Erik Ten Hag’s substitutions backfire for Man Utd against Sevilla as West Ham held by Gent – European hits and misses

There seemed no real reason to withdraw him and his reaction suggests he agreed. He had been key for Manchester United – and Sevilla, although two goals down, were growing into the tie.

Without Fernandes, and without the dangerous Anthony Martial, who was taken off for Wout Weghorst at the same time, the hosts lost a huge chunk of their attacking threat, allowing the momentum to shift irreversibly in Sevilla’s favour.

There was a heavy hint of good fortune about the equaliser, with Youssef En-Nesyri’s header diverted into his own net by Harry Maguire after Tyrell Malacia’s error had led to Sevilla’s first goal, but United were not helped by their manager’s prior changes.

Ten Hag bemoaned their failure to kill the tie afterwards, but their chances of doing so would have been far higher with Fernandes and Martial on the pitch in the closing stages rather than Weghorst and a not-yet-back-up-to-speed Christian Eriksen.