Manchester United vs FC Twente predictions: Red Devils to grind out opening success

– Manchester United have lost one of their last 25 home games in the Europa League
– FC Twente’s Sem Steijn has scored seven goals in his last six games
– Recommended bet: Manchester United to win & under 3.5 goals

An FA Cup final success spared Manchester United the ignominy of failing to qualify for European competition, although the bright lights of the Champions League would be much more preferable for the Old Trafford hierarchy than a Europa League adventure.

That said, the new format means there will be no Champions League teams dropping into the knockout stages this season, so United, who begin their European bid against FC Twente on Wednesday, would appear to have a decent shot at lifting the trophy for a second time.

Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund were unused substitutes in United’s goalless Premier League draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday and may play some part as they work their way back after injury.

Central defender Victor Lindelof has returned to training, but Lenny Yoro remains on the sidelines and Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are both unlikely to feature.

FC Twente’s Younes Taha will miss a number of months after breaking his leg, while Czech international midfielder Michal Sadilek has yet to feature this season.

Manchester United have lost only one of their last 25 home matches in the Europa League. They have won 17 times in that run and there have been at least three goals scored in each of the last four.

FC Twente are fourth in the Eredivisie following a thumping 5-0 win at Almere City at the weekend.

That was their second game in a row in which both teams did not score, but the Dutch visitors’ first six games of the season had all featured goals at both ends.

Sem Steijn scored a double for Twente at the weekend and has now netted seven goals in his last six appearances.

United would rather have been opening their European campaign in the Champions League last week and the Red Devils have not been set the most straightforward starting point against FC Twente.

The Dutch visitors pushed FC Salzburg in Champions League qualifying and they certainly have goals in them.

Twente have yet to be kept off the scoresheet this season and in Steijn, who has netted seven goals in his last six outings, they have a striker in supreme form.

It is hard to have total faith in United at prohibitive odds, although for all their struggles they have been beaten just three times at Old Trafford in 2024 – two of those were against Arsenal and Liverpool.

Only one of their matches this season has featured more than three goals – last week’s 7-0 hammering of League One Barnsley in the EFL Cup – so backing a home win and under 3.5 goals on Wednesday at a shade of odds-on is advised.

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