Man Utd vs Rangers preview, H2H, team news, line-ups and prediction

Manchester United will hope to take a big leap towards qualification to the next round of the UEFA Europa League when they welcome Rangers to Old Trafford on January 23rd. 

December was a rollercoaster for United as their results were vital in shaping their league position heading into the new year.

A 4-0 win against Everton gave hope of a possible run of positive results, but Ruben Amorim tasted his first defeat as United’s boss against Arsenal at the Emirates.

One could suggest it was a vocal outburst about the mentality, and others could say it was a tactical tweak, but whatever Amorim did after the loss to Forest worked as the club went on to win two straight games against Viktoria Pizeñ in the Europa League and Manchester City in the Premier League.

Amad Diallo’s winner gave the red side of Manchester bragging rights, and there was optimism about more positive results having done that against the Premier League defending champions.

However, it didn’t go as planned as the Red Devils went on a four-game consecutive losing streak where their defensive lapses overwhelmed their attacking frailties.

They lost 4-3 to Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup and went on to three straight losses in the Premier League.

More worrying for the 13-time Premier League champions was their inability to find the back of the net in any of those three matches, losing 3-0 to Bournemouth and Newcastle United and 2-0 to relegation-battling Wolverhampton Wanderers.

On a positive note, Amorim avoided what would have been another disastrous record when they travelled to Merseyside to face Liverpool, as the 2-2 draw meant that the Portuguese manager avoided becoming the first United manager to go on a four-game losing streak without scoring since Ernest Mangnall in the 1908-09 season.

Attention now turns to the UEFA Europa League, where they’ve performed well so far and have all but secured qualification to the next round of the competition.

While they were huge disappointments after their first three games, where they recorded draws, United remained unbeaten in the competition after six games, winning their last three.

The Red Devils came from behind to defeat Czech Republic side Viktoria Plzen 2-1 at Doosan Arena, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring twice to secure United’s first away win in European competitions since March 2023.

The win has kept United firmly in eighth place on the table on 12 points, and they’ll now gear up to face Scottish side Rangers at Old Trafford on January 23rd.

Rangers entered the 2024-25 campaign with aspirations of clinching their first Scottish Premiership title since their extraordinary 102-point unbeaten season in 2020-21.

However, after just 21 games, they sit a staggering 15 points behind league leaders Celtic, primarily due to a disappointing start to the season.

Philippe Clement faced significant criticism for overseeing Rangers’ worst start to a Scottish Premiership season since their return to the top flight in 2016-17, with the team recording just seven wins, two draws, and three losses in their opening 12 fixtures.

Their form did improve briefly with four consecutive victories, but recent weeks have seen another slump, as Rangers have managed just one win in their last five outings.

While their home performances have been impressive, with nine wins and a draw from 10 matches, their away form has drawn criticism, and rightly so, after the team recorded only three wins in 11 away outings alongside four draws and four defeats.

Playing away to United at Old Trafford will be another stern test for the Gers, who will look to usurp United in the Europa League table.

They currently sit in eighth place on 11 points, just one point behind the Premier League giants in seventh place.

The 4-1 loss at the Ibrox Stadium to Lyon in October is their only loss in the Europa League so far. They’ve won three and recorded another draw, which looks to be a decent run of results.

Philippe Clement’s side will aim for their second win in four games across all competitions when they visit Old Trafford, as victory over United will grant them qualification to the next stage.

Man Utd vs. Rangers match details 

• Date: Thursday, 23rd January, 2025
• Location: Manchester, England
• Venue: Old Trafford
• Kick-off time: 08:00 PM GMT
• Tickets: Supporters can buy Man Utd vs Rangers tickets through the club or via a reputable online reseller.

Match stats and head-to-head

• United have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last nine matches across all competitions.

• After the win over Pizeñ, Amorim became the third United manager to secure victory in their first two games in a major European competition with the club after Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson.

• United’s striker, Rasmus Hojlund, has been involved in 50% of the club’s goals in the Europa League this season. The Danish forward has netted six of United’s 12 goals this campaign while also scoring and assisting each of United’s last five goals in the competition.

• Having created seven chances against Plzeñ, Bruno Fernandes reached his third game of creating 7+ chances in a game in European competitions for United. No other player has achieved such a feat for the club since 2003.

• Rangers are on a 19-game scoring streak across all competitions. The last time they failed to find the back of the net was in the 1-0 loss to Kilmarnock in October.

• The Gers have only lost one of their last 16 games across all competitions. Their only loss came in the Scottish Premiership in December, where they lost 2-1 to St. Mirren at St. Mirren Park.

• This will be the first competitive game between these two sides since the 2010-11 campaign when they met in the Champions League.

• Rangers have never scored a goal against United.

• United are unbeaten in their last four games against the Gers, winning three and recording one draw.

• Philippe Clement’s side have opened the scoring in four of their last six games in the Europa League. Conversely, United have conceded in five of their last six games across all competitions.

Team news

United emerged from their trip to Liverpool unscathed. However, embattled forward Marcus Rashford was notably absent from the matchday squad once more, this time due to illness rather than being sidelined by Amorim’s decision.

The 27-year-old should have sufficient time to recover from his illness ahead of Sunday’s game. However, with his representatives actively pursuing a transfer before the January window closes, his availability for the North London trip remains uncertain.

Mason Mount (thigh), Victor Lindelof (undisclosed), and Luke Shaw (calf) are confirmed absentees at the time of writing, and it remains to be seen if either of the trio will recover in time for this clash.

For Rangers, the Scottish giants will be missing several key players due to injuries, including Neraysho Kasanwirjo, John Souttar, James Tavernier, Tom Lawrence, Jack Butland, Leon Balogun, and Dujon Sterling.

Czech forward Vaclav Cerny has been one of Rangers’ standout performers this season, with the winger maintaining his impressive form by netting his eighth goal of the campaign against Dundee. He remains a pivotal figure for the team, as they will likely rely on him to make a significant impact at Old Trafford.

Predicted starting lineup 

Man Utd predicted starting lineup:

Onana; De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot; Diallo, Fernandes; Hojlund.

Rangers predicted starting lineup:

Kelly; Yilmaz, Propper, Nsiala, Jefte; Barron, Diomande; Cerny, Bajrami, Hagi; Igamane.

Prediction

United have been in good form in the Europa League and will look to extend the momentum to the next round of the competition.

Despite their current form and torrid start to this season’s campaign of the competition, the Red Devils are widely touted as favourites in this competition.

Rangers will present a tough test, and the Gers already have an experience of playing against English opponents, having played out a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in December.

United’s superiority in quality is expected to prevail, but Rangers can also take advantage of their leaky defence.

We’re predicting a 2-2 draw.