Porto v Man Utd – Preview, Predictions and Best Bets

Porto hosts Manchester United in the Europa League on Thursday night. The Red Devils drew 1-1 with FC Twente in their opening European match, while the Dragons lost 3-2 to ten-man Bodo/Glimt. This will be the first meeting between these two giants since 2009.

Porto Form

FC Porto won their first four matches this season but have since suffered two damaging defeats in their last five games. They began the season by beating Sporting Lisbon 4-3 in the Super Cup after extra time. After three straight Primeira Liga wins without conceding, they lost 2-0 to Sporting, being thoroughly outplayed and conceding 2.94 xG.

Porto bounced back with a 3-2 win at Vitória Guimarães before a shock loss last week. Despite playing most of the second half against ten men, they lost 3-2 away to Bodo/Glimt, outshooting their Norwegian opponents 28-11. On Sunday, they cruised to a 4-0 win over ten-man Arouca in the league.

Porto Team News

Coach Vítor Bruno is without left-back Zaidu Sanusi as he recovers from a long-term knee injury. Veteran center-back Ivan Marcano is also sidelined. Center-back Otavio could return after missing the last few fixtures.

Striker Samuel Omorodion is a key player, having scored five goals in his last four matches. Zé Pedro is set to anchor the defense following the retirement of Pepe.

Porto Motivation

Motivation will be sky-high for this match. Facing a high-profile opponent like Manchester United, Porto will want to make their mark on the competition with a strong performance.

Expect a high-energy approach with plenty of width and pace. Porto would likely be content with a draw if it comes to that.

Man Utd Form

Manchester United is enduring another poor season so far. They are winless in three matches and have suffered three defeats in six league games, including two 3-0 losses at Old Trafford. After a late 1-0 win over Fulham in round one, they lost 2-1 at Brighton in the last minute and were thrashed 3-0 at home by Liverpool.

A 3-0 win at Southampton came after the Saints missed a penalty at 0-0. A 7-0 thrashing of Barnsley seemed promising, but they followed it up with a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace, missing five big chances. They opened their Europa League campaign by outshooting FC Twente 19-7 but only managed a 1-1 draw. On Sunday, they were outclassed in a 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham, conceding 4.59 xG and nine big chances.

Man Utd Team News

United has several injury concerns ahead of this match. Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro, and Tyrell Malacia are all unavailable in defense. Harry Maguire is a major doubt and may not be able to feature.

In midfield, Mason Mount and Kobbie Mainoo both went off injured against Tottenham. Christian Eriksen is expected to start, and Casemiro and Rasmus Højlund could also come into the starting XI.

Man Utd Motivation

Manchester United needs a result after Sunday’s heavy defeat. Even a solid performance and a draw may be acceptable under the circumstances.

Another loss would significantly increase pressure on Erik ten Hag, especially with the international break approaching.

Key Stats

Porto has won 9 of their last 12 home matches, including a 1-0 victory over Arsenal.

Porto’s Samuel Omorodion has scored 5 goals in his last 4 matches.

Manchester United has lost 3 of their last 5 league matches.

Manchester United has failed to score in 3 of their last 6 matches (across all competitions).

Manchester United has won 4 of their last 6 away Europa League matches.

Verdict

Manchester United looks disorganized at the moment, while Porto is a strong team and recently defeated Arsenal. The hosts offer good value to win or at least avoid defeat.

Best Bet: Porto win at 2.65

Alternate Bet: Porto win/draw double chance + Over 1.5 goals at 1.95

Goalscorer Tip: Omorodion to score anytime at 2.60

James O'Connor

James is a football analyst who writes about the tactics of the PSL and English Premier League. He holds the UEFA A coaching licence and has previously worked for several clubs in analysis roles.Twitter: https://twitter.com/footy_analysis