Manchester United may have to rely on increased noise levels rather than
current form to make their home advantage count when they host Real
Sociedad in Champions League Group A on Wednesday.
Old Trafford will be trying out a new 'singing section' at the stadium,
with up to 1,400 of their loudest fans sitting in an area of the ground
normally reserved for away supporters in order to improve the atmosphere
because the acoustics are better there.
The move should lift spirits at Old Trafford, where a previous
reputation as a rock-solid fortress has been shattered with the English
champions managing just one win in the Premier League this season.
Their recent European form is little better with four defeats in their previous seven home games.
United are level on four points with group leaders Shakhtar Donetsk
after two games before meeting Sociedad, who have no points and are
enduring a start to their league season as shaky as that experienced by
David Moyes' men.
"I feel that this is an important one for us," The United manager said on the club website (manutd.com).
"If we could win this one, it would give us a strong position in the
group. We have to go out there and take advantage of the home game and
try to get a result."
United made a flying start in the Champions League, beating Bayer
Leverkusen 4-2 at home in their opener but then drew 1-1 in Donetsk.
Conceding in the 89th minute to draw 1-1 with Southampton in the Premier
League on Saturday has done little to inspire confidence in the merits
of home advantage before facing a Sociedad team who won away from home
at the weekend.
CONFIDENCE BOOST
The 2-1 victory at Valencia was, however, their first domestic success
since the opening day of the season as their first foray into Europe's
elite club competition in a decade appears to have taken a toll on the
San Sebastian-based side.
Their two Champions League matches, against Shakhtar Donetsk and Bayer
Leverkusen, ended in defeat and they remain a work in progress under
inexperienced new coach Jagoba Arrasate.
They were boosted by the return from injury of captain Xabi Prieto as a
second-half substitute at the Mestalla but Esteban Granero, on loan from
English club Queens Park Rangers, remains sidelined after rupturing
knee ligaments last month.
Arrasate said he hoped Saturday's victory, which ended the club's worst La Liga run in two years, could mark a turning point.
"I think we won the game with authority and that gives us a confidence
boost for Wednesday," the 35-year-old told a news conference.
"Winning here does not guarantee a good performance (in Manchester) this
week but it's better to go into the match after a win than a defeat."
Sociedad's only previous European outing in England does not bode well for them.
They lost 6-0 to United's arch-rivals Liverpool in the Uefa Cup second
round in the 1975-76 season, when John Toshack, a future coach of the
Basque side, scored the English club's opening goal.
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