirely different prospect to the Belgian due to his physicality, so Young will have to work even harder.

Facing his old club, Paul Pogba will be a crucial player for United. The team often rely on him to make things tick. If he turns up on Tuesday evening, United will be flying. If he disappears, however, United’s midfield will be completely overrun, and we could get embarrassed.

Jose Mourinho must have us fighting from minute one

Nevertheless, if things go badly against Juventus, Mourinho will be the one who has to take the blame.

His selections have been quite erratic this season. He needs to stick to his guts and pick the players he feels will complement each other well, as chemistry will be key when coming up against an experienced side like Juve.
His selections have been quite erratic this season. He needs to stick to his guts and pick the players he feels will complement each other well, as chemistry will be key when coming up against an experienced side like Juve. /

Furthermore, our tactics seem to be all over the place. We seem to lack ideas in the final third. We usually turn things around in the second half but that just isn’t good enough. Mourinho needs to motivate his players to come out fighting right from the get-go – not after we’ve gone 2-0 down.

Who United need to look out for in this Juve side

The obvious answer is Cristiano Ronaldo. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has won it all at Manchester United and Real Madrid. Our defence has been shambolic this season, which will make the 33-year-old all the more determined to get a goal in front of the Old Trafford faithful.

The Portuguese is also surrounded by a phenomenal group of players. Although Paulo Dybala hasn’t been at his best these last few games, he will nonetheless by a threat from inside and outside the box, as well as through set pieces. A player like Ander Herrera may need to do a man-to-man job on the Argentine to keep him as quiet as possible.
The Portuguese is also surrounded by a phenomenal group of players. Although Paulo Dybala hasn’t been at his best these last few games, he will nonetheless by a threat from inside and outside the box, as well as through set pieces. A player like Ander Herrera may need to do a man-to-man job on the Argentine to keep him as quiet as possible. /

Although Juve’s midfield is not what it used to be, Miralem Pjanic, Emre Can and Paul Pogba’s fellow World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi can still be a handful, meaning Mourinho will have to match them with a three-man midfield if we want to avoid being overrun in the centre of the park.

What the manager had to say before the game

In a pre-match press conference, Jose Mourinho had this to say about United’s form going into the Juventus game:

"“We have a plan every time we go against a team, but I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just something we need to get out of.“Offensively we are set up really well, but then it’s on the ball where we need to make a difference.“In the first half (against Chelsea) we started slowly – no initiative on the ball, no movement. In the second half, everything that we said we wanted to do in the first half we did.“That’s why we came back and got great results. Now the key is to start games like we do in the second half.”"

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It’s refreshing to see Mourinho acknowledge that his team has been playing poorly in the first half of games. Will his players show passion and desire from minute one against Juve? We’ll just have to find out…

Catch Manchester United vs Juventus on Tuesday 23 October at 20:00 BST.

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