Sevilla 0-0 Manchester United: 5 Talking Points
Scoreline: Sevilla 0-0 Manchester United
Manchester United cramped Sevilla down to a goalless draw at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium to let the fate of the tie rest entirely on the second leg fixture at Old Trafford.
Vincenzo Montella's men had the best chances on the night, no doubt, but United did just about enough to give the scorers a day off, thanks to Sevilla's wastefulness and the inevitable heroics of David de Gea.
It was all rather scrappy in midfield as the ref couldn't afford to let his whistle rest even for a twinkling as the game moved from one stoppage to the next.
Jose Mourinho should be the happier of the two managers and will be looking to seal the deal at the Theatre of Dreams next month.
Here are the 5 talking points from the game.
#5 Scott delivers and Dave saves
Jose Mourinho did not exactly sound pleased by Paul Pogba's absence in the weekend FA Cup tie against Huddersfield and chose to go with Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera in the centre of the park.
In arguably the biggest game yet of his fledgeling career, McTominay did not look out of place and put in a solid shift. It shouldn't be soft-pedalled for he was expected to be under pressure thanks to the ominous atmosphere away from home and the gravitas of the fixture.
Scott even let one rip with his left-foot from 25 yards out and forced a save from Rico to register United's first shot on goal of the night. If he kicks on in the same vein, it won't be long before Pogba finally gets to be the man who gets freed up in the midfield 3 to cause the kind of trouble he has only gifted us teasers of this season.
And then there is David de Gea. It's a bit baffling that the Sevilla players were taking him on from outside the area when they couldn't beat him from 6 yards out. de Gea is an army by himself and though it's not much of a task cutting past the likes of Chris Smalling, the attackers need to keep in mind that the job is not even half done.
Here he was, once again sending the United faithful into fits of wonder by reaching out and clawing at definite goalbound strikes and keeping Jose's crew in the game. His saves off Vazquez, Nzonzi and Muriel were straight out of the top drawer and he was perhaps United's best player on the night.
One of the very best there has ever been? I'd think so.