Following a traumatic and record-breaking defeat at the hands of Liverpool, Manchester United bounced back emphatically on Thursday, beating Real Betis 4-1 in the opening leg of their Europa League round-of-16 tie. The atmosphere at Old Trafford was one of redemption, as United dismantled the Spanish visitors with a sharp, professional performance. This victory served as the perfect antidote to the 7-0 drubbing they suffered at Anfield just days prior—the club's heaviest loss in nearly a century. Erik ten Hag opted for continuity, fielding the exact same lineup, which proved to be the right call as the players returned to their best form.
Manchester United bounced back from a historic thrashing by Liverpool to beat Real Betis 4-1 in the first leg of their Europa League round-of-16 tie on Thursday night. Manchester United completely outclassed a quality Spanish opposition with a clinical performance at Old Trafford. United responded well to their heaviest-ever defeat and worst since 1931 in losing 7-0 at Anfield on Sunday. United manager Erik ten Hag named the same starting line-up and was rewarded with a return to form.
While the first half was a balanced affair with Marcus Rashford and Ayoze Perez both finding the net, United took complete control in the second period. Goals from Antony, Bruno Fernandes, and Wout Weghorst sealed a comfortable advantage heading into the second leg on March 16 at the Benito Villamarin. The win was particularly sweet given the historical baggage; before this match, Real Betis had managed to knock United out of Europe in every single one of their five previous meetings, despite United's recent success against Barcelona.
The scoring opened in the 6th minute when Rashford capitalized on a pass from Fernandes, cutting right and firing a precise shot into the roof of the net for his 26th goal of the season. Betis managed to equalize against the run of play through a powerful strike from Perez into the far corner. Despite this, United remained the dominant force throughout the first half, with Wout Weghorst missing two golden opportunities to restore the lead, thanks to some impressive saves from goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.
The second half began with United in total command, extending their lead to 3-1 in just six minutes. The surge started when Fernandes found Antony on the edge of the area, who unleashed a signature left-footed rocket into the top corner. Shortly after, the captain, Bruno Fernandes, added another with a clinical header following a perfectly delivered corner from Luke Shaw.
Real Betis' hopes for a comeback dimmed further in the final minutes when a blocked shot from Scott McTominay fell straight to Wout Weghorst, who tapped it in from close range. This marked only the second goal for the Dutch forward in 15 games. The standout performer was undoubtedly Bruno Fernandes, who dictated the tempo of the match from the midfield and contributed both a goal and an assist.
Looking ahead, Manchester United will face Southampton in the Premier League this Sunday, March 12, while Real Betis travel to take on Villarreal in La Liga on the same day.