Manchester United have scored plenty of own goals in recent seasons. It was just that they tended to be figurative, not literal. There was a point when it seemed they would score four goals against Sevilla. In a way, they did. But when Tyrell Malacia and Harry Maguire found the net, it was their own. The goalkeeper they beat was David de Gea, not Bono. Maguire may have anticipated lifting the Europa League trophy, along with Bruno Fernandes. Instead, his defining contribution to this season’s competition may be the header that flew past his teammate.
Sometimes, of course, United savour two late goals and a dramatic turnaround in a European game but this was not the Nou Camp in 1999. Even Sir Alex Ferguson was not immune to the occasional collapse: Sevilla in 2023 was the first time United lost a two-goal lead in a European game since a 3-3 draw against Basel in 2011. “What can you do?” asked Erik ten Hag. “Sometimes you have bad days and bad luck.”
