YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO, BUT CAN YOU STOP US?
Despite their best efforts to avoid ending up in next season’s Euro Vase, Manchester United would very much like to win Europe’s second-tier competition in the current campaign, for no other reason than that they’re in it and have made it this far. With the Rumbelows Cup already in the trophy cabinet and the club looking a good shout for that all-important top-four finish, Erik ten Hag already has plenty of credit in the United bank of fan goodwill, unlike his employers who famously extract any credit they might need from the club coffers.
In the last eight of Euro Vase with a second leg against the six-times champions Sevilla ahoy, United looked a fair bet to end the tie as a contest when they raced into a two-goal lead courtesy of a brace from moustachioed Austrian loanee Marcel Sabitzer. However, a performance that began with a roar ended with a whimper and after Tyrell Malacia and Harry Maguire generously restored parity by chipping in with a couple of comedy own goals, Sevilla now find themselves with home advantage and in the box seat.
As recently as a month ago, Sevilla were, somewhat surprisingly, circling the La Liga plughole and far more concerned with avoiding the drop than winning yet another Euro Vase. But having ushered Jorge Sampaoli to the door marked “Do One!” and given the job to José Luis Mendilibar until the end of season, things have changed for the better. A reverse-Lampard, the old-school Spaniard has hauled his side eight points clear of danger with two league wins out of three and is fabled for trying to keep things simple and not blind his players with too much science. “We’re the easiest team to analyse,” he once said. “We don’t do anything extraordinary. We insist upon what we do well: win the second ball, get it to the wing, put the ball in, get a shot in. Any team or any media analyst knows what we do.”
While knowing what they do is all well and good, stopping them doing it is an entirely different proposition and Ten Hag has called on his players to “use their emotion as a tool” at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán this evening. With a smouldering tinderbox like Bruno Fernandes in his side, this might seem like dangerous advice and the referee can expect to witness plenty of ostentatious pleading, handwringing and wailing if things aren’t going United’s way. “The timing of emotions is important in big games,” he said. “We must focus on the best game you can as a team and individual.” With a decidedly tricky FA Cup semi-final against Brighton to play at Wembley on Sunday, this week could constitute quite the emotional rollercoaster for United’s travelling fans, although the availability of Marcus Rashford after injury should prompt the unclenching of a few white knuckles.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE
Join Scott Murray from 8pm BST for hot Big Vase MBM coverage of Sevilla 2-1 Manchester United (agg: 4-3).
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I felt most sorry for Michael Ball. He was trying to explain the ball hit a balloon. But what do you say to him? He’ll be seen as the villain but, actually, he was the victim” – Nedum Onuoha recalls one of the strangest goals in FA Cup history before Manchester City and Sheffield United meet again in Saturday’s first semi-final.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Your story about Tokyo’s Soccer For Life league (yesterday’s Quote of the Day) reminded me of the All-Priests five-a-side Over-75s Indoor Challenge Football Match between Craggy Island and Rugged Island. I wonder if Father Romeo Sensini could do a job up front for White Bear? Go on … my son!” – Joe Stafford.
I’m frankly amazed that a non-Leeds fan likes Leeds (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). Mind blown. Are there any others?” – Chris Stiff.
“May I be the first one to suggest Nobel Francis be given his own column. Noble Pries?” – Phil Raynor.
Dear Weird Uncle Football Daily. Your photo of the celebrating Orient team (yesterday’s Football Daily) prominently showed off their shirt sponsors, a mental health charity. Big paper’s story was dominated by a photo of the same players moments earlier on the pitch draped in a flag sponsoring a betting company. Is this proof that you are better, more socially aware journalists than those so-called grownups at Big Paper? Well done you” – Phil Horton.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Phil Raynor.
This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.
