Manchester United Vs Real Betis Football Match Score 10 March 2023
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was rightfully angered by his players during that demolition against Liverpool as the Dutchman contemplates whether to stick or twist when the push for European glory resumes on Thursday night at Old Trafford. Spanish opponents Real Betis are next up for wounded United after any supposed quadruple hopes were ended in disastrous fashion by their bitterest rivals. But even in this hugely-encouraging campaign, Ten Hag and his team have been in a similar position before.
In among the undoubted success, underlined by a first trophy since 2017, the season has been bookmarked by alarming defeats, such as those to Brentford and Manchester City for example, but on both occasions Ten Hag did not rip up his blueprint. Naturally, he made some key changes to his line-up – with Raphael Varane and Casemiro first coming into the mix respectively this term on the back of those games – but the framework remained the same. That was born from success rather than stubbornness, as results have proved.
Having shipped no fewer than seven goals in 47 gut-wrenching minutes, you would expect the preferred back four to come under some pressure for their spots. However, successful teams defend from the front and that is something United simply did not do against Liverpool. It should be the first port of call for Ten Hag to address before kick-off on Thursday night (8pm). While the mercurial Antony has shown glimpses of his talent this campaign, most notably and recently against Barcelona in this same competition, United have often sacrificed his attacking talents to solidify before their so-called bigger matches, and certainly when trying to protect advantages.
Antony was not alone in dragging his heels against Liverpool – far from it – but looking back at the two legs vs Barcelona makes for interesting reading; Jadon Sancho, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Wout Weghorst started both of those games in attacking quarters. Coming up against stronger opposition, that four-pronged attack gave United greater stability. It allowed them to be flexible, too, as all four players can operate in at least two of the four roles assigned in a 4-2-3-1 formation – with Antony summoned later on to settle the scores in style during the second leg.
Antony might consider himself unlucky to be dropped – certainly in isolation – but there will be other casualties in the United line-up. Ten Hag discovered what is currently his best attacking recipe in this competition, while it also offers Antony chance to be a game-changer from the bench. With nightmares of their Anfield mauling still fresh in the memory, Manchester United return to Europa League action with the visit of Real Betis to Old Trafford for the first leg of their last-16 tie on Thursday night.
The Red Devils progressed past Barcelona 4-3 on aggregate in the knockout round playoffs, while Manuel Pellegrini’s crop beat Roma, HJK Helsinki and Ludogorets to top spot in Group C.\
The highs of ending a six-year trophy drought and eliminating Barcelona from European competition paled into insignificance for Man United on Sunday afternoon, as a mortified Erik ten Hag witnessed the Red Devils suffer their worst defeat in Premier League history at the hands of a merciless Liverpool.
Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez all bagged braces alongside a Roberto Firmino effort in the true meaning of a demolition job, bringing an end to the Red Devils’ 11-game unbeaten run while sparking euphoria and exasperation from pundits, fans and players in equal measure. With a 14-point gap to make up to leaders Arsenal – who have played a game more – some have already eliminated third-placed Man United from the Premier League title race, but their podium spot is safe for the time being as they seek an immediate response in continental action.
A second-placed finish to Real Sociedad in the group stage forced Man United to do it the hard way, but a richly-deserved 2-1 second-leg win over Barcelona propelled the Red Devils into the last 16 at the Catalans’ expense, and not since March 2012 have the hosts lost the first leg of a European knockout tie at home.
Prior to being destroyed by Liverpool, Man United had scored at least twice in 12 successive games in all competitions – their multiple-goal run at Old Trafford stands at an even better 14 games – and Ten Hag’s side can get straight back into the fans’ good books with a 20th unbeaten match in a row at the Theatre of Dreams here. A familiar face returns to the northwest in the opposition dugout, as ex-Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini – who can expect a hostile welcome when he emerges from the Old Trafford tunnel – travels back to the UK with his side hitting form at the right time.
Following a trio of successive victories against Almeria, Real Valladolid and Elche – during which Betis scored eight goals while shipping five themselves – Pellegrini’s side held reigning Spanish and European champions Real Madrid to a goalless draw at the weekend, keeping Los Blancos at bay despite having just 38% possession. A near-perfect Europa League group stage for Los Verdiblancos saw them win five games and draw one in Group C – only dropping points in a 1-1 home stalemate against Roma – and Pellegrini’s men shipped just four goals en route to a first-placed finish.
Betis have never progressed beyond the last-16 of the Europa League in its current format – losing to eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt at this stage last season – but Pellegrini’s side travel to Old Trafford having only lost two of their last 12 away games in all tournaments, winning eight of them. Thursday’s first leg will mark the first-ever competitive meeting between Man United and Real Betis in any tournament, but the Verdiblancos have just one win to show from their previous six games against English opposition, and the wounded Red Devils should not prove easy pickings at their fortress.
