Manchester United were eliminated from the Europa League when Sevilla turned around a goal deficit to win 2-1. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team took an early lead but, when they needed to show some penetration and concentration, were found sorely lacking against a team with plenty of experience at this level.

The game commenced in a familiar fashion; United were not brilliantly cohesive but had some magic individual moments. When they were able to make those moments in combinations, they found plenty of joy.

In the seventh minute Marcus Rashford had an effort from Martial’s superb through ball but saw it saved; as the ball bounced away, Rashford was fouled. The referee blew for United’s 22nd penalty of the campaign – Bruno Fernandes was as faultless as he has been taking them since he arrived.

Fernandes then found Fred in good space, but the Brazilian demonstrated how one-sided a player he is with a sliced effort.

Former Liverpool player Suso equalised midway through the half – Sevilla were starting to threaten and, though United had a fair complaint that the move for the goal started from a throw in that should have been given to them, it seemed such an avoidable passage well before the ball got to United’s back line – and avoidable at that stage, too, but the ball flashed across the box and Suso converted at the near post.

In the 33rd minute a smart move ended up at Martial’s feet on the edge of the box, but the in-form French star fired over.

Fernandes was challenged heavily in the box and possibly had a decent shout for a second penalty; soon after, he showed excellent improvisation skills by flicking up a bouncing ball and then forcing a save from the keeper with a great volley.

Just before half-time, Pogba’s raking pass found Rashford in acres, but the wide man lacked the conviction to really punish his opponent, and, eventually, meekly surrendered the ball on the edge of the box.

United’s start to the second half was impressive; Martial had a hat-trick of opportunities denied by Bono in the Sevilla goal, and Rashford and Fernandes saw efforts blocked. That impressive spell did not end with a goal and suddenly asked some questions of the United front line, which, for all its cute invention, has been devoid of goals from open play.

Those concerns were put into a harsher spotlight when United’s defensive woes came back to haunt them. With 13 minutes to go, a seemingly harmless cross from the left was left at the near post by Maguire, who presumed De Gea or Lindelof would get it. It was too far out for De Gea, so it was left to Lindelof, who – as he has been prone to do – decided to leave it himself. 

This did not look good for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, whose poorest performance for the club was punished when De Jong got in the space to score, but the finger of blame once again will be pointed at the Swede Lindelof, who took no responsibility both before and after the goal.

And United suddenly needed inspiration but looked the three or four players short that they are. Though Solskjaer made changes, and though there were six minutes of added time, it was another reminder that the current United still have some way to go to match the old versions when they couldn’t muster up a proper attack to get back into the game. As was the case with each of their semi-finals this season, United did not do enough to deserve to win, and even though their opponents were hardly fantastic, they showed the experience needed to succeed on such an occasion.

Selection

Solskjaer’s bold calls were to recall De Gea and select Fred in front of Matic. The real gamble was Fred, but the Brazilian was picked to break up play and be combative, and he did so in a way that Matic could not have done, so it was a decent choice. The manager could be blamed for a late reaction with the substitutes but considering we have seen what a thin squad we have, it was hardly the worst decision to see how it panned out. 

And this is probably a very fair reflection of where United are at – the three or four players (or five or six) are the difference between where they are and where they want to be.

Conclusion

So, on that, at the end of the season as we now are. Sevilla were a good yardstick – a team not good enough to be in the Champions League, but very good at the Europa League level. That is this United’s level at the moment. 

They’re a central defender, left-back, midfielder, wide player and striker short of challenging for the league, and any mixture of those players between where they are now and tangible progression into a team that will challenge for trophies. One such player in any area might have made a difference tonight, but United’s need is seriously greater.

Thankfully, this competition was now merely an exercise to win a trophy and gain some momentum. Unfortunately, we weren’t good enough. 

So the match means nothing in terms of where United need to be in terms of objectives for this season, but, it means very much indeed when it comes to their need to learn to win big games.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deserves so much credit for how far he has taken the team in terms of how they are playing and the level of expectation; they’re now playing up, instead of down, to expectations. 

But they still have so far left to go, and Solskjaer is now included in that, as he joins the club previously of one in Wilf McGuinness to lose three semi-finals by a single goal and curse his luck. The truly great managers stand out by the tactical quirks that make the difference on such occasions. 

There is clearly something to invest in with Ole, but let’s hope that investment is matched on a financial front by the club, because if not, they will be found wanting again next season, and the club’s ambitions should be to be the best, not between third and sixth best.

Ratings 

De Gea 6

Wan-Bissaka 5

Lindelof 5

Maguire 6

Williams 6

Fred 7

Pogba 5

Fernandes 7

Greenwood 6

Martial 6

Rashford 6