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Manchester United travel to the Estadio de la Ceramica on Tuesday to face Villarreal on matchday five of the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League.
Both sides are currently level on seven points apiece in Group F. But the Red Devils sit ahead of the La Liga side courtesy of their superior head-to-head record. Back in September, United beat Villarreal 2-1 at Old Trafford, with Cristiano Ronaldo heading home a stoppage-time winner.
However, a lot has changed since then, with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer getting the sack following a poor run of results. Nevertheless, a victory would be enough to guarantee United's place in the last 16, but the Yellow Submarine may not go down too easily.
Atalanta are lurking just two points behind them. So defeat for Villarreal would see them down in third place going into their final-day showdown with the Serie A side.
Either way, we have a cracker on our hands. On that note, here are four things to look forward to in the clash between Villarreal and Manchester United:
#4 Villarreal are plagued with injuries
Villarreal are blighted by an injury crisis at the moment. Head coach Unai Emery has been unable to call upon the services of many first-team stars. The most notable absentee is Gerard Moreno. The prolific No.7 scored 30 goals in all competitions for the Yellow Submarine last season.
Moreover, forwards Paco Alcacer, who scored at Old Trafford in September, and Arnaut Danjuma are facing a race against time to be fit for this clash. Meanwhile, former Watford midfielder Etienne Capoue missed the matchday squad at the weekend, and remains doubtful for Tuesday.
The La Liga outfit could be running short on attacking options should the others battling lighter issues get sidelined. Manchester United may be going through a crisis at the moment, but their opponents clearly are not having the best time either.
#3 Manchester United must beef up their defence
It's no secret that Manchester United's defence has been calamitous this season. Not just on the league front, but in Europe too.
They've kept only two clean sheets in 12 top-flight games - a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton and 3-0 over Tottenham Hotspur. The Red Devils are yet to register one in the Champions League this season.
They have conceded seven times in four games in the competition thus far. That includes one against the Yellow Submarine in their clash at Old Trafford on matchday two.
With Group F still largely open, United cannot afford to leak goals. Villarreal can spell trouble on home soil, with or without their key attackers, something the visitors will have to be wary of.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Spain
Having spent nine years plying his trade in the Spanish top-flight, it's always exciting to see Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo return to the country.
Since leaving Real Madrid, he has returned to the country four times as a rival player. He arrived twice in Madrid to face Atletico with Juventus, and once in Valencia, where he was sent off on his European bow with the Serie A outfit. On his latest visit to Spain, Ronaldo scored in the 3-0 win at Barcelona in the Champions League last season.
The 36-year-old has netted in all four group matches so far, and will hope to continue that against Villarreal.
Ronaldo boasts a good record against Villarreal, with 14 goals scored in 20 appearances. Interestingly, his last-ever strike for Los Blancos also came against Villarreal at this very stadium.
#1 Manchester United must produce a big result
Manchester United are coming off a humiliating 4-1 loss to Watford in the Premier League. But with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer now gone, the onus is now on the team to pick themselves up.
A victory would be enough to secure their place in the last-16, but it would be far easier said than done. The team is currently going through a crisis, both on and off the field. Their recent run of indifferent results, especially in the league, saw manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer face the sack.
Given there was a growing discontent with the Norwegian in the dressing room, a sense of relief must have pervaded through the camp after his departure.
Would that be enough to liberate Manchester United and bring out their best on Tuesday? It's too early to say, but the fans are itching for United to bounce back from the humbling Watford defeat and produce a great result.
