Porto vs Man United Predictions
- Full Time Result: Porto Win
- Correct Score: 2-1
- Both Teams To Score: Yes
- Over 2.5 Goals: Yes
- First Goalscorer: Galeno
With the pressure increasing on Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, the Dutchman probably could have done without having to fly south to face Porto in the Europa League.
That is what awaits the under-siege Red Devils boss as he takes his side to the Estadio do Dragao to lock horns with a Porto side smarting from losing their opening game in Norway.
It’s a 20:00 BST kick-off on Thursday, October 3rd and the game is being shown live on TNT Sports 2 and Discovery+ in the UK.
United are now three games without a win in all competitions, including a disappointing home draw with FC Twente in their Europa League opener, and the knives are out for Ten Hag once more following the humbling loss to Tottenham at Old Trafford.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes was sent off there, possibly a little harshly, and team selection is going to be interesting now for the United boss, who remains without a host of defensive options – including Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia Leny Yoro and Victor Lindelof – though the Swede was named amongst the subs on Sunday.
Midfielder Fabio Vieira came off the bench for Porto in their weekend 4-0 win over Arouca – his first appearance since pre-season – and could see more game time now.
Porto vs Man United Tips
Tip 1
Though they are in Europe’s second tier, United’s Europa League pathway is plotted with possible banana skins. FC Utrecht at home wasn’t supposed to be one, but Ten Hag’s former employers hadn’t read the script and went home with a point.
Fenerbahce, Bodo/Glimt and Rangers lie further down the road, but a trip to Porto is possibly the toughest of the lot, especially in the context of Sunday’s chastening loss.
Ten Hag is teetering on the brink now and the Old Trafford hierarchy won’t want another dismal showing. The trouble is, the United squad appears to be going through the motions, with workrate a missing ingredient.
Porto will sense blood in the water. They, too, have some tasty games ahead but this was always going to be the marquee clash and a big crowd is likely at the Estadio do Dragao for a first meeting between these clubs in 15 years.
There are such major clouds over this United squad that a home win is the logical choice as Porto seek to rebound having snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in Norway in their opening game, a contest they dominated but in which they were too wasteful to succeed.
Tip 2
United skipper Fernandes defended himself after his red card on Sunday and he was due some sympathy given he appeared to slip more than be reckless for his tackle on James Maddison.
The pressure is on the playmaker more than ever now, however, and it seems unlikely ten Hag can rest him after he only managed 42 minutes on Sunday and with his team in the eye of a storm.
Fernandes, once of Porto’s bitter rivals Sporting Lisbon, is going back to his homeland and is sure to get some special treatment from the stands. He may well get it from the Porto players, too, as they seek to get a reaction.
The 30-year-old is so much more known for his ability on the ball, but a tally of 25 yellow cards across the last three seasons for United shows how frequently he falls foul of officialdom, with his bookings just three short of his Red Devils goal-haul in that timeframe.
