Galatasaray 0-0 Man United – Champions League: Live score, team news and updates as Red Devils face must-win clash as Erik ten Hag makes four changes with Rasmus Hojlund back and Kobbie Mainoo named on bench
Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Galatasaray host Manchester United in a crunch clash in the Champions League.
Galatasaray on the advance early!
Zaha and Ziyech making headway early on down the left wing to win a corner.
But United defend it well and it comes back out to half-way.
Kick-off!
The noise inside this stadium is incredible. Everybody inside the stadium is on their feet singing!
What an atmosphere!
How important will Icardi be tonight for Galatasaray?
After scoring the winning goal in their previous clash, Icardi, has a whopping 16 goals in 21 games across all competitions.
Maguire and Lindelof will need to be on guard to keep him quiet tonight!
Here we go!
Kick off is just minutes away and the Galatasaray fans have unveiled their iconic ‘Welcome to Hell’ tifo.
Back in 1993 United were greeted with the same banner at Galatasaray before they were knocked out of the Champions League.
The noise inside this stadium is deafening – but will United suffer the same fate as 1993 tonight?
Kobbie Mainoo on the bench
After his excellent performance against Everton at the weekend, United have opted not to start 18-year-old youngster Kobbie Mainoo.
And TNT Sports pundits Owen Hargreaves, Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand have all questioned Erik ten Hag’s decision to not start him in tonight’s fixture, with mainoo on the bench for the match.
Hargreaves said to TNT Sports: ‘Not the strongest team. I would have loved to see the young kid, Kobbie Mainoo, I thought he was absolutely brilliant, our best player in the game (against Everton). I was looking forward to seeing him in this atmosphere.’
Scholes agreed adding: ‘Yeah I was as well. He had a great game against Everton in a hostile atmosphere which it is going to be here as well.
‘I can sort of understand why because he hasn’t played a lot of football, he had an injury in pre-season and I think possibly his third game back, Sunday and a couple of reserve team games. I can understand why he’s gone for a little more experience in Amrabat.’
But Rio Ferdinand believes Ten Hag will deploy him in their upcoming game against Newcastle at the weekend: ‘There’s the game against Newcastle on Saturday which I expect him to start. I think he’s just protecting him a little bit.
‘And I think in the long run it won’t do him any harm for him to sit and watch the first 45 minutes at least.’
Gosh the rain is still falling down here!
The pitch looks pretty good as the players are warming up but the rain continues to fall here.
After a few minutes though I’m skeptical of how it might cut up.
It’ll be trying conditions for both teams, especially for United with the home fans on their back too.
Speaking on the atmosphere tonight at the RAMS Stadium though, Rio Ferdinand has told TNT Sports that these are the types of games players should want to play in.
‘These are the types of atmospheres you live for, you dream about, Ferdinand said.
‘This is a great occasion for all the guys involved today. Leaders are important here because the game can quickly be taken away from you if it goes wrong in the first stages.
‘The likes of Maguire, the likes of Amrabat who’s played in big games, World Cups, Luke Shaw, those are going to be important players for the younger players (to look up to).’
Warm ups are in full flow!
Bruno Fernandes has also been speaking on recent criticism made against him claiming that the flack he’s received ‘is quite normal’.
‘It’s quite normal when you play for Manchester United that you’re going to be criticised, if you do well or badly, if you do the right thing or the wrong thing. I just have to deal with that,’ he said ahead of the game.
‘My focus is on the team, the staff and everyone that works with me day by day. They are really happy with me.
‘The way I am is the same since I arrived and has not changed by being the captain.
‘I’m really open with everyone and nobody until now has had a problem with me.
‘Everyone is pretty happy with my leadership so I think I have to keep it the same way.’
Do the odds weigh in Galatasaray's favour?
United haven’t scored a goal in Istanbul against Galatasaray in their last three meetings.
And Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk is confident his side can steal another win tonight against United.
‘For Turkish football, these games are very important, especially promoting from the group stage. Winning these games is very important,’ he said.
‘Of course we will have one more game but when we win this game, we will have a huge advantage.’
Welcome to hell!
Mail Sport’s Chris Wheeler and Oliver Holt are both at the RAMS Stadium tonight and have given their preview of the match.
How much do Man United need to win tonight?
'The pitch is good' – Ten Hag
Speaking to TNT Sports Erik Ten Hag has given an update on the state of the pitch.
‘I was just on the pitch. It was raining the whole day. Manchester weather. We are very used to it. I think the pitch is good.
‘We are happy Anthony Martial is fit over a long period. We want to keep him fit, he will contribute this season.
‘Rasmus [Hojlund]’s speed is a huge weapon. We want to use that.
‘Sofyan [Amrabat] is used to playing big games, and has a lot of experience to play big games, with big atmospheres whereas [Kobbie Mainoo] is returning from an injury. He has to get used to a number of games at a high level with high intensity.
‘We have to make the crowd whistle. Don’t quieten the crowd, we have to make sure they are whistling all the time because then we are playing well. We look forward.’
Ten Hag sticks up for Bruno Fernandes after Roy Keane's criticism…
Ahead of tonight’s match, Erik ten Hag has stuck up for his captain after he copped abuse from Roy Keane after the Dutchman had lumped praise on Bruno Fernandes for giving Marcus Rashford a penalty during their 3-0 win against Everton on Sunday.
The Man United manager heralded the ‘great leadership’ of Fernandes before claiming his decision to give Rashford the penalty was ‘an example of why’ the Portugal international is the side’s captain.
Some stats coming into the match
Galatasaray failed to win their first five European games against Man United – but have won their last two Champions League games against the Red Devils.
No team in the opening four Champions League matchdays has conceded more goals than Man United in the 15 minutes before half time.
Hojlund has scored five goals in his first four Champions League appearances for United, including one in their previous match against Galatasaray. Can he score again tonight?
Can United go second in the group tonight?
The Red Devils have interestingly not scored an away goal at Galatasaray in their last three previous attempts, two 0-0 draws and a 0-1 defeat.
Ten hag has brought Antony back into the side today and they will also be boosted by the return of Rasmus Hojlund too. It’s a team that has a great deal of attacking fire power, but will not feature Marcus Rashford after his red card against FC Copenhagen.
UEFA insists tonight's game WILL go ahead
Doubts have been raised over tonight’s match as huge storms have washed through Istanbul in the past few days.
The pitch at the RAMS Stadium earlier this afternoon looked saturated with plenty of surface water sitting on the top of the playing field.
Yet, UEFA have re-affirmed that the match will go ahead as planned…
Galatasaray's team to play Man United
Icardi will start for Galatasaray up top, while Zaha will also start on the left wing, opposite Ziyech.
In midfield Ndombele and Torreira will sit behind Mertens, with Angelino, Ayhan, Bardakci and Boey making up the defence.
Musiera starts in goal.
Hojlund returns for United
Rasmus Hojlund suffered what appeared to be a hamstring injury during their 1-0 win against Luton before the international break.
But it seems he is fit enough to start tonight and Erik ten Hag will be hoping the Danish striker will be able to get on the score sheet as he did during Man United’s most previous outing against Galatasaray.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag has made four changes following their win against Everton on Sunday, with Sofyan Amrabat, Victor Lindelof and Antony also coming back into their starting line up.
Ten Hag and his team walk the pitch
It looks like the rain has subsided in the last 20 minutes, with Man United’s players and manager stepping out onto the field to check out the conditions.
Kick-off for tonight’s game is at 5.45pm UK time.
I wonder what Ten Hag is saying to his team here…
Tonight's game…
Man United have arrived at the RAMS Stadium in Istanbul and look in good spirits.
Erik ten Hag and his side have just been spotted walking around the pitch checking out the conditions.
United come into this match after they suffered a 4-3 defeat to FC Copenhagen in their most recent Champions League outing.
With all of Galatasaray, Copenhagen and Man United still able to qualify from Group A, a win tonight for either side will be pivotal in helping them qualify for the last 16.
Galatasaray have a slight advantage over United, leading them by a point in the group, and come into this match off the back of a win against Alanyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig.
In their last five games they’ve gone 3-2 in wins and lossess, suffering two defeats to Hatayspor and Bayern Munich.
Okan Buruk’s men also notably turned Man United over in a huge victory at Old Trafford last month, with Wilfried Zaha, Kerem Akturkoglu both scoring before Mauro Icardi netted the winner in the 81st minute.
As for Ten Hag’s side, they claimed a huge 3-0 victory against Everton this weekend, with Alejandro Garnacho scoring an absolutely stunning over head kick to silence the Toffees fans protesting their recent 10-point deduction.
But they’ll be up against a tough Galatasaray side, torrential weather and a partisan crowd, who will all make things very difficult for United tonight…
United U19s lose to Galatasaray in the pouring rain!
Earlier this afternoon, Man United’s U19s side were beaten by Galatasaray in torrential weather conditions.
The Red Devils were beaten 1-0, with biblical showers sweeoping across Istanbul ahead of the senior side’s clash tonight.
Doubts have been raised over whether the match will go ahead with the below images showing the extent of the storms.
Promising signs though
Looks like the grounds staff have been doing a pretty good job to remove the surface water on the pitch.
Plus the Champions League banner has been unfurled on the centre circle…
A very saturated pitch…
But the pitch wasn’t looking the best earlier this afternoon…
But the weather is not stopping United…
According to Manchester Evening News reporter Samuel Luckhurst, Erik ten Hag’s side are proceeding as plans, despite the torrential rain and have left their hotel and are on the way to the ground.
Storms putting tonight's game in some doubt!
Storms have raged through Istanbul over the last few days and are expected to continue right through to kick-off.
It means, should the game go ahead at the RAMS Park, Erik ten Hag’s side will have to deal with a fearsome home atmosphere as well as a saturated pitch.
UEFA officials are inspecting the pitch and, at present, are satisfied the game, set to kick off at 5.45pm, will go ahead.
Pictures have been posted online showing puddles seeming to appear on the pitch.
Positive signs have emerged though, with the Champions League banner being dragged out onto the centre circle just over two hours before kick-off.
Mail Sport’s Adam Shergold has the latest below…
Good afternoon!
Welcome to Mail Sport’s live coverage of Manchester United’s Champions League clash against Galatasaray!
Erik ten Hag’s side arrived in Istanbul on Tuesday, ready for the crunch match.
The Red Devils must win tonight to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the competition alive, with United currently bottom of Grounp A, nine points behind Bayern Munich who sit top of the group.
United were beaten 3-2 last time these two teams met in the competition, with Mauro Icardi scoring a late winner to steal three points at Old Trafford.
We’ll have all the latest updates, news and commentary from the game, but first let’s quickly take a look at the conditions which are throwing tonight’s game into some doubt…
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