Manchester United vs PAOK tips and predictions: Red Devils aim to snap six-match winless streak in Europe

By Dan Coyle

Manchester United state of play

It has been a rough ride through the early part of this season for the Red Devils. The club has posted just two wins in 10 matches across all competitions. That run includes a middling 0-3-0 start in UEFA Europa League action that extends their current winless streak in European play to six games. 

The biggest casualty of Manchester United’s early-season swoon has been manager Erik ten Hag, who was sacked in the wake of the club’s 2-1 Premier League loss to West Ham United on October 27. With Ruud van Nistelrooy as interim manager, the Red Devils have picked up points in two outings, capped by Sunday’s 1-1 tie with visiting Chelsea.

PAOK Thessaloniki state of play

PAOK are also searching for their first win of the UEFA Europa League season in Thursday’s matchup at Old Trafford. The club picked up their first point in three tournament games last time out, scoring twice in the final six minutes to draw level at 2-2 with Vikjtoria Plzen. 

Streakiness has been the theme in the early going of PAOK’s campaign. The defending Greek Super League champions opened their league schedule with three straight victories during a torrid 5-0-0 run across all competitions. But have picked up just one win in five subsequent matches. After claiming sole possession of second place in the Greek Super League table with Sunday’s 2-1 win over Lamia, the club now looks to win three in a row for the second time this season.

Key talking point: Can Bruno Fernandes maintain recent touch and end Europa League scoring drought

Among the Manchester United players most likely to be impacted by the recent departure of Erik ten Hag is midfielder Bruno Fernandes. Named Red Devils captain by ten Hag, Fernandes did little on offence to help his former manager save his job. In addition to going goalless in his first nine Premier League matches, Fernandes has also failed to find the mark in his past four Europa League match appearances and has complicated matters by picking up red cards in recent Premier League and Europa League contests.

However, the firing of ten Hag appears to have lit a fire under Fernandes, who scored twice in the club’s 5-2 rout of Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on October 30 and followed up with his first goal of the Premier League campaign in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with the Blues.

Fernandes’ resurgence is timely for a Red Devils’ squad that has tallied just nine total goals in 10 Premier League matches and just five goals in Europa League play. It also takes the pressure off attackers like Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund, who have combined to score just one total goal since the club’s 3-3 draw with Porto back on October 3.

FIRST's top tip for Manchester United vs PAOK - Fernandes to score at 7/5 with Matchbook

With Bruno Fernandes taking the recent firing of Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag to heart, look for the Red Devils captain to maintain his steady scoring pace and with a 7/5 bet Matchbook to score in Thursday’s contest.

Extra tips

1st half market: Manchester United to score over 1.5 goals before HT at 107/100 with Mr Play

Goals have come at a premium for PAOK, who have scored just three times during their current 0-1-2 Europa League run. PAOK strikers have particularly struggled to find the mark early on in Europa League action, going goalless in the first half in each of their past three matches. 

However, with the Red Devils now highly motivated to welcome their new boss on a winning note, there is plenty of value to be found in Manchester United tallying over 1.5 goals before half-time on Thursday (107/100 odds at MrPlay). 

Team News

Injuries remain a big concern for Manchester United, who could be missing as many as eight players when they resume Europa League play on Thursday. While the club welcomed Mason Mount back to training on Monday, he remains sidelined due to a blow to the head suffered in the club’s 3-0 loss to Spurs back on September 29.

Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro join Mount in the injury clinic. PAOK are expected to be missing star playmaker Giannis Konstantelias for a second straight match with an undisclosed injury.

Manchester United vs PAOK predicted line-ups

Manchester United: Onana; Dalot, de Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui; Ugarte, Casemiro; Amad, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund (4-2-3-1)

PAOK: Kotarski; Jonny, Kędziora, Lovren, Baba; Schwab, Camara; Despodov, Taison, Murg; Brandon Thomas (4-2-3-1)

Odds correct at the time of writing.