Date: Wednesday, November 27 Venue: BayArena Kick-Off: 19:45 One of either Bayer Leverkusen or Manchester United can secure their passage through to the knockout stages of the Champions League with a win tonight.
Team News
Leverkusen will be without Sidney Sam after the winger tore a thigh muscle just four minutes into his side's 1-0 win over Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Manager Sami Hyypia has no other injury concerns, however. Manchester United duo Robin van Persie and Nemanja Vidic miss out after suffering from a groin injury and concussion, respectively, and neither have flown to Germany. Midfielder Marouane Fellaini is suspended. (bbc)
Key Stats
The last time these sides met, Manchester United prevailed 4-2 at Old Trafford, with two from Wayne Rooney and a goal apiece from Robin van Persie and Antonio Valencia sinking the Germans. Since losing 4-2 to United in the reverse of this fixture, Leverkusen have picked up seven points from three games. United travel to Germany on the back of a 10-game unbeaten run. Leverkusen are second in the Bundesliga, and have recorded eight consecutive home victories in the Champions League group stages.
A win for either Bayer Leverkusen or Manchester United will safely secure their passage through to the knockout stages of the Champions League tonight. That's what's at stake as these two heavyweights prepare to do battle once more in Group A, which has so far yet to see United fly out of the traps. The Red Devils were tipped to win the group but two wins and as many draws from their opening four games leaves them delicately balanced in first place by just a point, with work still to be done. Since losing 4-2 to United in the reverse of this fixture at Old Trafford, Leverkusen have been in fine form. They are currently second in the Bundesliga - just four points off leaders Bayern Munich - and have picked up seven points in their following three games. Leverkusen have also recorded eight consecutive home victories in the Champions League group stages, and this will be no straightforward fixture for visiting United. "We have always played well at home," said former Liverpool defender Hyypia.
"It won't be easy for Manchester United and, of course, we really want to win."
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
