The Champions League action continues after a two-week break and it comes back with some great games. The highlight will definitely be PSG versus Manchester City, but there are still other interesting games worth turning on. One of these is definitely Manchester United hosting Villarreal on the Old Trafford. Of course, they met in the Europa League final last season, with Villarreal coming on top after penalties.

However, this is not nearly the same United as last season. They added Jadon Sancho, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Raphael Varane in one transfer window. While Sancho is not working out, Ronaldo and Varane are doing great things for this Red Devils team. On the other hand, Villarreal stayed mostly the same, with some additions, and it is still a very tough team to play against.

Here are three predictions for the upcoming Champions League clash at the iconic Old Trafford!

Manchester United v Villarreal Champions League predictions

United will lose the midfield battle, but ultimately win the game

The Manchester United squad has shown its' deficiencies this season. They lost points against Southampton with a 1-1 draw earlier in the season and shockingly lost to Aston Villa 1-0 this weekend. While everything else is clicking, including the defense which was a problem in seasons past, the midfield is simply not good enough.

Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba are great players, but their skills are not on full display without a true defensive midfielder behind them. In other great midfields around the continent, there is always one player designated for dirty work, like breaking up passing lanes. However, Fernandes and Pogba have three options.

One of them is Fred, who is infamously poor and disregarded completely by the entire fanbase. The second is Nemanja Matic, who is a good option but he is too old to have the same impact as he had in Chelsea. The third is Scott McTominay, who is more of a central midfielder than a defensive midfielder, which can create issues. Thus, Fernandes and Pogba can never have the full freedom to create and play their best game, whether it's in the Champions League or England. Still, it will be Manchester United taking the win in this game. Their attacking quality is simply too much for Villarreal to handle.

Unai Emery will not play Gerard Moreno against United, leaving him with scarce options up front

Gerard Moreno is a truly great player. He might not be playing at the top level of club football, but his consistency in the Spanish national team is a testament to his quality. Unfortunately for him and Villarreal, he is having some injury issues at the moment and it seems foolish to risk him in this game.

Simply said, coach Unai Emery and Villarreal should not risk further injury until Moreno is fully fit. He is truly needed for the squad, for the rest of the season. With both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid starting the season poorly, the Yellow Submarine could have a shot at the top four, and putting their best player at risk for a Champions League game at the Old Trafford, against a stronger United, does not make much sense.

Of course, that leaves Emery with scarce options in the final third. Most likely, it will be Paco Alcacer in the middle with Yeremi Pino supporting him. However, with a tough game against Real Madrid before the United game, Emery might be rotating even more to rest some of his players in a game where he is aware that he cannot expect much.

Cristiano Ronaldo will continue to score…and will score a hat-trick

Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League is a sight that brings shivers to all opposition supporters and players. The Portuguese winger has been on a tear in the competition, breaking and, now, holding every possible goalscoring record. Now that he is back in United, he opened his tally in the first game against Young Boys.

Now, this is the type of game where usually Ronaldo thrives. It is a good opponent he knows well, a big game for the squad in terms of pure points, and a lot of pressure on the team to win. He has been nothing but clutch for all his teams in the past and this game should be no different.

While it is impossible to know, all signs point to another Ronaldo legendary night in the Champions League. He will be motivated to lead his team and also bolster his personal record in the competition, something he does not take for granted. Especially after the defeats against Young Boys and Aston Villa, Ronaldo will look to lead by example and handle the scoring load.