Swiss Minnows Out to Cause Champions League Stir

Manchester United vs Young Boys

A Champions League night at Old Trafford can be a special occasion and this game looked to be pivotal for Manchester United just a few weeks ago.

Now it is virtually a dead-rubber with the hosts guaranteed to top Group F, regardless of the result, and Swiss minnows Young Boys needing to win to keep alive their slender hopes of European football after Christmas.

Yet the added appeal of United’s new interim manager Ralf Rangnick’s first European match in charge adds another dimension and makes Wednesday night’s encounter under the floodlights potentially a more compelling watch.

While United are big favourites, Young Boys have shown qualities in the group so far, not least by beating the Red Devils in Switzerland in September and holding Italians Atalanta in an eight-goal thriller last month – a contest full of Champions League 2021 highlights.

Talking Points

With Atalanta and Europa League holders Villarreal, the other sides in the group, battling it out in Bergamo at the same time, in many ways all the pressure is off Young Boys.

Their 2-1 home defeat to Servette in the Swiss Super League on Saturday was a blow to the Swiss’ champions chances of retaining the title, yet if they gain a positive result at Old Trafford they will make headlines across Europe – irrespective of whether it is enough to preserve their European adventure into the second half of the season.

David von Ballmoos, Cedric Zesiger, Christian Fassnacht, Jean-Pierre Nsame, Ulisses Garcia and Felix Mambimbi will all miss the contest through injury.

United, meanwhile, will again be without the services of Raphael Varane and Paul Pogba, while Edinson Cavani, Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard are all doubts. Although, Martial could return from the issue that forced him to miss out against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

What Young Boys would give for such talent as they travel to the Theatre of Dreams for United’s third home game in less than a week after Cristiano Ronaldo’s double saw off Arsenal in a five-goal thriller before Fred netted the winner versus the Eagles.

With qualification assured, Rangnick may make wholesale changes to his side, with Dean Henderson, Eric Bailly, Donny van de Beek, Juan Mata, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Elanga all potentially coming into the XI.

Nemanja Matic and Aaron Wan-Bissaka could also return.

The fact is that, despite the visitors needing to win and the home side able to rest key players, there remains a gulf in depth between the squads and that should be reflected in the result.

The match will go ahead in Manchester after Switzerland changed its rules for UK arrivals amid the emergence of the Omicron variant – there had been a suggestion the fixture could be moved to a neutral venue if Young Boys had been required to quarantine for 10 days upon returning home.

History

The two teams had not met until 2018. That was in the Champions League group stages when the French connection saw United ease to a 3-0 success in Berne as Pogba (two) and Martial scored the goals.

The return two months later was crucial in seeing United secure qualification for the last 16 as Marouane Fellaini scored a 90^th-minute winner to prompt relief and an unusual celebration from then-manager Jose Mourinho.

In September, it was role reversal as Jordan Siebatcheu pounced on sub Lingard’s awful back pass deep into stoppage time to condemn 10-man United to defeat.

They had taken the lead through Cristiano Ronaldo but were numerically disadvantaged before the break when Wan-Bissaka was sent off.

That led to former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær opting for what one newspaper described as a puzzling road of substitutions and tactical shifts that often looked as though they were confounding his own players.

Moumi Ngamaleu equalised midway through the half but United look set to hold on until the dying seconds.

Betting Tip

	Manchester United vs Young Boys	Manchester United First Half Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.28
	December 09, 4:00 (GMT+8)

The SBOTOP Champions League 2021 betting odds back United 1X2 @ 1.41 and Asian Handicap –1.50 @ 2.20.

The visitors are real underdogs both 1X2 @ 7.00 and Asian Handicap +1.00 @ 2.36.

A 1X2 Draw is on offer @ 4.60 but the real shock would be another 2-1 Young Boys win, available with Correct Score odds @ 23.00.

Goals are an expected currency in this encounter with the options including total goal 0-1 @ 5.20, 2-3 @ 2.11, 4-6 @ 2.57 and over 3.25 goals @ 2.13.

I do think United’s eager-to-please stars will put on a show as they aim to impress their new boss and that is why I am backing United to win while also leading at the break.

 

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