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MANCHESTER UNITED crashed out of the Europa League in shambolic fashion on Thursday with Sevilla beating them 3-0, to reach the semi-finals 5-2 on aggregate.
The record six-time winners thoroughly outplayed Erik ten Hag’s side, who repeatedly shot themselves in the foot again, having scored two own goals in the first leg.
Harry Maguire, guilty of one of those calamitous moments, endured another as he gave the ball away on the edge of his own area and Youssef En-Nesyri pounced to break the deadlock early on.
Loic Bade headed home the second from a corner in the first minute of the second half, with Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side meriting their advantage, which they defended adroitly.
En-Nesyri rolled home his second goal into an empty net after United goalkeeper David de Gea put the ball on a plate for him with a mishit clearance while outside his area.
Ten Hag started with Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw on the bench with the duo on their way back from injury.
With the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan rocking, Sevilla threw themselves into the game with great intensity and were swiftly rewarded by Maguire.
With Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane injured, Ten Hag had no choice but to start with the Englishman at centre-back alongside Victor Lindelof.
Maguire rolled the ball back to goalkeeper De Gea and called to receive it again from the Spanish goalkeeper, seemingly nonplussed about the three Sevilla players buzzing around him.
As Maguire tried to pass the ball, former Tottenham winger Erik Lamela intercepted it and En-Nesyri took charge of the situation and stroked it past De Gea at his near post.
United tried to fight back but created few chances of note, shorn of suspended playmaker Bruno Fernandes.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka sent a tame shot at Yassine Bounou, who collected easily, with Sevilla’s biggest first half concern an injury to defender Marcao, who had to be replaced.
Sevilla thought they had netted a second goal when Lucas Ocampos rammed home to ignite the Pizjuan again but VAR showed a tight offside against Marcos Acuna in the build-up.
A second goal would not have flattered the hosts or their fans, who looked every bit the Europa League experts their outstanding record illustrates, rather than their domestic version, battling relegation.
Casemiro deflected an Ivan Rakitic drive over the bar late in the first half as the hosts pushed to double their advantage.
- No comeback -
Ten Hag threw on Shaw and Rashford at the break, the latter with licence to get in behind Sevilla’s 37-year-old defender Jesus Navas.
However Sevilla started the second half just as they ended the first, on the front foot, and Bade immediately steered home a looping header from Rakitic’s corner.
Back on home soil, De Gea might have done more to keep out Bade’s effort, with some also criticising him for his role in Sevilla’s opener — worse was yet to come.
Anthony Martial, who made no impact on loan at Sevilla last season, made way for Wout Weghorst, as Ten Hag turned to Plan B.
Bounou saved from a long-range Casemiro strike and Christian Eriksen whipped a free-kick narrowly wide as three-time Champions League winners United showed some signs of life.
However Sevilla killed the game with 10 minutes remaining when De Gea ran out of his box and mishit an attempted clearance, and Morocco international En-Nesyri took full advantage to stroke home.
Sevilla’s Europa League adventure is the highlight of their campaign, with the Andalucians 13th in Spain, eight points above the relegation zone.
Mendilibar is unbeaten in five games across all competitions since being appointed to replace Jorge Sampaoli.
United must pick themselves up to play in the FA Cup semi-final against Brighton at Wembley on Sunday.
Written by AFP and posted on the42.ie
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So does that mean their treble dream is over?!
@Cormac McCann: at least some silverware secured. Arsenal will come second with nothing
@Cormac McCann: of course it does, until they win their third
Ten Hag era was very short…lol
De Gea, Maguire, Lindelof, Sancho, Martial are a disgrace. McFred are woeful and Eriksen and Weghorst are journeymen. Team is way off the mark.
@Brian Costigan: You were doing alright till you mentioned Eriksen…..
@Brian Costigan: fifteen points behind the leaders, they have done well considering.
@Declan B: He’s been awful.
@Brian Costigan: Stephen Cluxton, Philly Mc Mahon. A scoring forward like Bernard bleedin Brogan, n, Nobody wud best us
@Brian Costigan: deGea is good but he has times where he loses concentration or something.
Terrible performance yes. And they lost . A deserved loss. But at the start of the season if someone said top 4 finish and won some silverware, any United fan would have bit your hand off. Step by step building.
@Ciaran: See how they do against Spurs next Thursday.
A serious Clear out needed and another wake up call for EtH. On what planet are the English media on Maguire and Sancho are two over hyped English players. I’ve seen better down the local pitch on a Sunday morning than Maguire. Martial is so lazy he’d sleep on the floor of there was work in the bed. EtH deserves some credit but this team is full of Overpaid wimps who will throw him under a bus too. The only 1 with a bit of fire in him is Martinez. Alot done more to do for EtH.. That was a shambles last week and tonight… Them players should hang their heads in shame after that pathetic performance
Sub-par? Submarine!
Got what we deserved nothing
@John O Mahony: Spot on and I hope that none of them come out on any media or social media apologising for this shambles. I’m sick and tired of them coming out and apologising
Arlene was world class
The great to see all the Utd fans backtracking lol… Your club is the laughing stock of England, the gift that keeps on giving. Ten Hag the saviour meeeee hahaha
@Quinny: Whatever a*****e
The Rovers/ Shells game last week was entertaining as Fook. Just sayin….
Harry’s Game.
Hilarious.
Worst team since 88? What a load of hyperbolic nonsense. This team has had some howlers this season, but theres been more good football played this season than there has from Moyes all the way to the end of Rangnik.The reality is at least a quarter of the squad need to be turffed out, but real life is isn’t football manager (unless you’re Chelsea apparently) you can’t sell 12 and buy 12 in a summer. Still have full faith in ETH. I expect huge improvements next year and by season 3 I expect him to have us right back to where we need to be. Mark my words.
You have to start questioning Ten Hag. Any manager that plays Lankyplank up front has a screw loose.
This team is awful. Worst team I have seen since following since 88.
Let’s be honest, UEFA were never going to allow the biggest club in the world to win this trophy.
@ggg: Real Madrid weren’t in that competition, too busy at the top table. 14 European cups to 3 and you think united are the biggest club in the world. Delusional.
@Denis Ryan: Madrid on their way for their 15th Hala Madrid
@Noel Donohue: Liverpool fan myself but game respects game. Always had a soft spot for watching Madrid for the last thirty years but our last two champions league final have made me a little bitter :)
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