Kick-off: 1745, 23/11/2021
Stadium: El Madrigal
TV: BT Sport
Manchester United begin life after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and will be hoping caretaker boss Michael Carrick can help to steady the ship.
Solskjaer paid the price for a shocking run of five defeats in seven Premier League matches, but their form in Europe has been much better.
United have produced plenty of drama in the Champions League but now have the chance to qualify for the last 16 with a match to spare as they head to Spain.
Victory over Villarreal would see them reach the knockout stage and a draw will be enough if the other match in the group between Young Boys and Atalanta is also a draw.
Villarreal have been the draw specialists in La Liga this season and the points to be shared at 3.50 is our opening Villarreal vs Man Utd prediction.
Villarreal Odds
Villarreal have certainly shown they can match United for long periods and another close contest looks likely on Tuesday.
Last season’s Europa League final between these teams ended 1-1 before Villarreal won on penalties and Unai Emery’s team were seconds away from earning a point at Old Trafford in September.
Paco Alcacer gave Villarreal the lead early in the second half but Alex Telles volleyed in an equaliser on the hour mark and Cristiano Ronaldo then grabbed a dramatic winner for United in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Villarreal are undoubtedly hard to beat, as they have shown with draws at Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid this season, but they have also managed just one win against top-half teams in La Liga.
That lack of ruthlessness could be a problem again here but they will surely look to take the game to United, knowing a win would send them through if Atalanta fail to beat Young Boys.
Slow starts have been an issue for United and looking at the Villarreal vs Man Utd odds, we fancy the hosts to score first at 2.20.
Manchester United Odds
United’s Champions League campaign could have gone very differently if it were not for Ronaldo.
Defeat in their opening match at Young Boys was a major disappointment and qualification would have looked a tall order had Ronaldo not struck in the dying seconds against Villarreal.
The Portuguese star then grabbed an 81st-minute winner at home to Atalanta and again struck in injury time to earn a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture in Italy.
Having one of the world’s greatest players on the pitch means United can often produce a goal out of nowhere but keeping clean sheets is proving an issue.
The Red Devils have already conceded seven goals in the group and their defence will surely be tested here, with Villarreal hoping to take control of the group ahead of a trip to Atalanta in their final match.
All the evidence points towards an open game so we’re taking a punt on a 2-2 draw at 12.50 as the last of our Villarreal vs Man Utd betting tips.
Additional Villarreal vs Man Utd stats
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