Can Umar Sadiq help Real Sociedad end a nine-year curse at Man United?

The Nigeria worldwide has barely spent 9 days within the Basque nation, however he’s already up in opposition to a nine-year jinx that has held the San Sebastian membership again in opposition to the English giants

Manchester United are clear favourites to safe the win and bag all three factors at stake after they host Actual Sociedad at Outdated Trafford in a matchday one fixture of this season’s Europa League.

After tumbling to early defeats by the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford, the Crimson Devils have displayed new-found confidence and swagger in latest weeks.

Supervisor Erik Ten Hag has guided Man United to spectacular victories over Liverpool, Southampton, Leicester Metropolis, and Arsenal.

And United seem set to make it 5 wins on the bounce and add Actual Sociedad to that record of conquered oppositions.

Can Actual Sociedad stand as much as this formidable English foe?

It’s a robust ask to count on Actual Sociedad to go as much as Outdated Trafford and beat 20-time Premier League champions Man United.

In 4 earlier conferences between the 2 groups, the Spaniards haven’t managed a win, dropping twice and drawing the opposite two.

In soccer, if you don’t rating, you can’t win.

It then turns into extra disturbing that Actual Sociedad have by no means scored in opposition to the Crimson Devils – dwelling or away – since their first assembly in October 2013, 9 years in the past.

That barren La Actual run has not been due to a scarcity of high quality strikers.

The San Sebastian membership had Carlos Vela and Antoine Griezmann in 2013. Final yr, Actual boasted Mikel Oyarzabal, Adnan Januzaj, and Alexander Isak.

Nonetheless, the Spanish La Liga campaigners couldn’t breach the Crimson Devils’ rearguard.

Can Sadiq break that nine-year membership curse?

Actual Sociedad signed Umar Sadiq – one in every of Nigeria’s most interesting – final week as a direct substitute for Alexander Isak, who earlier moved to Newcastle United.

The Tremendous Eagles striker was a constant goalscorer for Almeria earlier than La Actual broke the financial institution to snap him up on switch deadline day.

Sadiq immediately confirmed the stuff he was product of on his debut for the White and Blues, coming off the bench to go dwelling the equaliser within the 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid.

Whereas United’s defence has proven extra solidity in latest weeks, Erik Ten Hag’s males must be cautious of a person who netted 43 targets in 84 appearances for Almeria.

Given that almost all of that haul was struck within the Segunda Division, Sadiq can nonetheless lay declare to 3 targets in 4 La Liga video games – in his first-ever month within the Primeira Division. Sadiq has scored in opposition to each group he has confronted this time period, bar Actual Madrid.

Once more, this isn’t Sadiq’s first outing within the Europa League, and he was not objective shy in earlier appearances.

The Nigerian ahead has 4 targets and one help in six matches in Europe’s second-tier membership competitors to underline his all-round capacity.

Admittedly, Sadiq didn’t discover the goal on the 2 events he confronted Manchester United on this competitors in 2019 whereas representing Serbian aspect Partizan Belgrade. Partizan misplaced dwelling (1-0) and away (3-0) to the Crimson Devils.

It’s, nonetheless, necessary to notice that Sadiq has improved considerably from the participant he was two years in the past. Ask any Glasgow Rangers fan close to you.

Man United will doubtless be too sturdy for Actual Sociedad on Thursday. But it surely is not going to shock many to see La Actual’s file signing get his title on the scorer’s chart and assist finish a curse that had hung within the air for 9 years.