Champions League: Three reasons why Man United won’t beat Barcelona and progress further

Both clubs haven’t been at their best defensively. But one club has been worse than the other. A stat that counts heavy in favour of the home side tonight.

There’s no easy way to say this but, the Old Trafford side has been poor in keeping out goals. They’ve conceded goals in their last nine games since their boring stalemate against Premier League leaders Liverpool.

A total of 13 goals have been let in by David de Gea and company. Defensive problems don’t even begin to explain the errors leading to goals at the back. This has also allowed for a poor run of games where United has lost four of the last six.

If they are to play anything as they did over the weekend, where two penalties handed them three points and no goals from open play, it’s over for the United side. They also conceded from open play and was lucky to have a goal disallowed, which should have stood. Some fortune in a time of need for Ole, who has steered the Manchester side a bit off course.