Erik ten Hag shows he trusts Christian Eriksen in more ways than one at Manchester United

The Manchester United supporters who have embarked on a comprehensive tour of Spain in the last 15 months will be used to its rarified atmosphere. The away section in Sevilla's Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium is a steeper incline than the Wanda Metropolitano, Reale Arena, and Benito Villamarín and has a vertiginous view to match Camp Nou for those at the very top.

On the sole occasion it housed United supporters in 2018, they sang 'Will Grigg's on fire' when Freed From Desire cropped up on the playlist in a paean to the striker who had inflicted another FA Cup shock by Wigan Athletic on Manchester City two nights earlier. That had preserved United's immortal Treble in a season City won two honours and their first title under Pep Guardiola.

It is a quirk of this season there has been more chatter about a United treble than City securing the treble. City are favourites to triumph in each of the three competitions they are in and the other half of the Champions League semi-finals, with the two Milan clubs, has been weakened by Napoli's ejection.

Also read: Ten Hag feels United have learnt a lesson from first leg

For the third round running, United's European campaign is at risk of ending against Spanish opposition for the sixth successive season. Sevilla started that sequence five years ago and surfaced again in eerie Cologne in 2020. Barcelona, Villarreal and Atletico Madrid also ensured trophyless campaigns.

Tonight is United's 13th fixture against Spanish opposition in the last two years. Sevilla marked low points in the reigns of Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, their victory at Old Trafford in the Champions League prompting Mourinho's immortal 'football heritage' history lesson two days later.

Sevilla's