Real Sociedad could be missing seven players against Manchester United

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Real Sociedad could be missing seven players for Thursday’s Europa League Group E showdown against Manchester United.

The La Liga side go into the sixth matchday three points clear of Erik ten Hag‘s side with both teams assured of qualification to the knockout stages.

But with the top side going straight through to the last-16 as opposed to facing a third-placed Champions League side in a play-off if you finish second, United need to beat La Real by multiple goals to win Group E.

That’s because Imanol Alguacil’s San Sebastian side won matchday one at Old Trafford 1-0 following a somewhat dubious penalty kick being awarded.

European competitions are decided, when teams are on equal points, by head-to-head record. If two teams have the same head-to-head record and finish on level points, it then comes down to which team had the better aggregate score.

Finishing top of Group E would mean that we would avoid facing the likes of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla Ajax and Juventus who look set to drop into the Europa League come the new year.

Real Sociedad could be missing seven players against Manchester United

Sociedad come into the game at the Reale Serguros Stadium off the back of losing 2-0 at home against Real Betis on Sunday, and Alguacil’s side have now lost back-to-back La Liga games after losing 1-0 to Real Valladolid the week prior.

Like Ten Hag’s side, Sociedad also sit fifth in the table, and they have registered one point less than the Red Devils with 22 points from 12 league games.

According to MARCA, Alguacil could be missing as many as seven first-team players for Thursday’s decider.

Former Manchester City playmaker David Silva is joined on the sidelines by Mikel Oyarzabal, Umar Sadiq, Ander Barrenetxea, Momo Cho, Aihen Munoz and Take Kubo.

As well as Silva, Sadiq, Munoz and Kubo started Sociedad’s win at the Theatre of Dreams, but with the quartet potentially unavailable, Ten Hag will be hoping his side can take advantage of the Spanish team’s injury struggles.