Man Utd will be without star midfielder Bruno Fernandes when facing Sevilla in the Europa League next week.
Manchester United have proven they have what it takes to beat Sevilla. Somehow they didn't make it to the end.
Erik ten Hag's side will head into next week's second leg with an easy lead to reflect their overall dominance on Thursday night. Instead, they even entered the game, losing by two goals. There's no need to overreact to the disappointing end, and United will be hoping their belated capitulation removes any further complacency when it looks like they've finished the game.
What is certain as the second leg approaches is that they will have to do it without the help of amulet midfielder Bruno Fernandes after receiving a yellow card that kept him out of Spain.
The Portuguese was shown a yellow card after a stubborn attempt on his part on Thursday night, but no matter how bad the feeling of unfairness, United must accept that he will not be available. .
Fernandes has been arguably United's most consistent player this season, further affirming his importance to the team since Ten Hag took charge. He has featured in 48 of the possible 50 games and played the most minutes of anyone else at the club in the process. He has played 621 more minutes than the next midfielder on the list, roughly the equivalent of seven games in the other 90 minutes, with David de Gea being the only player to have played nearly as often as he did during the season. this award.
There is no way to change the fact that he will miss so much for United in the second leg, but at least they have found a way to cope without his creativity.
Most obvious is the form of Marcel Sabitzer, who caught the eye with two beautiful goals on Thursday night. When he first arrived at the club, he struggled to play in central midfield but later took advantage of the opportunity to play higher.
It is in this attacking midfielder role that he has played well in the last three games, and he put in another impressive performance with a brace midweek. Any hope of success in the second leg could depend on giving the 29-year-old the attacking freedom he so highly valued, giving him another option in the first half as he plunged into the box.
United will also be boosted by the fact that Christian Eriksen can return to full health when he travels to Spain.
The Denmark international has shown promising signs in two appearances from the bench since returning from injury, and will now be one step closer to a return to action.
Eriksen, 31, is not a direct replacement for Fernandes, but he offers the same deep creativity that the Portuguese midfielder has brought in recent weeks.
With him and Sabitzer in the squad, United should be able to make up for the massive loss in their midfield and still be able to secure a place in the semi-finals. No player can replace what he brings to the team, but two can.
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