In the opening 20 minutes against Sevilla, Manchester United looked to be playing some of the most fluid football under Erik ten Hag yet and it seemed like the tie might already be over in the first leg.
However, following a dramatic display of complacency, a lack of concentration and admittedly some misfortune, a game that United should have buried by three or four goals somehow became a 2-2 draw in the dying minutes: a huge blow that was only worsened by even more injuries and further suspensions.
While Raphaël Varane also came off injured at half-time, the biggest blow came when fellow centre-half and one of the signings of the season, Lisandro Martínez, suddenly pulled up following an injury to his foot/ankle.
The World Cup winner looked to be in serious discomfort after planting his foot, having to be carried off the pitch by his Argentina teammates and leaving the ground not only in tears but on crutches, leaving United without both of their first-choice centre-backs.
The initial signs seem to suggest that Varane’s injury is no way near as severe as his teammate’s — simply a recurring issue following a recent knock — ten Hag admitted that although Martínez’s isn’t his Achilles as feared, “it doesn’t look good” and the team will now have to wait for a full diagnosis.
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Either way, it looks like fan-favourite and key player Licha could be out for a significant amount of time and during a crucial period for the club, with the FA Cup semi-final just over a week away.
Moreover, despite the return of Casemiro following his second red-card suspension and Christian Eriksen following a long-term injury, the centre-back pairing now join the likes of Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw on the injury list — again two key players, none more so than the in-form number 10.
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As injuries and a big FA Cup game weren’t worrying enough for United, the squad have now also created their own mess by giving themselves everything to do in the second leg against Sevilla if they still have designs on winning a second Europa League — and those injured aren’t the only ones who’ll miss it:
"A ridiculous decision." 😡
It's fair to say Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves don't agree with the yellow card, which means Bruno Fernandes will be suspended for Man Utd's second leg match in Sevilla.#UELpic.twitter.com/nIyTvCNnlo
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 13, 2023
As you can see, in a rather ridiculous decision by the referee — which was only amplified by Erik Lamela’s narrow escape from a red card for stamping on Casemiro’s leg — Bruno Fernandes received a booking for turning his back on a shot which ended up striking his arm and was judged to be handball.
Despite his furious protests, his yellow card now sees him suspended for the second leg away in Seville on 20 April, which also happens to land just three days before the semi against Brighton.
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So yeah, it’s going to be a tough couple of weeks for the Red Devils.
You can watch the highlights of Manchester United vs Sevilla down below:
Featured Image — Manchester United/Sevilla (via Twitter)
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
14th April 2023 
