On Thursday night, Manchester United will resume play when they depart for Spain to play Sevilla in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League quarterfinal. At Old Trafford last week, Marcel Sabitzer's two goals gave them a 2-0 lead in the first leg. However, they fell down late in the second half when Tyrell Malacia scored an own goal, followed by a deflection off Harry Maguire's head in stoppage time. The scenario United found themselves in in Seville was dreadful, but they will manage to get through it.
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez were both sidelined by injuries for United; the Argentinean will miss the rest of the campaign after undergoing surgery. Varane will be sidelined for the majority of the remaining part of the month.
In addition to the other injuries in the squad at the moment, Bruno Fernandes has been suspended for this leg since he received a booking during the first leg. On Sunday, United did defeat Nottingham Forest 2-0 thanks to goals from Antony and Diogo Dalot.
With nine games left in the current season, Sevilla defeated Valencia 2-0 on Sunday in LaLiga to maintain its position as the 13th-place team in the Spanish league. Their greatest chance of playing in Europe next season is to defeat United and win the Europa League. United must overcome the negative features of the first leg at Old Trafford and find a method to defeat Sevilla, a team they have so far failed to defeat in European competition.
Anthony Martial to Spearhead United's attack
Anthony Martial will probably be in the lead of United's attack when he returns to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Thursday with a spot in the Europa League semi-finals on the line due to Marcus Rashford's injury.
The draw against the experts in the Europa League is delicately poised at 2-2 after two late own goals by United in the first leg at Old Trafford. With Marcel Sabitzer's double inside the opening 21 minutes, United jumped out to a 2-0 lead, with Anthony Martial playing a significant role.
Erik ten Hag, though, may be without a number of players for the second leg, placing additional on Martial to perform.
Prior to Sunday's 2-0 victory at Nottingham Forest, Sabitzer injured himself during warm-up, preferred center backs Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez will also not traveling to Spain due to injuries they sustained during the first game.
The biggest blow, however, would be Bruno Fernandes' absence because of his ban. At the City Ground, where he was reunited alongside Casemiro and Christan Eriksen in midfield, Fernandes shined.
United has won 15 of the 17 games in which all three have started and drawn two.
Martial's impact this season has also been muted by injury issues, which have characterized his United career.
The 27-year-old, who was the most expensive teenager in the world when he joined from Monaco in 2015, has never really lived up to his potential despite tallying 86 goals in 288 games for the team. Even less was accomplished during his stay in Sevilla.
Anthony Martial wanted first-team action in Spain after Cristiano Ronaldo's second stint at United knocked him down the pecking order. However, he managed just one goal in 12 appearances in the second part of the previous season.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United last year, Martial has one more chance to revitalize his career there, But due to injuries, he has only made 19 appearances in United's taxing 51-match season to date.
Despite his desperate search for a number nine to fire players, United manager Ten Hag has stayed steadfast in his backing.
For United, Rashford's 28 goals — his best total in a single season — have covered up the gaps. The England international has stated that he prefers to start from a wide left position than a middle position, though.
Wout Weghorst's patience with Ten Hag has also worn thin recently after the Dutch international managed just two goals in 22 games.
"When he is fit our team plays better," said Ten Hag on Martial's impact.
"He's an incredibly good player. He can link up, keeps the ball, also the pressing is good. He will score goals, he is capable of scoring goals. He can finish no doubt about that."
Under Ten Hag, Martial has scored seven goals, one every 133 minutes.But if United is to be persuaded to extend his contract through the end of the upcoming season, he still has a lot to prove.
As the League Cup winners take on Brighton in the FA Cup semifinals after their trip from Seville, Ten Hag's team faces a crucial week in their quest for a hat-trick of titles.
Few would have predicted that the English heavyweights would rely on Anthony Martial for goals at the crunch time of the season 12 months ago.However, Ten Hag must meet his wants, giving the mysterious Frenchman most likely his last opportunity to save the Red Devils.
Sevilla's World Cup winner set to miss out
On the field at Old Trafford on Thursday night were four World Cup champions. For Manchester United, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane; for Sevilla, Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna.
Only Marcos Acuna will be left in this week's second leg of the Europa League quarterfinal. While Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are both injured and cannot play for United. The former is unquestionably done for the year.
For Sevilla, Gonzalo Montiel played the full 90 minutes in their draw at Old Trafford. One of the two players who assisted Lisandro Martinez off the field after he hurt himself was the right-back.
Montiel received a yellow card during the 2-2 draw in the first leg and will be suspended from the second game.
Including the final, Montiel participated in four of Argentina's World Cup games. He will be lost, and it will be a clear setback for Sevilla. For the La Liga team this year, Montiel has appeared in 31 games.
Jesus Navas, a 37-year-old right-back, is available for Sevilla. At Old Trafford, he took Oliver Torres' place for the final 45 minutes of play.
Of course, the feisty Marco Acuna, who enjoyed his matchup with Antony at Old Trafford, is the only World Cup winner still alive.
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