Manchester United know only too well that Villareal are hard to beat — but that is what they must do on Wednesday.
United drew their first four games with Villareal 0-0 and it took penalties to separate them — to United’s downfall — in the Europa League final in May.
“And we were the better team in extra time,” rightly declared their goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli. He was at his best in Gdansk and kept another clean sheet at the Bernabeu on Saturday as Villarreal held La Liga leaders Real Madrid.
It was their fifth draw in six La Liga games to add to a stalemate in their Champions League game against Atalanta. Only Chelsea can claim to have beaten Unai Emery’s side this term — and that only after penalties in the UEFA Super Cup. Only Sevilla have conceded fewer than Villarreal’s three La Liga goals.
Still, a home win at Old Trafford has to happen. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will not lose his job if his side do not triumph, but United fans are not happy following three defeats in four matches.
The first of those came in their opening Champions League group game against Young Boys, the lowest-ranked team of a weak group. There was an overreaction online to that defeat, but fans could stomach a loss in isolation.
United did win their next match at
