The Tribune

Real Sociedad coach Jagoba Arrasate expects his side to come up against the "real" Manchester United in Wednesday night's Champions League Group A clash at Old Trafford. United head into the contest against the Spanish outfit off the back of Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Southampton, which left the Barclays Premier League champions with a total of just 11 points from their opening eight top-flight fixtures this term.

It has been a difficult period for United boss David Moyes following his appointment as successor to Sir Alex Ferguson over the summer, but Arrasate is not reading a great deal into that with regard to what might occur on Wednesday. "I don't put too much faith in the fact that Manchester United are in the middle of a bad run," Arrasate said. "I think they have the sort of players who can react at any time and that are ready to put in a good performance at any time. "Of course, it may be the influence of having a new manager. It takes time for changes to come about and to settle into new methods. "Certainly I would prefer it if United continued their, as you put it, poor start to the season - that would be great tomorrow. "But I think what we will see is a good version of Manchester United, the real Manchester United, and that is what we will be prepared for - a difficult game." Arrasate came into his job over the summer as well and under him Sociedad, who after a fourth-placed finish in the Primera Division last season are competing in their first Champions League campaign since 2003-04, have struggled somewhat. They have 10 points from nine domestic league matches so far this term and have lost both their Group A fixtures to date, being beaten by Shakhtar Donetsk and Bayer Leverkusen, who United drew with and defeated respectively