Istanbul Basaksehir vs. Manchester United – Champions League, November 4, 2020

It is no secret that Manchester United has made a poor start to the 2020/21 EPL campaign. But the Red Devils have the chance to maintain their 100% record in this season’s Champions League when they visit Turkey to face Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday, November 4.

Following victories over PSG and RB Leipzig, Man Utd sits top of Group H. Basaksehir is bottom of the group after losing their opening two games.

You can find my Istanbul Basaksehir vs. Manchester United prediction and betting pick below.

Man Utd (1.40) currently holds a six-point lead over Basaksehir (7.75) in Group H, leaving the top online betting sites with little choice but to name the away side as the clear favorite to win this one.

However, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team struggling for consistency, the big odds for the draw (4.65) are bound to attract plenty of attention.

After winning the Turkish Super Lig last term, it’s fair to say that Basaksehir struggled to get going this season. Following three straight domestic defeats, Okan Buruk’s side lost their opening two Champions League games.

Basaksehir was outclassed by Leipzig on Matchday 1, but Buruk’s men gave a far better account of themselves on Matchday 2. The Turks recorded 16 shots against PSG and managed to keep a clean sheet for over an hour. But two late goals saw the team suffer yet another defeat.

Still, the Turkish champions have upped their game of late. Basaksehir heads into this clash on the back of three consecutive Super Lig wins, including a 5-1 thrashing of Antalyaspor.

Given that the team has gathered some momentum recently, I think Buruk will be quietly confident that his side can upset the odds on Wednesday.

4 – Manchester United have failed to win any of their opening four top-flight games at Old Trafford for the first time since 1972-73, a campaign in which they finished 18th. Nightmare. pic.twitter.com/Cx2GAdrfFh

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 1, 2020

It feels like Man Utd has two separate teams right now. On the European stage, the Red Devils have shone this season. But when it comes to competing in the Premier League, well, Solskjaer’s men haven’t really competed at all.

In fact, Man Utd has made their worst start to an EPL season since 2013, taking just seven points from their first six games. The Old Trafford outfit sits 15^th in the Premier League table, four points clear of the relegation zone and nine points behind frontrunner Liverpool.

But in the Champions League, it has been a completely different story. Man Utd is in firm control of Group H following impressive wins over PSG and Leipzig. After beating the Parisians 2-1 in their own backyard, United thrashed Leipzig 5-0 on Matchday 2, with Marcus Rashford netting a hat-trick.

Which Manchester United will turn up on Wednesday?

Man Utd has been unstoppable in the UCL this term, but given their woeful domestic form, I would like the odds for the away win to be a lot higher here. For that reason, I believe the draw is the way to go for this matchup.

Basaksehir will be full of confidence after putting in a spirited display against PSG last week. Buruk’s men have also won each of their previous three Super Lig games, so I can see them snatching a point on Wednesday.