Last updated & checked: 10/08/2021
This contest features two absolute juggernauts of their respective leagues. Manchester United have recently re-emerged from 2018 troubles to embark on an amazing winning streak under the wing of a new manager. Meanwhile, Paris Saint Germain have already torn down the Premier League runner-ups Liverpool in their Champions League ambitions, showing that they can hang with the best of the best that English football has to offer.
Not only that but with United looking to cling onto their rediscovered mojo for as long as they can and PSG looking to prove themselves outside the French league, there’s going to be no shortage of determination in this one. Here you have two teams that are motivated, determined and are red hot with momentum. There will be few harder-fought or tougher to call matches in any league than this one.
Manchester United vs Paris Saint Germain Prediction: Man United 1-0 PSG
We’ve already mentioned just how tough we think it will be for either team to get the win here. Both are playing brilliantly at the moment and each has the ability to take the other down, depending on how their opponents play that day. Therefore, we don’t expect either to have stormed ahead on goals by the final whistle. However, we think United’s experience as former champions will be their advantage, while PSG’s injury issues will leave them struggling to keep up. With that in mind, our scoreline prediction is a very, very close 1-0 win for Manchester United.
Our recommended tip: Manchester United win
While Manchester United do have an advantage here, they are only slightly ahead of their opponents. The home team enjoys a 42% win probability, with PSG just coming up behind with a 30% win probability. The bookmakers are also giving the slight edge to Man United, with Ladbrokes offering match odds of 6/5 compared to 19/10 odds for a PSG win. Therefore, our recommended tip is for you to back the favourites to victory to get good low-risk odds.
Previous matches
Well, there aren’t really previous matches, rather just a previous match. Yes, that’s right, these two teams have only faced each other once in their entire careers – and even that was in the pre-season. However, it should give PSG a reason to be cheerful as they do hold, as of now, 100% of the victories over United with a 2-0 win back in 2015.
More than anything though, looking back at that match is a lesson in how quickly teams of this calibre change and evolve, rather than any substantially useful insight for this game tactically.
Top 3 Champions League Bookies
Players to watch: Paul Pogba & Kylian Mbappé
Manchester United: Paul Pogba
There were few doubts over who was the man of the match in Manchester United’s 3-0 victory against Fulham – their final game before this contest – and that was the double scoring Paul Pogba. He has perhaps benefited more than anyone from the changes in Man United and his renewed happiness with the team shines through in his performances. He’s a delight to see play in pretty much any capacity and can be a difference maker every time he’s on the pitch.
Paris Saint Germain: Kylian Mbappé
With the recent hip injury of Edinson Cavani in their 1-0 win over Bordeaux, alongside Neymar’s broken metatarsal injury, only a single member of the front three remains. That means that all eyes will be on Kylian Mbappé to bring this one home for the French side. Luckily for Paris Saint Germain, there are few more capable players to put against such a momentum task. If anyone can pull it off, it might just be Mbappé .
