Manchester United vs Sevilla: 5 Key battles to watch out for | UEFA Europa League 2019-20
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United are set to face LaLiga Santander side Sevilla in the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League on Sunday night.
Both clubs head into their European campaigns after ending their league seasons on a high, with the English club finishing third on the table and the Spanish club finishing fourth. However, facing Sevilla — a club that has won 24 of their last 25 Europa League knockout ties (including finals) — is a different prospect entirely.
They are undoubtedly the side with the most pedigree in the competition over the last decade or so, having famously won three UELs on the spin under Unai Emery in the previous decade.
That being said, Manchester United are not a side to be trifled with either, as the Red Devils are arguably one of the most in-form teams in Europe at the moment. They have lost just one game in their last 21, and are yet to lose a Premier League game with Bruno Fernandes among their ranks.
With the stage all set in Germany for what is one of the most high-profile matches left to be contested in Europe this year, here, we take a look at five key battles that could decide the outcome of the game.
#5 Mason Greenwood vs Sergio Reguilon
One of the most in-demand full-backs in the market at the moment, Sergio Reguilon has been one of the most attack-oriented left-backs in LaLiga this year. The Spaniard has all the attributes that are looked for in modern defenders. He's a reliable crosser, displays excellent work ethic, and has bundles of pace to burn.
The Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur target — currently on loan at Sevilla from Real Madrid — has been pivotal for Julen Lopetegui's philosophy at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Apart from his apparent abilities in attack for Sevilla, 23-year-old will be tasked with keeping a check on one of the most impressive youngsters in Manchester United's rich history, Mason Greenwood.
The 18-year-old has exploded onto the scene for the Red Devils, scoring 17 goals across all competitions. He became the first teenager to score as many for Solskjaer's men since Wayne Rooney, and shares the record with Brian Kidd and George Best. Greenwood offers a unique threat down United's right-hand side with his ability to go either onto his left or right foot, and has adapted to playing a wider role with ease. His finishing has been nothing short of phenomenal in the 2019/20 campaign.
The clash between the two in-form players will be crucial for both sides as Greenwood has shown that he doesn't need too much time or space to find the back of the net.
#4 Aaron Wan-Bissaka vs Lucas Ocampos
Sevilla star Lucas Ocampos has been one of their go-to men in attack this year, and rightly so, as the forward has been crucial for Lopetegui's side. After leading the Spanish club's scoring charts in LaLiga Santander with 14 goals, Ocampos made the difference once again for Sevilla with a stunning late winner against Wolves in the quarter-finals.
The towering Argentine, capable of playing all across the front-three, played on the left-hand side of Los Palanganas' attack with Suso on the other flank. Should this remain to be the case, Ocampos will be up against one of the sternest tests he's faced this year in Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Manchester United's tough-tackling right-back is one of the most challenging full-backs to beat.
The 21-year-old has made the most number of tackles in the Premier League for two successive seasons now, and will be tasked with keeping Sevilla's maverick quiet. Ocampos averages a staggering 3.6 dribbles per game in the UEL, and Wan-Bissaka tallies just over four tackles and interceptions per game, setting up a perfectly-poised encounter between the two.
Sevilla's high line and press would mean that the 21-year-old defender will be up against both Ocampos and Reguilon on the right when out of possession. However, on the face of it, the Ocampos vs Wan-Bissaka duel is essentially a battle between one team's most prolific attacker vs the opponents' best 1v1 defender.
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