Galatasaray vs Man United prediction and today’s predicted lineups

Erik ten Hag takes his Man United side to Galatasaray and Istanbul’s Rams Park for round five of the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Remarkably, despite United having only one once in four attempts in the competition so far, they still have every chance of qualifying for the knockouts.

Bayern Munich have dominated the group, winning all four fixtures, while Copenhagen sit second on four points, Galatasaray third also on four, and United last with three points.

That means the two remaining games in this group - against the Turkish giants, followed by Bayern, have become must-win.

United are the team with the mountain to climb here. They lost to Galatasaray at home, and many will expect Bayern to beat Copenhagen. That will mean that whoever wins from the final round fixture between Galatasaray and Copenhagen will likely go through - that is if United can beat a Bayern side unbeaten in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

Wednesday’s fixture has to go down as a win for United, or they can say all but farewell to the knockout rounds.

United are, in fact, the form side in the Premier League at the moment having won four of their last five games. Galatasaray aren’t in bad form themselves, sitting second in the Turkish Süper Lig, having lost one all season.

They have also only faltered to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, picking up a win against United and a draw at home to Copenhagen in their other games.

Rams Park is somewhat of a fortress - Galatasaray have not lost there all year. They also boast a wealth of experience in Mauro Icardi, Hakim Ziyech and Dries Mertens.

Lest we also forget the Wilfred Zaha narrative - deemed not good enough by United nearly ten years, he then scored against them in the elite continental competition when the two sides met at the start of October. Circular.

A lot rests on this game for ten Hag, and while no one expects United to win the competition, having looked at the group prior to any games being played, virtually everyone will have expected them to get out of it. If they do, it’ll be by the skin of their teeth, and if they win on Wednesday, it’ll also be by that same skin. The question is: how far will it stretch?

They do, however, look far more resilient and structured since that October loss, and I see a single-goal victory here. 2-1 United.

Galatasaray Predicted Lineup vs Man United

Muslera; Boey, Sanchez, Bardakci, Angelino; Ayhan, Torreira; Ziyech, Akturkoglu, Zaha; Icardi

Man United Predicted Lineup vs Galatasaray

Onana, Dalot, Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw; McTominay, Mainoo; Antony, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund