---
title: "How can United improve from the first leg vs Brugge?"
canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2015/08/26/united-can-improve-first-leg/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
section: "Man Utd Match Previews"
published: "2015-08-26T16:39:51Z"
modified: "2015-08-27T09:46:16Z"
---

# How can United improve from the first leg vs Brugge?

All in all, Manchester Uniteds first leg against Club Brugge at Old Trafford was a relative success. There were a few errors here and there but generally it was a fairly comfortable 3-1 win for the red devils.

However United will be well aware that the game will be a lot tougher now that they’ll be at Jan Breydel Stadium with the Brugge fans passionately cheering their team on to do the impossible.

Here are a few things that could help United ease past this second leg tonight:

**Don’t give away any cheap or silly goals**

In hindsight, the first leg should have ended 3-0 if it weren’t for an unfortunate owl goal courtesy of a Michael Carrick deflection and a flat-footed Sergio Romero. Aside from that, United’s defence was brilliant.

If the back four of Darmian, Smalling, Blind and Shaw all do their jobs as well tonight, along with Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin shielding the defence, Brugge should have a hard time getting on the score sheet.

![Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2015/08/485191878.jpg)

**Better service from the forwards**

Without a doubt, the man of the match of the first leg was Memphis, scoring two absolute beautiful goals and setting up Fellani for the third. Aside from Carrick’s long pass to set up Memphis’ first goal, the second and third were created by the winger himself.

Rooney was getting the incorrect service when going forward to really utilise his talent, Januzaj never really looked like threatening and Mata was fairly inconsistent with passes and giving the ball away. United wont want to rely on Memphis again to have a part in every goal.

Mata needs to get more involved whether that be better passes that Rooney can pounce on or drifting into the middle and becoming a danger himself. As well as that, whoever is playing the number ten position tonight needs to be more creative and generate more chances than Januzaj help set up or take last week.

All in all the front four need to work harder together to get those goals that have seemed so hard to come by lately.

![Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2015/08/485191820.jpg)

**Don’t underestimate Club Brugge**

Going into a game leading can often fill a team with confidence and think the job is already half done, well just look at what happened to Celtic last night to see that it’s never that simple.

In their previous Champions League qualifier, Brugge lost their first leg 2-1 which was away to Panathinakios. However when the second leg took place at home, Brugge went on to win a comfortable 3-0.

The fans are going to get behind their team tonight and it will be a difficult atmosphere to play in. As well as that, there is a huge amount of pressure on United as it would be embarrassing for their return to Europes’ most prestige club competition to end as quickly as it started.

**Conclusion**

If United play with the same tempo as last week and with the quality of football we know they can produce, this game should be comfortable enough. A strong organised defence, a high pressing front line and confidence will be all key. If all goes well, the next stop will be the group stages and that’s where the real challenge will begin.