( Match Report | Highlights | Post-Match Reaction )
Sevilla 3 Manchester United 0
En-Nesyri 8′, 81′, Badé 47′
Manchester United put in one of their worst performances in years away to Sevilla to end their Europa hopes for the season. Going into the game level and with away goals not an issue, all United had to do was weather the Sevilla storm before stealing a goal or two on the counter-attack. Instead, defensive panic and sloppy mistakes gifted the game to the Spaniards.
United started nervously and quickly got worse. In the eighth minute, Maguire passed back to De Gea. De Gea could’ve passed out wide or hit it long, but Maguire motioned that he was available for the return. De Gea should’ve known better than to trust his captain’s judgement but passed to him anyway. Maguire, surrounded by three players when he received the ball, instantly gave it away and the goal was inevitable. It was a terrible mistake by both players but worse was yet to come.
The game should’ve been over by half-time when Sevilla had a goal disallowed by VAR last in the first half for a marginal offside. That decision sent United into the dressing room with a realistic hope of fighting their way back in the second half.
It didn’t take long for that hope to die, however. Ten Hag brought on Rashford and Shaw for Wan Bissaka and Sancho, but both had barely warmed up before United were two down as a Badé header from a Rakitic corner looped in slow motion over a desperate De Gea.
De Gea saved his most spectacular error for the final ten minutes when he dashed out of his area to clear a through ball only to miscontrol it and leave an open goal for En-Nesyri to score his second.
United should’ve won this tie in the first half at Old Trafford, but this performance questions whether they’ll qualify for the Champions League this season. The loss of Martinez and Varane, along with the punishing schedule, could be too much for this squad.
Sevilla:
Bono, Navas, Bade, Marcao, Acuna, Gudelj, Fernando, Ocampos, Rakitic, Lamela, En-Nesyri.
Subs: Dmitrovic, Flores, Telles, Rekik, Suso, Mir, Nianzou, Torres, Gomez, Gil.
Manchester United:
De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Dalot, Eriksen, Casemiro, Sabitzer, Antony, Martial, Sancho.
Subs: Butland, Vitek, Rashford, Malacia, Fred, Shaw, Weghorst, Pellistri, Elanga, Iqbal.