Manchester United will look to take a step closer to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals when they welcome Sevilla to Old Trafford on Thursday.
The UEFA Europa League is back this week with the quarter-finals of the 2022/23 season. And the marquee fixture of the latest round will feature Manchester United and Sevilla. The two teams will meet in the first leg at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
Manchester United took the scenic route to the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League. They finished second in their group behind Real Sociedad before beating Barcelona in the knockout playoffs round. Real Betis followed in the Last 16, with the Red Devils clinching a 5-1 aggregate win to set up a date with another La Liga outfit.
On the other hand, Sevilla also featured in the knockout playoffs round, where they beat PSV Eindhoven 3-2 on aggregate. But Los Nervionenses featured in that phase after finishing third in their group in the UEFA Champions League. Meanwhile, Sevilla clinched another close win in the Last 16, beating Fenerbahce 2-1 over two legs.
As for recent form, Manchester United have wobbled considerably, going three Premier League games without a win before beating Everton this past weekend. But the Red Devils are one of the favourites to clinch a top-four finish in the English top flight this season.
On the other hand, Sevilla will likely finish in the bottom half of La Liga, with 18th-placed Valencia only five points behind. They have already gone through two managers this season, with Jose Luis Mendilibar taking the job during the international break. And the Andalusian giants are undefeated under the new boss thus far in two games.
Manchester United and Sevilla last met in the UEFA Europa League in the 2019/20 semi-finals, with the Spanish club clinching a 2-1 win before sealing the title in the final. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester United
BREAKING: Manchester United confirm Marcus Rashford is unavailable for a 'few games' with a muscle injury 🤕 pic.twitter.com/R3fGbaAz04
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 12, 2023
Erik ten Hag has a new injury concern hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Sevilla on Thursday, the Manchester United manager will be bereft of the services of five first-team players.
Marcus Rashford is the latest absentee, with the Englishman sustaining a groin injury against Everton. And according to an official statement by Manchester United, Rashford will miss the next few games. The 25-year-old has joined Tom Heaton (ankle), Luke Shaw (hamstring), Donny van de Beek (knee), and Alejandro Garnacho (ankle) on the sidelines.
But there is some good news, as Casemiro is available after missing the Everton game due to a suspension. The Brazilian international should return to the starting eleven straightaway, slotting in the double pivot. Marcel Sabitzer should be Casemiro’s partner in the middle of the park.
Meanwhile, David de Gea is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him. The system will switch to a 4-3-3 in the defensive phases, with Bruno Fernandes putting in the legwork off the ball.
But with Casemiro back, Fernandes will have a free role when the hosts push forward. He should line up alongside Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Anthony Martial in the final third. And Sabitzer will also charge forward when the opportunities present themselves.
Finally, the defensive unit will likely see two changes. Raphael Varane will return after ten Hag rested him against Everton. The Frenchman will form the central defensive partnership with Lisandro Martinez. And Tyrell Malacia and Diogo Dalot should be the two full-backs.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): de Gea; Dalot, Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Malacia; Casemiro, Sabitzer; Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Sancho; Martial
Sevilla
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Jose Luis Mendilibar barely has any issues on his hands ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Sevilla manager will be without just three first-team players on Thursday.
Joan Jordan (Achilles) and Jesus Manuel Corona (ankle) are the only injury-enforced absentees for Sevilla. In addition, Pape Gueye is ineligible to represent the Andalusian club in the UEFA Europa League Otherwise, Mendilibar has a full-strength travelling squad for the trip to Manchester.
Marcos Acuna will serve a suspension in the next La Liga game after seeing red against Celta Vigo this past weekend. But he is available to take on Manchester United and should get the nod over Alex Telles. But Telles, who can face his parent club, might appear off the bench later in the game.
Hello, Manchester! 👋pic.twitter.com/vHHEth63jw
— Sevilla FC (@SevillaFC_ENG) April 12, 2023
Meanwhile, Yassine Bounou picks himself between the sticks, with Sevilla lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him. And Acuna should join Loic Bade, Nemanja Gudelj, and Gonzalo Montiel in the defensive unit.
As for the midfield department, Fernando and Ivan Rakitic should pair up in the double pivot. The duo will have a defence-first outlook, aiming to keep Bruno Fernandes quiet. But Rakitic’s forward forays from the middle of the park can possibly wreak havoc.
Oliver Torres will reprise the no. 10 role for the visitors, and he will have a free role in the final third. The Spaniard will look to catch the Manchester United defence off-guard with his ghosting runs. But his movement will also create pockets of space for the wide attackers, Luis Ocampos and Erik Lamela. Finally, Youssef En-Nesyri should spearhead the attack on Thursday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Bono; Montiel, Bade, Gudelj, Acuna; Fernando, Rakitic; Ocampos, Torres, Lamela; En-Nesyri
Key Stats
- Manchester United are yet to beat Sevilla in European competition, drawing once and losing once in the UEFA Champions League Last 16 in 2017/18 and losing in the UEFA Europa League semi/final in 2020.
- Sevilla have progressed from six of their previous eight European knockout ties (including finals) against English clubs, failing only against Leicester City in the 2016/17 Champions League and West Ham United in last season’s UEFA Europa League.
- Manchester United are only the second side ever to face four different sides from the same country in a single season in a major European competition (Real Sociedad, Barcelona, Real Betis, Sevilla) after Leeds United also faced four Spanish clubs in the 2000/01 Champions League.
- Sevilla are currently winless in 11 away games in Europe (D5 L6), losing the last three in a row. They have not lost four consecutive away games in European competition since February 2016.
- Bruno Fernandes has been directly involved in 27 goals across 37 outings for Manchester United in Europe (13 goals, 14 assists), at least 11 more goal involvements than any other player for the club since he joined.
Player to Watch
Anthony Martial
The 2022/23 season is approaching its business end, and Erik ten Hag needs all hands on deck. But with Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw injured, Manchester United are in a spot of bother. So the onus is on Anthony Martial to step up and remain fit in the next few weeks. And ten Hag has illustrated his importance in the squad this week.
But Martial’s long-term future is uncertain, with Manchester United recently setting a price tag for his sale. So the coming games will give the French international the opportunity to make his case and secure his place in next season’s squad.
First up will be the Sevilla test, as the hosts look to cope in Rashford’s absence. The 27-year-old will also have a point to prove after a forgettable stint with Sevilla in the second half of the 2021/22 season.
Prediction
Manchester United 2-0 Sevilla
Losing Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw is a huge setback for Manchester United. So they will unlikely blow Sevilla away in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League quarter-final. However, Casemiro’s return will make the hosts a solid force in the defensive phases.
The Andalusian giants will press forward to take something from the game. But Manchester United will unlikely concede many chances and remain solid for the most part. As for the offensive output, Bruno Fernandes will get more creative freedom, which should bring Anthony Martial into the picture.
So Manchester United should seize a sizable advantage heading into the second leg at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium next week. The Hard Tackle predicts Erik ten Hag and his charges to seal a 2-0 win at Old Trafford on Thursday.
