📰 Table Of Contents
Match report
A hard-fought 90 minutes at Old Trafford on Thursday ultimately culminated in Manchester United all but booking their spot in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, at the expense of Real Betis.
Erik ten Hag’s troops marked their return to action a short time ago.
Fresh off a harrowing seven-goal drubbing at the hands of Liverpool at the weekend, the Red Devils turned their attentions back towards matters on the continent, desperate for a bounce-back result in the first-leg of their Europa League Last-16 showdown with La Liga outfit Real Betis.
And it was star frontman Marcus Rashford who set United on their way towards precisely that inside five minutes on Thursday.
After latching onto the ball inside the visitors’ penalty area, Rashford showcased supreme confidence in cutting outside, before lashing home into the roof of the net:
Pick that one out! 💥
Marcus Rashford with an emphatic finish to put Man Utd ahead early on against Betis 🫡#UEL pic.twitter.com/YsFl1vEF6c
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 9, 2023
Visitors Betis, to their credit, did pull level in deserved fashion just beyond the half-hour mark, before Leicester City loanee Ayoze Perez came close to doubling his tally for the evening, only to see a deflected effort come back off the post.
What a finish from Ayoze Perez to equalise for Real Betis! 🎯
That reverse angle 😮💨#UEL pic.twitter.com/PSzAdQfagp
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 9, 2023
And, in a boost for all associated with the club, this, in turn, is precisely what was forthcoming.
First, just over five minutes into the 2nd-half, Antony put Ten Hag and co. back in front, courtesy of a sumptuous left-footed effort:
What a strike from Antony! 🎯
Defenders know what he’s going to do, but they just can’t stop him ✨#UEL pic.twitter.com/tB11PHzq90
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 9, 2023
Then, just shy of the hour mark, it was the turn of Bruno Fernandes to kill off not only the game, but potentially the tie, too, in nodding home Luke Shaw’s whipped corner kick:
Bullet header from Bruno Fernandes! 💥
Claudio Bravo couldn’t handle it!#UEL pic.twitter.com/8hpdk2d8Tx
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 9, 2023
And yet, there was still time for further celebration inside the Theatre of Dreams.
This came in the game’s closing stages, as Wout Weghorst, at long last, notched his first home goal in Manchester United colours to round out the scoring in England’s northwest:
Wout Weghorst scores his first goal at Old Trafford for Man Utd! ⚽
Look what it means! 😍#UEL pic.twitter.com/jn9FcRdr1n
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 9, 2023
Player ratings
Manchester United
David De Gea – 5
Diogo Dalot – 5
Raphael Varane – 6.5
Lisandro Martinez – 7
Luke Shaw – 7
Casemiro – 6
Fred – 5.5
Antony – 6
Bruno Fernandes – 8
Marcus Rashford – 7
Wout Weghorst – 5.5
Substitutes: Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 6, Jadon Sancho – 6, Tyrell Malacia – 6, Scott McTominay – N/A, Facundo Pellistri – N/A
Real Betis
Claudio Bravo – 5
Youssouf Sabaly – 5.5
German Pezzella – 5
Luiz Felipe – 5
Abner Vinicius – 4.5
William Carvalho – 5
Guido Rodriguez – 6
Luiz Enrique – 5
Joaquin – 5.5
Juanmi – 6
Ayoze Perez – 6.5
Fan reaction & stat roundup
Look….I get that Weghorst works hard, puts in effort and he clearly loves playing here which I find endearing to a point…but….he’s shite.
— Doc MUFC (@Doc_Joshi) March 9, 2023
Manchester United players trying to get Weghorst to scorepic.twitter.com/XFTnJ6W4ED
— 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 (@CantonasCoIIar) March 9, 2023
Seriously what does Antony even do ? pic.twitter.com/ouOWblnRQC
— Janty (@CFC_Janty) March 9, 2023
26 – Marcus Rashford has scored 26 goals in all competitions this season, the third most of any player from Europe’s top five leagues after Erling Haaland (33) and Kylian Mbappé (30). Laces. pic.twitter.com/JYzTAGCL5N
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 9, 2023
Lisandro Martinez’s first half by numbers vs. Real Betis:
92% pass accuracy
46 touches
33 passes completed
3/3 tackles won
3/3 ground duels won
3/3 aerial duels won
3 clearances
2 long balls completedMaking life difficult for the Betis attackers. 💪 pic.twitter.com/3xnKf15YiH
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 9, 2023
Spanish football fans getting a first-hand reminder of why David de Gea has been nowhere near the international team for a few years. https://t.co/IkYePP1ENA
— Colin Millar (@Millar_Colin) March 9, 2023
41-year-old Joaquín is rolling back the years tonight at Old Trafford 🟢
Age is just a number. 😎 pic.twitter.com/5q4GuFIKwp
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) March 9, 2023
Ayoze Perez has scored his first ever goal against Manchester United, in his 14th appearance against the club.
Sublime finish. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/OeRZJjKpOE
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 9, 2023
Wan-Bissaka is a lot better than Dalot since the latter came back from injury.
Very unfair how he’s been dropped in my opinion. Dalot hasn’t been himself for a while now.
— Jordan (@FourFourJordan) March 9, 2023
A yellow card for Bruno Fernandes’ challenge on Claudio Bravo 🧐 pic.twitter.com/Yse73PgZ4p
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) March 9, 2023
Antony might only have one foot, but it’s a good one.
— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonESPN) March 9, 2023
He’s only got one trick but what a trick it is when it works.
— Alex Shaw (@AlexShawTel) March 9, 2023
No player made more key passes than Bruno Fernandes tonight (5). He created as many as the entire Real Betis team combined.
Portuguese Magnifico. 🇵🇹🪄 pic.twitter.com/J6BZl9LiWy
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 9, 2023
And the crowd chants “Bruno Bruno Bruno…” pic.twitter.com/rgEQn9157C
— Bruno Fernansh™️ (@BrunoFernanshh) March 9, 2023
Most goals scored in the #UEL since the start of 2019/20:
◉ 14 – Bruno Fernandes
Most assists provided in the #UEL since the start of 2019/20:
◉ 10 – Bruno Fernandes
He has one of each this evening.
⚽🅰️ pic.twitter.com/RdoCFeiPYp— Squawka (@Squawka) March 9, 2023
Antony didn’t pass from here… 😅#MUNBET pic.twitter.com/epEU7rbz8Y
— FreeBets.com (@FreeBetsDotCom) March 9, 2023
Antony you greedy beyblade
— SP🇸🇱 (@septimusajprime) March 9, 2023
🚨🇺🇾 Facundo Pellistri received the ball to set up the fourth goal just 14 seconds after coming on the pitch. @btsportfootball pic.twitter.com/nFRajIbq1x
— UtdPlug (@UtdPlug) March 9, 2023
Facundo Pellistri in 8 minutes vs. Real Betis:
100% pass accuracy
10 touches
2 ground duels won
1/2 dribbles completed
1 key pass
1 big chance createdAnother excellent cameo. 💫 pic.twitter.com/QIesoEUgZ4
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 9, 2023
Touching the Anfield sign has worked wonders for Weghorst
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) March 9, 2023
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
❌❌⚽With his 23rd shot at Old Trafford, Wout Weghorst finally has his first home goal for Manchester United. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/FmIVTaJQLb
— Squawka (@Squawka) March 9, 2023
31 – Most wins in all competitions this season among teams in Europe’s big five leagues:
31 – Manchester United
30 – No team
29 – No team
28 – No team
27 – Barcelona, Napoli, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester CityGap. pic.twitter.com/m4f4s0iXNa
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 9, 2023
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