Sevilla are ready to host Manchester United in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday, 20 April. The Spanish side are actually in better momentum heading into the game after snatching away a draw from Old Trafford in the first leg.
United saw things go from bad to worse in the second half against Sevilla, after cruising to a 2-0 lead in the first 25 minutes. They saw some important players suffer nasty injuries, as lady luck definitely wasn’t on their side on the day – with both of Sevilla’s goals being own goals.
That means there is everything to play for both teams in the second leg. Like the first leg, this should be packed with goals and be a really entertaining game because how neither side really wants to sit back and snatch a narrow lead.
Last 5 Games
United holds the better record in recent weeks over the La Liga side, but they have a bit of a wobbly away record this season – which could be a positive sign for Sevilla
Sevilla
Win: 2-0 vs Valencia
Draw: 2-2 vs Manchester United
Draw: 2-2 vs Celta Vigo
Win: 2-0 vs Cadiz
Loss: 2-0 vs Getafe
Manchester United
Win: 2-0 vs Nottingham Forest
Draw: 2-2 vs Sevila
Win: 2-0 vs Everton
Win: 1-0 vs Brentford
Loss: 2-0 vs Newcastle United
Predicted Lineups
Sevilla have a fully fit squad for this important game, which could work to their advantage as they hope to pounce on United’s current issues to get a dramatic win.
The Red Devils, on the other hand, are set to miss a number of key first-team players for this game. Bruno Fernandes is suspended after picking up his third yellow card in the Europa League in the last game.
Defensive pair Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are both out for the foreseeable future with injuries. Marcus Rashford could return for this but faces a big test. United will also pray for the fitness of Tyrell Malacia and Marcel Sabitzer, who missed the weekend’s game. Alejandro Garnacho and Donny van de Beek are long-time absentees.
Sevilla: Bono, Montiel, Nianzou, Marcao, Acuna, Fernando, Gudelj, Ocampos, Rakitic, Suso, En-Nesyri
Manchester United: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Dalot, Fred, McTominay, Eriksen, Antony, Martial, Weghorst
Head-to-Head
The fascinating point of the head-to-head history between Sevilla and United is that the Red Devils are yet to actually defeat the La Liga side in a competitive game. They’ve played each other four times in their history, out of which Sevilla have won twice!
Their last game, of course, was the encounter at Old Trafford last week which ended up as a 2-2 draw. Marcel Sabitzer put United in the driving seat with a 20-minute brace, but late own goals from Tyrell Malacia and Harry Maguire resulted in a frustrating draw.
Where the game will be decided
United will probably be more respectful of Sevilla and their ability to cause them trouble at the back after getting a major reality check toward the end of the first leg.
With everything to play for in this clash, expect both teams to really go for it. Sevilla won’t be as intimidated by the Premier League side knowing that they’re without key players like Martinez, Varane, and Fernandes. United, on the other hand, are not designed to play defensive football under Erik ten Hag and will look to control the game with whatever options they have.
This game could be decided in the tiniest of margins and mostly on Sevilla’s side of the pitch. United are still expected to dominate the game, but the decisive factor for them could be in-form attacking players like Martial and Antony. If those two are able to work with midfield maestro Christian Eriksen and convert their chances perfectly, it could be sweet sailing for the Red Devils.
However, Sevilla won’t make it easy for them at all. They’ll look to man-mark their key players, and employ an aggressive style – steal the ball and launch forward in counter-attacks. A lot of the game will be decided through the wings because of both sides’ playing styles, while set-pieces could be another area the La Liga side can torment United through.
Prediction
We back Sevilla to get a narrow win to move forward in the Europa League semi-finals. United are missing too many key players and just can’t play with the same swagger away from home as they normally do under the Old Trafford spotlight.
The La Liga side are in good form under Jose Luis Mendilibar and have realized how to grind out wins. They should be able to frustrate United with some stiff defending and then capitalize on their little chances, mostly from set pieces, to grind out a win.
Prediction: Sevilla 2-1 Manchester United
Odds*
Sevilla to win: 49/20
Draw: 13/5
Manchester United to win: 21/20
The Red Devils are the bookmakers’ favorite to win the match with 21/20 odds. That means if one was to bet $1 on them to win, the desired result would fetch them $2.05 – with a profit of $1.05.
Sevilla, on the other hand, have intimidating odds of 49/20! That means if one was to bet $1 on them to win, getting that result would fetch them a return of $3.45 – with a $2.45 profit!
*By BetUS At the time of writing
Kick-Off Time
The game will kick off at 20:00 GMT and the referee will be Artur Dias.