Bayern vs Manchester United LIVE Football Score/20/09/2023
European juggernauts Bayern Munich and Manchester United lock horns at the Allianz Arena for their opening Group A fixture in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Boasting nine European crowns between them, the two teams last met in a competitive fixture nine years ago when Bayern ran out 3-1 winners in a quarter-final second-leg tie, while they last faced each other in the group stage back in 2001.
After winning each of their opening three Bundesliga games of the new season, Bayern Munich’s 100% start came to an end when they were forced to settle for just a point in a thrilling 2-2 draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen last Friday.
Harry Kane’s 300th career club goal was cancelled out by Alex Grimaldo midway through the first half, before Leon Goretzka thought he has won it for the hosts with an 86th-minute strike, but Leverkusen snatched a point in dramatic fashion when Exequiel Palacios converted a penalty kick in the fourth minute of stoppage time following a VAR review.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel – who will serve a touchline suspension on Wednesday – felt that his side ‘needed more bite’ across the pitch to get themselves over the line, and the former Chelsea boss will be chomping at the bit to put things right for Wednesday’s Group A opener with Man United, a team who the German boss has never beaten on home soil as a manager in four previous attempts.
Bayern themselves have never lost at home to the Red Devils, though, winning three and drawing two, and Tuchel’s men will be confident of progressing to the Champions League knockout rounds for the 16th successive year considering that they are strong favourites to secure top spot in Group A ahead of Man United, Galatasaray and Copenhagen.
The German giants have established themselves as group-stage experts in the Champions League over the years, as they boast a remarkable 34-game unbeaten run at this stage, the longest such run in the competition’s history, and they will be looking to secure a record-extending 14th successive group-stage home win on Wednesday.
Following a difficult week off the pitch, Man United boss Erik ten Hag was hoping to lift the atmosphere at Old Trafford with a positive result and performance from his players last weekend, but the Dutchman has instead been left with plenty to ponder after his side were booed off in a disappointing 3-1 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Danny Welbeck haunted his former club with a first-half opener before Pascal Gross and Joao Pedro got their names on the scoresheet after the break to help a well-oiled Brighton machine cruise to victory against a disjoined Man United outfit, who have now lost three of their opening five league games for the first time in the Premier League era.
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Ulreich; Mazraoui, Upamecano, Kim, Davies; Laimer, Goretzka; Sane, Musiala, Gnabry; Kane
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Reguilon; Casemiro, Eriksen; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund