Manchester United’s hopes of another Europa League title appear faint as they head to Spain on Thursday.
How did Sevilla get this fair? A pair of home clean sheets and wins against PSV Eindhoven (3-0) and Fenerbahçe (2-0). And that’s after two away losses.
So the Spaniards 2-2 draw at Old Trafford tees them up for a place in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
They come into this game undefeated against United (W2, D2) as well as against all opponents under new manager José Luis Mendilibar (W2, D2).
United enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 league away at the weekend against Nottingham Forest and have now seen seven of their last ten victories across all competitions accompanied by a 2+ goal margin.
It was an eighth straight game without a first-half goal conceded.
The 2020/21 UEL finalists remain undefeated in European competition since an opening matchday home loss to Real Sociedad (W8, D2), which includes a remarkable three trips to Spain (W2, D1) in the space of fewer than six months.
They, therefore, have every right to be confident of returning home as semi-finalists, especially not having lost any of their last seven UEFA contests on Spanish soil (W5, D2).
Currently on a one-month goal drought, Bruno Fernandes is still the only United player other than the injured Marcus Rashford to score in two of their competitive away games this calendar year.
All but two of Sevilla’s last 15 competitive wins were accompanied by a clean sheet.