Manchester United take a commanding lead into their Europa League clash away at Real Betis tonight. Erik ten Hag’s side, fresh from losing 7-0 to Liverpool, managed to beat their Spanish opposition 4-1 last week to put one foot into the quarter-finals.
Cup competition has been a major feature of ten Hag’s first season in charge. While United are some way off challenging for the Premier League title, they at least ended their trophy drought by capturing the Carabao Cup last month and could still win both the Europa League and the FA Cup. That, coupled with a top-four finish, represents major progress for a team in dire straits before the Dutchman’s arrival.
Barring a complete collapse, United will make it into the final eight. A potential meeting with Arsenal is mouth-watering but, before that, they must get the job done at Estadio Benito Villamarín. Follow the action LIVE with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog!
Live updates
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Head to head (h2h) history and results
The first leg back in Manchester was the sides’ first competitive meeting, although Betis won a friendly played in Spain during last year’s World Cup break.
Confirmed Real Betis lineup
Thierry Henry tells Harry Kane: You must leave Tottenham, if I was you I couldn’t sleep at night
Manchester United target Harry Kane has to leave Tottenham this summer or likely settle for an unfulfilled career, says Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
Last season’s Champions League exit means Spurs will go a 15th season without a trophy, and Kane’s career trophy drought subsequently also extends as he still searches for his first piece of silverware.
Kane’s contract will have just one year remaining come the summer and the player is in no rush to sign an extension, prompting ongoing speculation that he could finally decide to leave.
Latest odds
Betfair – Real Betis vs Manchester United
Real Betis – 5/2
Draw – 13/5
Man Utd – 1/1
Betfair – Europa League Winner
Man Utd – 15/8
Arsenal – 5/2
Juventus – 7/1
Roma – 8/1
Sevilla – 12/1
Leverkusen – 14/1
Union Berlin – 16/1
Ten Hag told how to solve major Casemiro problem after four-game ban
Graham Poll has rubbished suggestions that Casemiro is being unfairly targeted by Premier League referees after getting sent off again for Manchester United at the weekend.
The Brazilian midfielder received his marching orders for the second time in just five weeks during the first half of Sunday’s goalless draw with relegation-battling Southampton at Old Trafford, leaving the field in tears and being consoled by team-mates after being shown a straight red card by official Anthony Taylor for a bad challenge on Saints counterpart Carlos Alcaraz.
Casemiro will now serve a four-match domestic suspension that will rule him out of the upcoming FA Cup quarter-final meeting with Fulham, as well as further top-flight matches against Newcastle, Brentford and Everton.
Guardiola insists he is a failure after ‘idol’ Julia Roberts’ Man City snub
Pep Guardiola has unexpectedly revealed how “idol” Julia Roberts broke his heart with a preference for rivals Manchester United.
Manchester City hammered RB Leipzig 7-0 on Tuesday night in a one-sided Champions League last-16 second-leg clash in which superstar striker Erling Haaland scored five times in total to seal an 8-1 aggregate victory and easily book a place in Friday’s quarter-final draw.
Such a devastating display both collectively as a team and individually from Haaland will greatly raise belief that City can finally end their long wait for glory in Europe’s elite club competition – the one major trophy that has continued to elude them despite their unprecedented period of domestic success during a seven-year stint under Guardiola that has included four Premier League titles, the FA Cup and four League Cups.
It would be a hugely satisfying achievement for the Spaniard, who has often been criticised for failing to add to the two Champions League titles he won as a manager with Barcelona during his stints in charge at both Bayern Munich and City.
Read Guardiola’s comments in full here!
Who can Manchester United face in Europa League quarter-finals? Possible opponents for Friday’s draw
Manchester United already have one foot in the Europa League quarter-finals ahead of discovering their fate in Friday’s draw.
A last-16 second leg trip to Real Betis must be navigated first but the Red Devils have built a comfortable three-goal lead as they head to Spain.
It means their chances of being involved in the lunchtime ceremony from UEFA’s headquarters in Switzerland are high, although the same cannot be said for some of their potential opponents.
