It looks like Manchester United's Europa League hopes have been crushed. In a shocking turn of events, the Red Devils were knocked out of the Europa League quarter-finals by Sevilla after a dismal performance in the second leg.
The game became pretty much a snooze-fest, with United struggling to create any real chances in attack in both halves. They were outplayed in midfield by Sevilla and made some costly errors in defence which cost them two goals. It's safe to say they weren't exactly the A-Team on the day.
Sevilla, on the other hand, was on fire. They took the lead in the 8th minute after United's captain, Harry Maguire, had a momentary lapse in judgement and gifted Youssef En-Nesyri the opening goal of the match. The Spanish side doubled their advantage just after half-time with a brilliant heading effort from Loic Bade. The match was put to rest when En-Nesyri scored again in the 81st minute after a shocking mistake from goalkeeper David de Gea.
United was looking much ready for the semi-finals after their 2-0 victory in the first leg at Old Trafford. So, needless to say, this was a bitter pill to swallow for United. Out from the Europa, they now face a series of crucial matches that could save their season, including an FA Cup semi-final against Brighton and a must-win Premier League match against Tottenham for a place in the top four. No pressure, lads.
Sevilla, on the other hand, will be feeling pretty good about themselves after their splendid comeback. They're now looking ahead to a two-legged semi-final against Juve on 11 and 18 May. The Italian giants beat Sporting 2-1 on aggregate in their quarter-final, so it's going to be a tough battle.
The defeat to Sevilla has exposed United's shortcomings and shown that they still have a long way to go if they want to be genuine contenders at the highest level like they once were. Erik Ten Hag has a big task ahead of him to regroup his team and ensure they perform better in their upcoming games. The FA Cup and a top-four finish in the Premier League are still within reach, but they'll need to show a lot more grit and determination if they hope to achieve their goals.
Sevilla vs Man United: Line up
The line-ups for the Europa League quarter-final match between Sevilla and Manchester United were confirmed. Sevilla played in a 4-5-1 formation with Bounou in goal. The defence consisted of Navas, Bade, Marcao, and Acuna. Fernando and Gudelj anchored the midfield, while Ocampos, Rakitic, and Lamela provided support from the flanks. En-Nesyri, who scored two goals in the match, led the line for Sevilla.
Manchester United, on the other hand, fielded a 4-3-3 formation with De Gea in goal. The backline consisted of Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, and Dalot. Casemiro, Sabitzer, and Eriksen formed the midfield trio for the Red Devils. Antony, Martial, and Sancho made up the attacking trident.
Both teams fielded strong line-ups with some notable absentees for United. Manchester United's midfield talisman Bruno Fernandes was absent due to suspension and Varane was out for an ankle injury.
Sevilla vs Man United: As it happened
It was a night to forget for Manchester United at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium. The Spanish side had the upper hand throughout the game and dominated United in every department. The first half saw En-Nesyri score in the 8th minute, with De Gea making a number of important saves to keep things sane for United.
In the second half, Sevilla made it 2-0 in the 47th minute, with Bade heading in from a perfect corner delivery from Rakitic. And it was game over for United at the 83rd-minute mark when De Gea made a mistake to allow En-Nesyri to score his second and seal a 3-0 win for Sevilla. United had a late chance to score a consolation goal, but Elanga fired straight at Bounou. The game ended 3-0 for Sevilla, who progressed to the semi-finals with a 5-2 aggregate win. There were a number of bookings in the game, with Antony and Casemiro both picking up yellow cards for United, while Shaw and Bounou were also booked. Lamela went off with a cramp for Sevilla, while Eriksen and Sabitzer were substituted for United. It was a disappointing night for United, who will have to regroup and try again next season.