Manchester United have proved Erik ten Hag right with Anthony Martial opinion

For 84 minutes this has looked like being another disappointing day in a dreadful season for Sevilla. Their directors occupying Old Trafford's plush seats and the few hundred fans in the away end would have raised an eyebrow at the identity of their tormentor, too.

The team sheet said he was Anthony Martial. The back of the shirt said he was Anthony Martial. But this wasn't the Anthony Martial they had watched just 12 months ago.

The Frenchman scored once in 12 games in his loan spell with Sevilla. Spanish daily AS called the move a "fiasco". Club president Jose Castro was less cutting, saying "we spent important money on him but it didn't work."

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You can say that again. The failure of the loan move looked costly for United at the start of the summer. Had Sevilla wanted to make it permanent then they might have cashed in. Castro mentioned the injury record which restricted him to those 12 appearances and his fitness is a problem.

It was certainly a problem for United. They were 2-0 up and in relative control when he was withdrawn after 62 minutes. With him went United's goal threat and in a chaotic finale, United's advantage disappeared as well. Self-inflicted wounds meant the visitors returned to Seville confident that their remarkable record in this competition might still be the light at the end of a dark tunnel this season.

It will be electric in the Roman Sanchez Pijuan next week, but it could easily have been a non-event. When United led 2-0 after 21 minutes it looked like they would put this tie to bed in Manchester.

Martial was the heart of the way the La Liga strugglers were cut to shreds. He might continue to divide opinion among fans, but Ten