Sevilla 3-0 Man Utd (En-Nesyri 8‘, 81′, Bade 47′) – Sevilla advance 5-2 on aggregate
Manchester United exited the Europa League with a whimper as Sevilla ran out 3-0 winners on the night to advance 5-2 on aggregate.
United never recovered from the goal they gifted to Sevilla early on, with both David de Gea and Harry Maguire at fault, and a hapless performance persisted on a night Erik ten Hag would rather forget.
Having been favourites for the Europa League heading into this tie, United must now quickly switch their focus to Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Brighton, a competition which presents the chance for a second piece of silverware under Ten Hag after this sorry showing in Spain ended their hopes of another in Europe.
Just the one change from Sunday saw Marcel Sabitzer in for the suspended Bruno Fernandes, with Marcus Rashford back on the bench after a groin injury and Victor Lindelof once more partnering Maguire after Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane both suffered injuries last week.
Sevilla, meanwhile, may have lost seven home games this season but only one defeat since the World Cup had given their supporters cause for optimism heading into this tie, so too their comeback at Old Trafford.
With a fifth Europa League triumph within 10 years the aim for Sevilla, a cacophony of noise greeted the players as they walked out, though Paul Scholes countered “you won’t believe how quiet this crowd would go” on BT Sport when insisting Manchester United needed an early goal to silence the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
That didn’t go to plan. Instead, United were a goal down inside eight minutes, with De Gea picking out an already-surrounded Maguire, whose pass hit Erik Lamela and fell kindly for Youssef En-Nesyri, who had a simple finish.
“Why is De Gea passing to Maguire there with three white shirts hunting him down?” Robbie Savage asked on co-commentary, pointing out that Aaron Wan-Bissaka would have been the better option for the United goalkeeper to pick out.
“In what world do you think it’s right to give him the ball? Either put it out wide or smash it up the park,” Savage added. “I don’t get it.” Footage had showed Maguire ask for the ball, but that was dismissed by a dismayed Savage.
Who was at fault here?
— BT Sport (@btsport) April 20, 2023
David de Gea or Harry Maguire…
@btsportfootball pic.twitter.com/bxeAERep9Y
United were stretched, open, short of ideas, and soon even Casemiro was giving the ball away, his pass failing to find Wan-Bissaka and seemingly leading to Sevilla going two clear, only for Lucas Ocampos’ goal to be ruled out after Marcos Acuna was found to be marginally offside following a VAR check.
The half-time whistle was United’s friend, much needed after a 45 minutes to forget, with Owen Hargreaves lamenting his former side for failing to “manage the occasion”, while Scholes admitted the visitors were “very lucky” not to be more than one goal down.
Man Utd player ratings
Man Utd XI: De Gea 2; Wan-Bissaka 4, Lindelof 5, Maguire 4, Dalot 6; Casemiro 5, Sabitzer 5; Antony 5, Eriksen 5, Sancho 4; Martial 5
Subs: Rashford 6, Shaw 5, Fred 6, Weghorst 5
Rashford’s introduction felt inevitable, and so it proved, with the forward coming on for the second half, replacing Jadon Sancho, while Luke Shaw also came on for Wan-Bissaka.
The positive changes were supposed to galvanise United, but instead they trailed 2-0 barely 60 seconds after the break, with Loic Bade’s header – or more specifically, shoulder – looping over De Gea. “He has to do better there,” said Savage. “There was not much pace off his shoulder. Not sure De Gea has covered himself in glory tonight.”
Sevilla’s fortunate fightback from 2-0 down last week was a reminder that this tie was far from over, but not with United playing at this level.
An almighty goalmouth scramble almost saw Sevilla go 3-0 up as Savage declared “what on earth is going on?”
Indeed, it was one of those nights for United, with petulant fouls following from Antony and Sabitzer. “It’s been like grassroots defending out there,” added Savage.
‘Carry On Man Utd back with a bang’
Pete Hall in Seville — Lisandro Martinez, it seems, was masking so much more than we thought.
Take him, the only defender comfortable with a ball at his feet out of the Manchester United side, and the calamitous, Carry On, defending days were back with a bang in Sevilla, as the Europa League’s most successful side did what they do in Europe’s secondary competition.
But this was a defeat completely of United’s own making, as Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and David de Gea, without someone to do his passing for him, reminded supporters of those pre-Erik ten Hag days. And it was not pretty.
Read Pete’s report from Seville here
It got worse, especially for De Gea, whose botched attempted clearance offered En-Nesyri an open goal.
“Lost for words,” said Savage. “You can see the bench, De Gea, what is he trying to do? Is he trying to control it? Half-volley it? It’s so bad, what is that technique? It’s been a terrible night for De Gea and United.
“Whatever it is, it’s awful. This is up there with the 7-0 against Liverpool. So bad. Will some Untied players come back from this performance?”
United never really troubled Sevilla, either, and as the visitors crashed out, the jubilant hosts – who deserve as much credit as United do criticism – were once more left believing that their name is written on this trophy.
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