Sevilla vs Manchester United verdict, predicted score, key stats and suggested bets
- Matty Briggs
- 19 April 2023
With Seville’s beloved Feria coming to town and the club’s uptake in form, there will likely be a carnival atmosphere at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan when Manchester United arrive on Thursday.
Manchester United let a two-goal lead slip against Sevilla in the first leg last week and will be on the back foot against a Spanish side that are currently in great form.
Date, KO time and TV coverage
Europa League quarter-final second leg, Thursday, April 20, Kick-off 8pm, BT 1
Predicted score
Suggested bets
Sevilla vs Manchester United BTTS
Sevilla to beat Manchester United
Key stats
Sevilla have seen over 2.5 goals in their last three matches against Manchester United in all competitions.
Sevilla have scored at least two goals in their last three matches against Manchester United in all competitions.
Manchester United have faced Sevilla four times without winning in major European competition (D2 L2).
Sevilla have won 23 of their last 26 home matches in the EL (D2 L1).
Manchester United have lost just one of their last 12 away in EL knockout matches (W7 D4).
Sevilla have lost one, drawn one and won the other seven competitive games they have played on home soil in 2023.
Team news
Unlike United, Sevilla have no injury concerns coming into this game. Marcos Acuna and midfielder Pape Gueye will return from suspension. Gonzalo Montiel is suspended though. Note that Sevilla made eight changes at the weekend from the side that lined up at Old Trafford.
Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are definitely out and Bruno Fernandes serves a one-match ban in Spain. Alejandro Garnacho and Donny van de Beek are longer term injuries while Scott McTominay, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw have all missed games recently and are doubts. Tyrell Malacia and Marcel Sabitzer both missed out at Forest and are also concerns for Erik ten Hag.
Verdict
Six-time Europa League winners Sevilla are building up a head of steam. New boss Jose Luis Mendilibar remains undefeated in his first four games in charge of Los Rojiblancos and he has the club climbing out of relegation trouble in La Liga.
Two wins and two draws across all competitions have Sevilla full of confidence and last week's unlikely 2-2 draw at Old Trafford will no doubt have given them the belief they can finish the job on home soil.
To say they have a liking for this tournament is an understatement, having won it four times in the last nine years, but with a new coach and even with that record put to one side, they look a value punt to finish off United after a startling comeback from 2-0 down at Old Trafford in the first leg.
United will not be helped by the key omissions of Fernandes and Martinez so expect Sevilla to go for the jugular in Andalusia. Copenhagen, PSV and Fenerbahce have all been defeated at home by Sevilla this season, but it's worth noting Man City cantered to a 4-0 win at the start of the campaign.
A lot of things have changed since then for the hosts though, whose home form early on was wretched. They have turned around their fortunes and they will play with a greater intensity than they did for much of the night in Manchester. They never looked like scoring until Malacia's own goal and they got a huge slice of luck with the second too.
Expect a different Sevilla this time out then but don't expect a United shut-out. Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof, who kept a clean sheet in the 2-0 away win at Nottingham Forest on Sunday, will get a full examination. After scoring in their last 10 at home, expect the hosts to continue that trend.
However, they do offer up chances at the other end, not to the degree that Forest did at the City Ground last time out, but United, whose success may depend on Rashford's inclusion, will get chances. Whether they can take them remains to be seen.
Sevilla though at odds of bigger than 2/1 look like worth having a wager on as the absences of Fernandes and Martinez may just prove too much.
