Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will need no reminders of the difficulties that lie ahead when facing Villarreal after their meeting in the Europa League final back in May.
And once again, the pressure is all on Manchester United ahead of a crucial encounter at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils were heavy favourites to clinch their first silverware under the Norwegian in last season’s final only to be pegged back Unai Emery’s plucky Spanish outfit.
It all went down to a nail-biting penalty shootout and it was David de Gea who missed from the spot to hand the LaLiga side their first-ever European trophy.
Solskjaer will have his sights set on exacting revenge as they host Villarreal at Old Trafford and the Norwegian will know how high the stakes are after a shock defeat to Young Boys in their first group stage fixture.
Going into this game on a run of three defeats in four matches, the Man United players will be itching to get back to winning ways to ease the pressure on Solskjaer.
But the United boss has a number of key decisions to make ahead of the clash which could be pivotal in deciding this Champions League tie…
Portuguese penalty takers
When Bruno Fernandes sent his penalty attempt flying into the stands in stoppage time against Aston Villa, it was notable that Cristiano Ronaldo was the first to console his compatriot.
The pair have established a solid working relationship since Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford, as shown by his goal against Young Boys on matchday one.
And that will be crucial again if United are to overcome Villarreal on Wednesday, with Fernandes and Ronaldo both likely to start. But the issue of penalty-taking remains a hot topic of discussion.
Ronaldo always wants to score as many goals as he can and putting the 36-year-old on penalty duty is almost a guarantee given his impressive record from 12 yards. But Solskjaer has said he would back Fernandes with his “mortgage” to put it right at the next attempt, having scored 21 of his 23 United penalties.
After missing his spot-kick on Saturday, there will be pressure on Fernandes to find the net next time around if the opportunity arises against Villarreal. And if he misses, there will be calls for Solskjaer to replace him with Ronaldo — perhaps from the superstar himself.
Protecting the defence
The last thing Solskjaer wanted during a poor run of form is to lose two key defensive figures in Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire.
But the pair look set to miss the clash after their absence from training at Carrington on Tuesday.
Solskjaer showed last season he had no qualms with using Victor Lindelof at centre-back alongside Maguire, but it would be the first time he has partnered Raphael Varane at the back.
Likewise, Alex Telles has been used predominantly a backup option for Shaw since his arrival last summer and may have some cobwebs to shake off after making only one appearance this season in the Carabao Cup.
Missing two key components in his backline may force Solskjaer to line up with a more cautious formation in order to reduce the pressure on those coming into the side.
That could mean Paul Pogba plays further forward on the left-hand side, rather than starting the double-pivot alongside Fred or Scott McTominay.
Finding a place for Cavani
It should not be overlooked that, despite only starting 19 games for Man United last season, Edinson Cavani scored 16 goals in all competitions — including the goal in the final against Villarreal last season.
That points to the Uruguayan’s ability to score from the start, as well as impacting games from the bench, with the Red Devils needing the veteran forward to save them on a number of occasions.
The 34-year-old’s role in the side is likely to be less significant this season after the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has already hit the ground running with four goals in five matches.
Solskjaer had already hinted at it in his pre-match press conference before the 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa that Cavani and Ronaldo could play together in an attacking duo and he trialled the pair in a 4-4-2 setup late on.
But it failed to provide an equaliser, although Cavani’s presence in the box helped win the penalty that Bruno Fernandes blazed over the bar in stoppage time.
It remains to be seen what Solskjaer has in store for the striker, but giving Cavani and Ronaldo a chance to link up from the start against Villarreal should be a move he is considering.
Make Old Trafford a fortress again
A glance at Manchester United’s recent record at home in the Champions League would not exactly promote confidence for Solskjaer and his side heading into the clash against Villarreal.
Since the start of 2018, the Red Devils have won only three of their last nine home fixtures in the competition. That run includes five defeats and the victories came against RB Leipzig, Young Boys and Istanbul Basaksehir, opponents they were expected to beat.
Solskjaer was only in charge for six of those fixtures but it paints a familiar problem for the Norwegian and one that his side seem to be struggling with at the moment: they cannot dominate games like they used to.
Their lack of home wins is increasingly becoming a concern, having lost consecutive games against West Ham and Aston Villa by a 1-0 scoreline. With 75,000 fans inside the 'Theatre of Dream's, they will expect more.
With one of the largest stadium capacities in Europe and normally a sell-out crowd on European nights under the lights, it is Solskjaer’s job to ensure United are making teams shake with fear when they turn out at Old Trafford.
And with the likes of Jadon Sancho and Ronaldo making United’s squad one of the strongest seen in recent years, he will be hoping to end their recent home hoodoo with a convincing win on Wednesday.
