Match report as Marcus Rashford, Antony, Bruno Fernandes and Wout Weghorst all score as Manchester United thrash Betis 4-1 in the Europa League last-16 first leg at Old Trafford; Leicester loanee Ayoze Perez nets visitors' only goal
Friday 10 March 2023 06:12, UK
Manchester United bounced back from Sunday's trouncing at Liverpool with Antony's stunner helping them cement a 4-1 first-leg Europa League last-16 lead over Real Betis.
United did struggle at times against La Liga's fifth-placed side and were lucky to go in at half-time level after Ayoze Perez, who had already cancelled out Rashford's opener, hit the post with David De Gea beaten.
But once Antony's curling effort had restored their advantage, they blew Betis away. Fernandes' booming header from a corner was too powerful for Claudio Bravo to handle, and Wout Weghorst added a fourth after fine work from substitute Facundo Pallestri.
Antony and Weghorst both missed glorious chances to extend United's lead further, but Erik ten Hag's side will still travel to Spain next Thursday in pole position to reach the Europa League quarter-finals.
Ten Hag named an unchanged side to the one that started at Anfield on Sunday afternoon. This was the team which had got United into their mess, and it was the team which was going to get them out of it.
They certainly enjoyed the perfect start when Marcus Rashford sidestepped his man and smashed in an opener past Bravo with less than six minutes gone, as United threatened to blow Betis away straight out of the traps.
But there were still chinks in the armour of the hosts' confidence. Leicester loanee Perez placed a low shot back across De Gea and inside the far post to stun Old Trafford on the half-hour mark, and from there United struggled to regain their momentum before half-time.
Instead, Betis looked the more likely to find another goal, with some nervous defending adding to De Gea's questionable distribution. The two combined before half-time to allow Perez to squirm a cross into the six-yard box which deflected off Raphael Varane and away off the post to safety.
Whatever Ten Hag said at half-time did the trick to rebuild his side's self-belief again, and seven minutes into the second period they had their lead back.
Antony had endured a frustrating evening up against Abner Vinicius to that point, but a drop of the shoulder allowed him space inside the European debutant and from 20 yards he bent a beautiful curling effort past the unmoved Bravo.
The sense of relief around Old Trafford was almost palpable. It soon turned to sheer jubilation when Luke Shaw's whipped corner was powered home by Fernandes, even if Bravo should have tipped it over his crossbar to safety.
With confidence now flowing through the hosts' veins, they searched for a fourth. A greedy Antony chip frustrated his team-mates with Fred and Weghorst better placed for a tap-in, while the big Dutchman did himself waste a glorious chance to add his name to the scoresheet.
However he did finally notch his first Man Utd goal at Old Trafford in the dying minutes and owed plenty to young substitute Pellestri.
His quick feet from a corner allowed him to cross for Scott McTominay, whose shot rebounded into the path of Weghorst, who in turn buried home with aplomb.
Though Ten Hag will claim United still have work to do in Spain next week, the United manager will be delighted with the response from his side, and supremely confident that they will play a part in the draw for the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag told BT Sport:
"We played a very good game in both halves and by half-time we should have been up 3-0. But then it's 1-1, one mistake and we get punished for it. But I thought we played well, in the second half especially.
"[Overall] 4-1, good goals, good performance and give something to the fans. They give us something back as well because they are behind us and we are very grateful after Sunday.
"It was a good attitude from the start, we were on the front foot, we were good on the ball, finding spare men in midfield. They made good switches, they made good runs behind and created a lot of chances. I'm happy today.
"It's always how a team reacts after a setback - you see it once again, this is not the first time this season. Already it's been five or six times, we can reset and bounce back. This team has character so it is a compliment to the team."
Manchester United host Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday; kick-off 2pm. Villarreal host Real Betis in LaLiga on Sunday at 5.30pm, ahead of the return leg at 5.45pm next Thursday at the Benito Villamarin.
