All eyes are on Manchester United and whether the turmoil that cost the manager his job just days ago can cost the team a spot in the lucrative UEFA Champions League knockout stages.
Just two days after bringing in assistant Michael Carrick to replace former coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Man United faced the most difficult trip in the Champions League group stage at Villarreal. The Spanish side overcame Man United by big distances in their first game at Old Trafford, only to lose 2-1 after Cristiano Ronaldo’s heroics. Villarreal also beat Man United on penalties to win the Europa League trophy in May.
Manchester United are top of Group F with two matches left, but the margin is pretty thin. It has seven points with Villarreal and the lead thanks to that win in September. Italy’s Atalanta (5 points) will face Swiss club Young Boys (3 points) and both will surely win a draw at Villarreal. A win for Man United or Villarreal would guarantee a place in the Round of 16.
CLOCK: Villarreal vs Man United live on fuboTV
Sporting News will follow the Villarreal-Manchester United match live and provide scores, commentary and highlights as they happen.
F group standings
| Team | PTS | GP | W | OFFER | NS | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Manchester United | 7 | 4 | 2 | first | first | 8 | 7 | +1 |
| 2. Villarreal | 7 | 4 | 2 | first | first | 9 | 5 | +4 |
| 3. Atalanta | 5 | 4 | first | first | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 4. BSC Young Boys | 3 | 4 | first | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | -5 |
Villarreal vs. Manchester United
| 1HOUR | 2 family | Final | |
| Villarreal | 0 | – | – |
| Manchester United | 0 | – | – |
Goal:
(All Eastern Ages)
34th minute: Ronaldo’s shot went straight into the goal. Wasted opportunity from a good position.
The last 34 free kicks of Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League:
✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️️️️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️️️️️️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️
He has not scored since September 2016. #UCL
– Soccer Squawka (@Squawka) November 23, 2021
33rd minute: Yeremy Pino knocks out Manchester United’s Alex Telles to save a run into the Villarreal box and he is booked. Pino will miss Villarreal’s final game in December.
30th minute: After a United corner was cleared, left-back Alex Telles hit a corner that Cristiano Ronaldo headed straight towards the keeper. Man United looks to be the most dangerous on all fronts so far.
27th minute.: What a save from De Gea! Manu Trigueros from the right corner of the box fired a shot towards goal, but De Gea caught up and made another save.
22nd minute: Cristiano Ronaldo got angry after he was pushed from behind near Villarreal’s penalty area. But no call came from the referee.
11th minute: Aaron Wan-Bissaka shouted for a handball inside the United box, but the arm was clamped. There was no call.
10th minute: Villarreal’s Yeremy Pino has a shot on goal, but it goes wide open. He wants that back.
5th minute: And Villarreal responded with a left-footed shot from Moi Gomez that David De Gea had to dive very low to save. Villarreal controlled the ball very early.
3rd minute: Opportunity for Man United. Alex Telles’s fixation from inside the box went wide, where Scott McTominay headed back into the net. Measurement starts for this one by both teams.
First minute: After the Man United players got on their knees (the Villarreal players did not), the game started.
12:49 pm: The start of the match was delayed due to the referee dealing with communication issues with his head set. He needs to go to the dressing room. This will take some time.
12:37 pm: Villarreal wants to make history in this match tonight:
12:36 pm: Carrick made his first two big decisions while benching Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford:
11:45 am: The Yellow Submarine is in a favorable position to advance. Of the 81 possible permutations, 69% of which have them go to the knockout round:
ANALIZADO AL MILÍMETRO EL GRUPO DEL @VillarrealCF 📊🖊️:
81 escenarios posibles (4 partidos by disputar):
> El Villarreal se clasificaría en 56 de esos 81 casos (69%)
> El Villarreal caería en 22 de esos 81 casos (27%)
> En 3 casos se decidiría by goles (4%) pic.twitter.com/Rnhkx3UqZc– Fran Martinez (@LaLigaenDirecto) November 23, 2021
11:41 am: The change of management seems to follow Cristiano Ronaldo:
The last 16 appearances for Cristiano Ronaldo’s club under 4 different managers (Pirlo, Allegri, Solskjaer, Carrick).
– Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) November 23, 2021
Villarreal vs. Manchester United
Bad news for Man United: Villarreal will have Arnaut Danjuma (ankle injury) and midfielder Etienne Capoue (muscular injury) full of speed and starting. However, last year’s top scorer Gerard Moreno is still sidelined and new acquisition Serge Aurier has not yet qualified.
Villarreal starting lineup (4-3-3, left to right): 13-Gero Rulli-GK – 12-Pervis Estupinan, 4-Pau Torres, 3-Raul Albiol (c), 8-Juan Foyth – 5-Dani Parejo, 6-Etienne Capoue, 14-Manu Trigueros – 15-Arnaut Danjuma, 23-Moi Gomez, 21-Yeremy Pino
Villarreal subs (11): 1-Sergio Asenjo-GK, 31-Iker Alvarez-GK, 2-Mario Gaspar, 22-Aissa Mandi, 24-Alfonso Pedraza, 17-Dani Raba, 18-Alberto Moreno, 20-Ruben Pena, 16-Boulaye Dia, 10 -Vicente Iborra, 11-Samuel Chukwueze, 9-Paco Alcacer
In Carrick’s first game in charge, he will be without five capable starting players: Paul Pogba (thigh), Raphael Varane (hamstring), Luke Shaw (concussion protocol), Mason Greenwood (COVID-19) -19) and Edinson Cavani (tendon). Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford started from the bench while Donny van de Beek took the place of Fernandes.
Manchester United starting lineup (4-2-3-1, left to right): 1-David de Gea-GK – 27-Alex Telles, 2-Victor Lindelof, 5-Harry Maguire (c), 29-Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 17-Fred, 39-Scott McTominay – 7-Cristiano Ronaldo, 34-Donny van de Beek, 25-Jadon Sancho – 9-Anthony Martial
Manchester United substitutes (10): 26-Dean Henderson-GK, 22-Tom Heaton-GK, 20-Diogo Dalot, 3-Eric Bailly, 31-Nemanja Matic, 18-Bruno Fernandes, 14-Jesse Lingard, 8-Juan Mata, 10-Marcus Rashford, 16 -Amad Diallo
THAN: Update Champions League standings and fixtures
How to watch Villarreal vs. Manchester United
- Day: Tuesday, November 23
- Time: 12:45 p.m. ET
- Channel: UniMas, TUDN
- Streaming online: fuboTV, Paramount +
The match at the Estadio de la Ceramica will be broadcast live on TV on UniMas and TUDN. Both channels are available to broadcast on fuboTV, available to new users for a 7-day free trial.
The match will also be available in English for Paramount+ subscribers.
In Canada, the Champions League is only available, live and on demand, on DAZN. And DAZN offers new customers a 30-day free trial.
