Manchester United crashed out of the Europa League with an embarrassing performance against a clinical Sevilla at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Thursday night.
United had thrown away a 2-0 lead in the first leg and never got going in the second. Sevilla didn’t look back as soon as Youssef En-Nesyri broke the deadlock early to go ahead on aggregate, with the Moroccan scoring again late on after Loic Bade had also netted.
Sevilla fans brought the noise from the start and that energy translated onto the pitch when the hosts pressured United into an early mistake. David de Gea left Harry Maguire on an island with a poor pass when the captain was surrounded by white shirts. Erik Lamela closed him down and En-Nesyri was gratefully on hand to finish as the ball broke free.
United continued to be sloppy and there was another nervy moment at the back when there appeared to be a lack of communication between Maguire and De Gea.
Erik ten Hag’s team finally found a bit of attacking rhythm midway through the first half, although when the first clear chance fell at Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s feet, the full-back put it straight at Bono. Yet by the closing stages of the first half, Sevilla were toying with United in midfield.
A borderline offside flagged by VAR denied Sevilla a second before the interval. It was a fine finish from Lucas Ocampos, but Marcos Acuna had strayed inches offside prior to crossing. Only moments earlier, Victor Lindelof had also blocked at point-blank range from Suso.
Ten Hag didn’t waste time changing things at the break, sending both Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw on for the second half. But barely any sooner had the game restarted, a set-piece was their undoing. Bade rose relatively unchallenged to meet Ivan Rakitic’s out-swinging corner, connecting with his shoulder rather than his head, but still managing to beat a weak De Gea.
With United in disarray, only an instinctive save from De Gea stopped Ocampos quickly making it three, followed by a frantic goalmouth scramble.
United started to have more of the ball around the hour mark, although it seemed more because Sevilla were happy to back off, sit on their lead and play on the counter. Casemiro did at least force Bono into a decent save with a powerful shot from distance.
With Sevilla under no pressure to force the issue, United spent plenty of time in the hosts’ half. Yet the nail in the coffin was another poor moment from De Gea. The Spaniard committed a calamitous error coming well out of his…
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