At the end of the arrivals hall at San Pablo airport, the sliding doors are emblazoned with the image of Jesús Navas holding the Europa League trophy, another reminder that when it comes to this competition there’s something about Sevilla. That’s the bad news; the good news is that strolling through them on Wednesday evening were Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Marcel Sabitzer and Tyrell Malacia, all returning from injury. “They are available because they came on the plane,” Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag said.
The return of Rashford is particularly significant, although Ten Hag said the England forward had completed only one session with his teammates before Thursday’s second leg of the Europa League quarter-final, with the score poised at 2-2. “We will train and I will take a final decision tomorrow,” Ten Hag said. United’s top scorer on 28 goals, including six in this competition, among them the only goal when they were last in this city against Real Betis, Rashford may have to start on the bench, leaving Anthony Martial to lead the line in the stadium where he played six months on loan.
Bruno Fernandes, Lisandro Martínez and Raphaël Varane are all out, but Christian Eriksen is available and fully fit after starting at the weekend, the Denmark international describing the chance to compete in games like this as a dream.
“Looking back a year ago I was dreaming about being where I am today,” said the midfielder who suffered a cardiac arrest during Euro 2020 and is now back after an ankle injury that kept him out of action for more than two months. “It was a dream to play football [at all]: step by step, be the best version you can be. I was lucky to get the chance to come a year ago and I am enjoying it even more now. We already won a trophy and we will aim for two more; that will be good fun.”
United have not lost any of the 17 games in which Eriksen, Fernandes and Casemiro have played together in midfield. Although Fernandes will be absent through suspension, Ten Hag described the Dane’s return as vital for “his ability, his reading of the game, finding positions, his composure on the ball, the final pass”, while Eriksen said that the performances of Sabitzer had shown that United had the squad to find solutions.
“I didn’t know we had been so many without losing,” Eriksen said. “[Casemiro and Fernandes] are two very good players and it is easy for me to fill the gaps between them. This midfield is one of the best I have been part of it. We’re missing Bruno but when I was away someone had to pick up my duties and it will be the same tomorrow for Bruno. Everyone tries to do their job and fit in the best they can. [Sabitzer] came after I got injured so I have only played with him a few times. He has been unbelievable while I have been away.”
Asked about the challenge from Reading’s Andy Carroll that put him out of action, Eriksen said: “I was surprised he didn’t get a yellow but at the time I didn’t think it was so bad. I wasn’t concerned when I would be back or fear being out until to the end of the season. The medical staff have kept me in good shape and I have come back like I never left.”
“We let Sevilla back into the first game,” Eriksen added. “We had good control for the first hour. They have had a lot of coaches but they are starting to win games now, they are in a safe spot [in the league], they are very direct, they have good players, and they are in good shape. We want to progress, we want to win the game and take it from there.”
With goalkeeper David de Gea on the verge of signing a new deal at Old Trafford, Ten Hag was asked what his most important attribute was. “Stopping goals,” the coach said. “That is the main job for a goalkeeper. You can do it in many ways. Everyone has his own particular style.
“Nowadays keeping possession is also more and more important at the top level, as it helps you take control and makes it harder for opponents to pressure you and create chances. But at the end of the day it is about stopping goals: stopping shots, crosses, one on ones. That is the classic goalkeeper. He is a really complete keeper.”
