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Recommended bets
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Match preview
After suffering a record-breaking humiliation on Sunday, Manchester United need to bounce back and quickly.
On Sunday, they were demolished 7-0 by Liverpool at Anfield, conceding six times in a quite extraordinary second half.
Following defeats at Brentford and Man City, Erik ten Hag has become the first manager in Premier League history to concede 4+ in three inidivail halves.
This is also Man United’s joint-biggest defeat of all-time, along with other 7-0s at the hands of Blackburn (1926), Aston Villa (1930) and Wolves (1931).
To say a reaction is needed here would be an understatement.
Despite that, Manchester United are looking to remain on course for a potential cup treble.
Meanwhile, in this competition, Erik ten Hag’s team came through a colossal first knockout round tie against Barcelona, coming from behind twice to prevail 4-3 on aggregate.
Fred and then Antony the scorers in a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford a fortnight ago.
Man United won this trophy in 2017, subsequently reaching the 2020 semi-finals and the 2021 final.
Given that they’re now 14 points below Premier League Arsenal, their focus may be on the cup competitions, specifically this one.
That’s bad news for Real Betis, who went through the group phase unbeaten, winning five of six games, most notably defeating Roma 2-1 at Stadio Olimpico.
Los Verdiblancos haven’t reached the quarter-finals of any European competition for 25 years, failing to win all three previous visits to England.
Meanwhile, domestically, Manuel Pellegrini are in good form, winning three on the spin before Sunday night’s hard-fort goalless draw with Real Madrid.
Béticos have climbed up to fifth in La Liga, just three points below out-of-for Real Sociedad in fourth.
So, Manchester United are big favourites to get through, hoping to establish an unassailable lead at Old Trafford.
Manchester United team news
Given what happened at the weekend, Erik ten Hag will surely ring the changes.
Jadon Sancho didn’t even get off the bench at Anfield, so freshness, if nothing else, makes him a likely candidate to start.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka will probably return at right-back, after Diogo Dalot endured a torrid time.
Wout Weghorst was once again deployed as a number ten on Sunday, a move that ten Hag also used, with marginally more success, against Barcelona.
Further back in midfield, assuming Casemiro keeps his place, Scott McTominay could be rotated in for Fred, with Marcel Sabitzer out injured.
In attack, Marcus Rashford has scored 11 goals in 12 appearances at Old Trafford since the World Cup, looking to further improve that ratio here.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): de Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, MartÃnez, Malacia; Casemiro, McTominay, Fernandes; Sancho, Rashford; Weghorst.
Real Betis team news
Betis could be without, arguably, their two best players; Nabil Fekir will miss the rest of the season, while fellow midfielder Sergio Canales is a doubt; two massive blows.
Assuming Canales doesn’t make it, Rodri Sánchez will continue as the number ten.
Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has conceded just four goals in his six previous appearances against Manchester United, winning both times he appeared in derbies at Old Trafford.
Borja Iglesias, who has scored ten goals this season, will get the nod over Willian José in attack.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Bravo; Sabaly, Germán, Luiz Felipe, Miranda; Carvalho, RodrÃguez, Sánchez; Ruibal, Ayoze Pérez, Iglesias.
Manchester United vs Real Betis: Head to head statistics
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