The Red Devils enter this contest after crashing out of the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday, losing 4-3 on penalties to Fulham following a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes at Old Trafford.
La Real also suffered defeat last weekend as they were put to the sword 4-0 by Barcelona in La Liga, and they will now be keen to make a swift return to winning ways on home soil.
Ahead of Thursday's intriguing first leg, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.
Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 6
Real Sociedad wins: 1
Draws: 2
Man Utd wins: 3
Real Sociedad and Manchester United have faced each other competitively a total of six times across all competitions and it is the Red Devils who lead the overall head-to head-having posted three victories compared to La Real's one, while two draws have been played out between the two clubs.
Their first two meetings took place in the Champions League group stage at the end of 2013. A second-minute own goal from Inigo Martinez helped Man United win their first-ever encounter with La Real by a 1-0 scoreline at Old Trafford in October that year, before they shared the spoils in a goalless stalemate in the reverse fixture in Spain a month later.
Each of the last four meetings between Real Sociedad and Man United have taken place in the Europa League, including a thumping 4-0 away victory for the Red Devils in the first leg of a last-32 tie in February 2021.
Real Sociedad held Man United to a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford in the second leg a week later, before they claimed their first and only triumph to date over the Red Devils in September 2022 when Brais Mendez scored a second-half penalty in a slender 1-0 away win in the Europa League group stage.
Man United got their revenge, though, and won by the same scoreline in San Sebastian just under a month later courtesy of a first-half strike from Alejandro Garnacho.
Previous meetings
Nov 03, 2022: Real Sociedad 0-1 Man Utd (Europa League Group Stage)
Sep 08, 2022: Man Utd 0-1 Real Sociedad (Europa League Group Stage)
Feb 25, 2021: Man Utd 0-0 Real Sociedad (Europa League Round of 32)
Feb 18, 2021: Real Sociedad 0-4 Man Utd (Europa League Round of 32)
Nov 05, 2013: Real Sociedad 0-0 Man Utd (Champions League Group Stage)
Oct 23, 2013: Man Utd 1-0 Real Sociedad (Champions League Group Stage)
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Written by
Oliver Thomas