MY ACCOUNT
– Sevilla are right back in this tie after two late goals at Old Trafford saw the first leg finish 2-2
– Manchester United are unreliable on the road and must make do without several key men
– Recommended bet: Draw
With ten minutes to go in the first leg of this Europa League quarter-final clash, Manchester United were 2-0 up and firmly in control.
However, a season-ending injury to centre-back Lisandro Martinez sandwiched between two United own goals sucked the air out of Old Trafford and turned this second-leg trip into a perilous assignment.
Hosts Sevilla have struggled this term, but the Manchester turnaround allied to an upturn in form under new manager Jose Luis Mendilibar will have boosted confidence.
The LaLiga side will be eager to grab onto an unexpected lifeline as they look to emulate their 2019-20 Europa League campaign when they famously felled United en route to glory.
Team news
United manager Erik ten Hag has a selection headache looming, with key midfielder Bruno Fernandes suspended and first-choice centre-back pairing Martinez and Raphael Varane injured.
Top-goalscorer Marcus Rashford remains a major doubt, attacking midfielder Donny van de Beek is out for the season, reserve goalkeeper Tom Heaton has an ankle injury and winger Alejandro Garnacho is a few weeks off returning.
Left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are each rated only 50/50 to return and the same is true of defensive midfielder Scott McTominay.
Marcel Sabitzer, who netted both goals in the first leg, was a late withdrawal from Sunday’s squad at Nottingham Forest and will have to be assessed.
Sevilla have a fully fit squad, with suspended right-back Gonzalo Montiel, the only absentee.
The stats
Sevilla have claimed at least twice as many Europa League titles as any other club after winning the trophy in 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2020.
The Andalusians have faced Manchester United four times and have yet to lose. They drew 0-0 at home, then won 2-1 at Old Trafford to knock the Red Devils out of the 2017-18 Champions League, beat them 2-1 in a one-legged Europa League semi-final in 2019-20 and drew 2-2 at Old Trafford last Thursday.
While United have lost only two of their last 21 matches, that record is skewed by 14 of those matches being home games. Ten Hag’s men have won only four of their last nine away matches, with three coming against Premier League relegation strugglers Nottingham Forest and Leeds.
In that sequence, they lost at Newcastle, Liverpool, and Arsenal and drew at Barcelona and Crystal Palace.
Sevilla’s form has been patchy this season to leave them a lowly 13th in LaLiga, but they are unbeaten in four games since Mendilibar took the reins.
They are also solid at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, winning seven of their last nine home games and scoring at least twice in eight of those.
Their only defeat in that run was an unfortunate 2-3 reverse against Osasuna when they created 1.7 expected goals to their visitors’ 0.9.
Prediction
Given Sevilla’s impressive European performances in the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium and incredible Europa League record, this second leg would not have been easy for United even if they took a 2-0 lead and a fully fit squad into it.
Now that it is 2-2 and United are missing potentially three of their first-choice back four, creative talisman Fernandes and possibly top-scorer Rashford, it looks like a huge test.
Goals seem guaranteed as United are weakened defensively, and Sevilla’s backline remains unconvincing, so over 2.5 goals looks like a solid addition to Bet Builders.
And with attacks likely to outclass defences, this could go to extra-time.
United’s injury problems and Sevilla’s underdog status makes both hard to trust in the 1X2 market, but both defences will struggle to hold onto a lead against a determined opponent pushing on for a late equaliser.
Back the draw, available at 5/2 with LiveScore Bet.
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