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LASK vs Manchester United Preview: How to Watch on TV, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News

​A Manchester United side in red hot form travel to Austria to take on LASK in the first leg of their Europa League last 16 tie on Thursday evening. 

Still riding high from an impressive derby victory against Manchester City, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side will need to keep their wits about them as the Austrian league leaders LASK have proven to be a team not to be underestimated throughout their European adventure. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Manchester United are the clear favourites but a recurring theme throughout the season has been their fallibility against sides they 'should' defeat. Whether LASK can take advantage of this precedent should make for an intriguing encounter on Thursday evening. 

Where to Watch

​When Is Kick Off? ​Thursday 12 March
​What Time is Kick Off? ​17:55 (GMT)
​Where Is it Played? ​Linzer Stadion
​TV Channel/Live Stream? ​BT Sport 2
​Referee? ​Artur Dias

Team News

LASK will be without several players for this home tie with regular starters Thomas Goiginger and Marvin Potzmann joining Husein Balic on the treatment table. 

The key loss for LASK will be the absence of their centre-back Philipp Wiesinger who had played every minute of their Europa League campaign until he received a second yellow card in the last round. He, and fellow defender Petar Filipović, will be back in time for the return leg but the tie may already be over by then. 

After another impressive defensive display against Manchester City and Raheem Sterling, Aaron Wan-Bissaka is a doubt with a back injury, while Daniel James also picked up a knock at the weekend. 

Other than long-term absentees Paul Pogba and ​Marcus Rashford, United should have a strong squad to pick from going into the midweek tie. 

Predicted Lineups

LASK​ ​Schlager; Ramsebner, Wrosty, Trauner; Ranftl, Michorl, Holland, Renner; Tetteh, Raguz, Frieser
​Manchester United ​Romero; Maguire, Lindelöf, Shaw; Dalot, McTominay, Fred, Williams; Fernandes; Greenwood, Martial

Head-to-Head Record

LASK have never played an English club in UEFA competition before. However, Bruno Fernandes will be a familiar face to Thursday night's opponents having orchestrated Sporting CP's 2-1 victory over the Austrians in the group stages of the competition. 

Fernandes has seamlessly slotted into this ​Manchester United side and was again instrumental in ​Sunday's derby win. With a goal and an assist after one meeting with the Austrian outfit, it feels likely that Thursday will see the 25-year-old add to this tally.

Recent Form

Putting aside their cup semi-final loss to RB Salzburg last week, LASK are in a superb run of form both in Europe and their domestic league. 

It was their dramatic 3-2 victory away to the aforementioned Salzburg (admittedly a side having sold Erling Braut Haaland and Takumi Minamino) which sent LASK to the top of the Austrian first tier on Valentine's Day - a lead they have extended to six points in the following weeks and could lead to their first title since 1964/65. 

Manchester United themselves are in the midst of a devastating streak. Since back-to-back 2-0 defeats to Liverpool and Burnley in January, Solskjaer has again batted away his seemingly imminent departure with ten unbeaten matches across three competitions. 


However, one of their nervier performances in this run came in the first leg of the last round of Europa League fixtures away to an unfancied side outside of Europe's five richest divisions. They followed up that ​1-1 draw against Club Brugge with a resounding 5-0 home victory but should they deliver an equally slack display against LASK, they may be more severely punished. 

 

​LASK Manchester United​
​SV Mattersburg 0-1 LASK (08/03) ​Manchester United 2-0 Manchester City (08/03)
​RB Salzburg 1-0 LASK (05/03) ​Derby County 0-3 Manchester United (05/03)
​LASK 5-1 TSV Hartberg (01/03) ​Everton 1-1 Manchester United (01/03)
​LASK 2-0 AZ Alkmaar (27/02) ​Manchester United 5-0 Club Brugge (27/02)
​LASK 4-1 SKN St. Pölten (23/02) ​Manchester United 3-0 Watford (23/02)

Prediction

LASK are yet to taste defeat on home soil in the Europa League this season having come up against Rosenborg, Sporting CP, PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar. But, despite their malaise since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United are a step up in quality compared to LASK's previous opponents. 

Bruno Fernandes

Given United's form and the immediate impact Fernandes has had on this side, it looks as if their unbeaten run is more likely to be extended rather than halted in Austria this Thursday evening. 

Prediction: LASK 0-2 Manchester United


Source : 90min