Lisandro Martinez's season could be over while Tyrell Malacia and Harry Maguire scored own goals in a disastrous end to Thursday's draw with Sevilla
Manchester United were in European dreamland in the first half when Marcel Sabitzer did his best Marcus Rashford impression and fired the Red Devils into a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford. Even Anthony Martial emerged from the fringes to put in an excellent effort. Red Devils fans were noisy and ecstatic.
But Erik ten Hag's team ended the second half having drawn 2-2 with just about everything going awry. They gifted the Spaniards two late own goals courtesy of Malacia and Maguire, but worst of all was the sight of Martinez looking utterly distraught after suffering a scary injury to his lower leg or foot area without anyone around him. He couldn't walk under his own power, needing to be lifted off the playing surface in tears.
Ten Hag is also sweating on the fitness of Raphael Varane and the knowledge that Bruno Fernandes will miss the second leg due to suspension.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Old Trafford.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Sevilla
How does a team in serious danger of being relegated from La Liga and on their third manager of the season fight their way back from two goals down in the space of seven minutes? By being the kings of the Europa League, that's how. Even in their worst season of the century, Sevilla were able to remind everyone why they have won the competition a record six times.
They had been outplayed and overpowered by Ten Hag's side yet stayed alive, and when they were given a lifeline by Malacia, they poured forward in search of an equaliser.
And looking at how they played in the final 10 minutes of the game, you cannot say they did not deserve it when Maguire headed into his own net from an unfortunate deflection.
Sevilla's much-loved modern club anthem boasts of the team's never-say-die attitude.
"They say they never give up. The art of their football has no rival and they have been fighting for 100 years, flying the flag for our city," crowed the Andalusian singer El Arrebato.
He wasn't wrong.
AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Lisandro Martinez
The defender looked utterly distraught as he was carried off the pitch by fellow Argentina internationals Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna after suffering a horror foot injury.
Ten Hag would not speculate about the injury but it looked as if it could be bad enough to rule him out for the rest of the season.
That would be a catastrophic blow for United.
"We have seen with Martinez, there was no opponent involved, so it doesn't look great," was all Ten Hag offered to . "But we still have to wait and see."
Martinez has been one of the team's most consistent performers and a candidate for player of the season behind Marcus Rashford and Casemiro.
He is not just a no-nonsense, brave defender, but he is also an outstanding passer and many of United's best attacking moves begin with his pin-point passes from deep.
His injury also left United with 10 men for the final four minutes plus added time as Ten Hag had used his all substitutions. Sevilla took full advantage of those short numbers.
Martinez's injury was a final devastating blow on a night in which United lost Varane to a knock at the end of the first half and also saw Bruno Fernandes pick up a yellow card which rules him out of the second leg.
There is also the small matter of missing Marcus Rashford for the return fixture in Sevilla.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Marcel Sabitzer
In the space of one month, Marcel Sabitzer has scored more goals (three) than all of Chelsea's January signings combined.
Is that a testament to the Blues' impotence? Of course. But it also illustrates what an influence the on-loan midfielder has had under Ten Hag. He's been one of the better under-the-radar additions in the Premier League, particularly given United's fitness problems.
With Rashford injured, the pre-match discussion was on whether Anthony Martial would pick up the mantle from the England forward or if Antony could finally unlock his potential.
Few people could have imagined that the man leading the line and doing the damage in attack would be Sabitzer.
The Austrian had been threatening to score in his last two outings against Brentford and Everton and stepped up to the plate in style, producing two assured finishes that Rashford would have been proud of.
Beyond his goals, Sabitzer ran the show in midfield and was conducting United's counter-attacks as they ran Sevilla ragged in the first half.
The 29-year-old has been steadily improving since joining on loan in January and has been slowly building a case for a permanent contract.
If he keeps performing like this, it will be difficult for United to resist making him an offer.
Getty ImagesLOSER: Tyrell Malacia
The Dutchman had a torrid night, even before his double whammy of errors which handed Sevilla the keys to their unlikely comeback.
Early in the game he was dispossessed by Lucas Ocampos in a dangerous area and was fortunate the Argentine overhit his cross into the box.
He looked a liability and then made an unforgiveable lapse when he tried to let the ball run out of play without looking whether to see if anyone was behind him.
He had not spotted the lurking Jesus Navas and was taken by surprise when the winger appeared, failing to block his cross and diverting it past De Gea.
Before Thursday's outing, Malacia could consider his first season a relative success even though he is clearly second choice behind Luke Shaw.
But this performance will keep him up at night for some time.