Manchester United Fans Express Fury as Club Faces Real Sociedad: Is the End Near?

Real Sociedad are looking to put their season struggles behind them as they face off against Premier League powerhouse Manchester United in the Europa League last 16 on Thursday. The Basque side will host a struggling Red Devils team led by Ruben Amorim in San Sebastian, with the second leg set to take place at Old Trafford next week. Despite a disappointing 4-0 loss to La Liga leaders Barcelona over the weekend, Real Sociedad are hoping to turn things around in European competition as they aim to advance to the next round. Missing key players and playing with 10 men early on in their last match, Real Sociedad will be looking for a fresh start and a strong performance against Manchester United.

"It's in the past now and we have to prepare as best as we can for the game on Thursday," said coach Imanol Alguacil.

Sitting ninth in La Liga the Europa League represents their best hope of silverware this season, as is also the case for United, who flunked out of the FA Cup on penalties against Fulham on Sunday.

La Real are also in the Copa del Rey semi-finals but a 1-0 home defeat by Real Madrid in the first leg leaves them in a tough spot before the return in April.

With the Europa League final taking place at the home of their bitter rivals Athletic Bilbao, Alguacil's side have all the stimulus they need.

"It motivates Athletic for sure, and us too," said club spokesman Xabi Prieto at the group stage draw in August.

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Live-wire winger Takefusa Kubo missed the defeat at Barcelona through suspension and will be fresh for Thursday's clash.

After Aritz Elustondo's early red card against Barcelona, Alguacil said he made decisions with the Man United Europa League tie in mind, including taking off key midfielder Martin Zubimendi at half-time, as he was suffering some discomfort.

"I thought about minimising the risks and about Thursday's game, knowing that it was very difficult to get anything positive (against Barca)," explained Alguacil.

Real Sociedad failed to take a single shot to Barca's 33 as they conserved energy by sitting deep, with the United match the priority.

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'Make them run'

Manchester United are unbeaten in the Europa League this season but the visit to the Reale Arena is arguably their toughest test in the competition yet.

On top of United's poor form, with two wins in their last six games, the under-pressure Amorim has a spate of injury worries to contend with.

Exciting teenage striker Chido Obi is also ineligible for the Europa League, with the low-on-confidence Rasmus Hojlund set to start despite not scoring in his last 18 matches.

"It's going to be a tough one, a Spanish team that plays brilliant football, very, very good players up front, very (high) quality coming out from the back," said United playmaker Bruno Fernandes.

"We need to be fresh to run again because they will make us run, and then when we have the ball, we have to make them run, too."

Success in the Europa League also seems the only possible pathway to European football next season for Manchester United, 14th in the Premier League.

Defeat would rack up the tension ahead of a planned protest on Sunday against the Glazer family, who are still the club's majority owners.

"The club is slowly dying before our eyes, on and off the pitch, and the blame lies squarely at the current ownership model," said Steve Crompton, a spokesman for fan group The 1958.

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"The club is facing financial armageddon. Debt is the road to ruin.

"Sir Matt Busby would be turning in his grave at the current plight of one of the world's greatest football institutions which is being brought to its knees and in many ways becoming a laughing stock."