



On Thursday, Viktoria Plzen will host Manchester United in Pilsen in a decisive Europa League group-stage clash. We suggest a promising bet for this encounter.
Match Preview
Czech side Viktoria Plzen made a strong start in the new Europa League format with three consecutive draws. However, they showed great fighting spirit in their last two fixtures, securing crucial wins: a 2-1 home victory over Real Sociedad and a 2-1 away triumph against Dynamo Kyiv.
These results extended Plzen's unbeaten run in the tournament to nine matches (six wins and three draws), boosting their playoff hopes. Currently 13th in the standings, they are just one point away from the top eight. Over the weekend, Plzen defeated Karvina 2-1 away in the Czech league, keeping their title chase alive despite trailing Slavia by 10 points.
Manchester United has mirrored Plzen’s performance, holding the same number of points but leading due to a superior goal difference. The Red Devils started with three high-scoring draws but improved with two successive home wins: 2-0 against PAOK and 3-2 against Bodo/Glimt.
Notably, United has suffered just one defeat in their last 16 Europa League outings, claiming 10 wins and five draws. However, their Premier League form remains inconsistent; they recently lost 3-2 at home to Nottingham Forest, leaving them in the league's lower half with just 19 points.
Probable Lineups
- Viktoria Plzen: Jedlicka; Jemelka, Markovic, Paluska, Jirka; Cerv, Kalvach, Kadu; Schulz, Panos, Adu
- Manchester United: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Evans, Dalot; Mainoo, Eriksen; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Højlund
Match Facts & Head-to-Head
- Both teams scored in three of United’s last five matches.
- Viktoria Plzen is unbeaten in seven games across all competitions, winning six.
- This will be the first-ever meeting between these sides in European competition.
Prediction
Viktoria Plzen is in strong form, while Manchester United continues to struggle despite a managerial change. We suggest betting on “Viktoria Plzen with a +1.0 Handicap” at odds of 1.88.