UEFA Champions League - Round of 16

The UEFA Champions League has finally returned with two days worth of mouthwatering action this week. Now with plenty of story-lines available over the next couple of days, we will look at some of the top match-ups on the board.

The heavyweight contest on Tuesday night takes place at the "Theatre of Dreams" with PSG making a trip to Manchester for this colossal event. The secondary fixture on the docket should provide the viewers with plenty of drama when Portuguese giants Porto travel to the eternal city. Roma will have hopes of redemption after their 2017 encounter when Porto snatched a 0-3 winner at the Stadio Olimpico, the Dragons eventually went on to eliminate the Romans over two legs which left a bitter taste.

Manchester United vs PSG
Old Trafford, Manchester, England
2-12-2019 - 3:00 pm ET - TNT / Univision

The eyes of the footballing world will be on Manchester Tuesday night with two of the more recognizable teams in Europe on full display. This particular Round of 16 affair has taken many different twists since the original draw, it will interesting to see how this match-up finally plays out based on all the different happening's between each individual club.

Manchester United take to the pitch as one of the hottest teams in the world. The Red Devils are currently riding an 11 match unbeaten streak since the departure of Jose Mourinho, the players have since responded with valiant efforts giving the Man-U supporter-ship plenty of optimism as the Champions League arrives.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær has a been savior since taking over the caretaker role in December. Solskjær is well equipped for this stage of events, experiencing his own successes while under Sir Alex Ferguson winning a UEFA title of his own, the "Baby-faced Assassin" now believes his team are in a perfect position to make a sustained run while apart of European action, and add to their impressive collection of trophies while still in charge.

The Red Devils New Found Confidence

Solskjær has infused a true attacking force since stepping onto the sidelines, the Norwegian head-man has allowed his players to move forward with more freedom which has brought out the best of his talented squad.

Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, and Anthony Martial have seized their opportunities to lead the front-line, positioned within a 4-3-3 formation the young trio have shined when combined as a complete unit, posting 12 goals and 5 assists since being placed in more prominent roles, the United youngsters should once again be placed in excellent spots to succeed at the highest of levels. 

Man-U's "X-Factor"

The Red Devil's main component to their overall success has been World Cup winner Paul Pogba. The French-man has been a totally new player since Mourinho's sacking, after being handcuffed and often played out of position during the Special One's reign, the ultra-talented midfielder has started to live up to the large price tag paid to Juventus in 2016 for his services.

Pogba has provided a real spark for this United attack, using his rare dribbling abilities and creative passing skills in tight spaces he has unlocked defenses on a regular basis, while also chipping in with 9 goals since he was given more flexibility to showcase his overall skillset. The hosts will lean heavily on their sleeping giant to help carry them across the finish line on multiple fronts, as he is once again proving to be a true game-changer on both sides of the pitch.

anchester United rested several players over the weekend in anticipation of this leg one affair. The Red Devil's have also avoided major injury concerns as the opening whistle arrives, with only Antonio Valencia and Mateo Darmian officially ruled out of contention, we should see a fully staffed side with a bench full of capable bodies for the home side.

PSG arrive in Manchester having endured a nightmare month of play. The Parisians have lost multiple super-stars within their normal rotation, including the likes of Neymar and Edinson Cavani, which has many believing the Ligue One side will face another early elimination from Europe's top tournament.

Thomas Tuchel was brought into help guide get the French giants over the finish line. The German manager has instilled a certain toughness to this often criticized squad, using a more aggressive style of play which has provided the team with true hope of finally lifting an elusive Champions League trophy.

Tuchel's Updated Lineup

The visitors will be missing 57 goals and 14 assists in all competitions with their South American connection out with injury. The German taskmaster must now lean on his world-class bench to help carry the load, with Angel Di Maria, and Julian Draxler the next in line to help fill the void left by their special danger-men.

PSG's Main Threat

The Parisian's will place their realistic hopes of advancing to the next round on Kylian Mbappe. The explosive young phenom has proved to be one of the top players in the world, after helping his country win the World Cup over the Summer, the electric tally's man will now bare the responsibility of helping lead his current club to their first European title in their storied history.

Mbappe is scheduled to lead the line within the guests 4-2-3-1 alignment, Tuchel has opted to place his young forward in a dedicated number-nine role, wanting to absorb Manchester United's pressure and then spring his attacking threat into action where he believes he has an advantage against Man-U's back-line.

The visitors will also be without the services of Thomas Meunier, the Belgium defender has been a crucial piece to the team's success on the back-end, also offering an additional offensive option when the team floods the attacking half of the pitch.

Tuchel was given good news when Marco Verratti recently returned from his own injury spell, giving the Parisian's another quality option to help grab a positive result while on English soil, the Italian midfielder could be an instrumental figure as the contest plays out.

PSG have had troubles with English sides during Champions League encounters, going 1-4-5 with their only victory coming in 2016. I anticipate another strong resistance from this Manchester United side, causing the Parisians to dig deep in order to reverse their past misfortunes.

Manchester United vs PSG - Match Prediction

The Old Trafford pitch will be littered with top-notch stars competing for a first-leg advantage. The public has automatically written PSG off based on their recent injuries along with Manchester United's recent run of form,  and the Paris side is getting little backing to leave Manchester with a positive outcome.

Manchester United enter this match-up clicking on all cylinders. After dispatching Fulham 0-3 on Saturday, the Red Devils are full of confidence at the just the right moment of the season. The hosts have enjoyed placing the ball in the back of the net over the last eleven matches in all competitions, scoring an average of 2.5 goals per outing. They have shown they can score in many different ways when placed in the final third of the pitch.

PSG must be creative in their plan of attack, Tuchel's men will be under immediate pressure from the Red Devils which could play right into their favor. The Paris side is exceptional at counter-attacking football, wanting to cause turnovers and then set their track-stars into motion, I expect this method of attack to play a key role as the visitors attempt to grab valuable away goals.

Match Prop 
Both Teams To Score and Over 2.5 Goals  +100 / 2.0

Based on this specific match-up I expect to see two high octane offenses pushing to light up the scoreboard. PSG have seen the total surpass 2.5 goals in 20 of their last 21 European matches, while Manchester United come in having scored in all their fixtures since Ole Gunnar Solskjær's arrival.

Manchester United vs PSG - Betting Tips

Over 1  -125 / 1.8  - Total 1st Half Goal
Over 2.5  -125 / 1.8 - Total Full-Time Goals

UCL - Bonus Betting Tips

Roma vs Porto
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
2-12-2019 - 3:00 pm ET - B/R Live

Both Teams To Score - YES  -130 / 1.77

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