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Football

21st Feb 2018

Manchester United’s performance branded “anti-football” by former Liverpool midfielder

Tell us what you really think...

Matthew Gault

Didi Hamann was not impressed.

There will be many unflattering assessments of Manchester United’s performance against Sevilla, but surely not many of them will be as savage and eviscerating as Dietmar Hamann’s.

The German, a former Liverpool favourite, got stuck right into Jose Mourinho’s side on Irish television station RTE when asked by host Darragh Maloney for his thoughts on the game.

“A good Sevilla performance, they did everything but score, De Gea came to the rescue a few times, but from United’s point of view, it was dreadful, it was anti-football in a way, and I think for a team like United with the money they’ve spent in recent years, it was an embarrassing performance.”

Mourinho, meanwhile, speaking post-match, suggested that United are in a precarious position for the return leg having failed to score an away goal.

“If we draw with goals in the second leg, we are out,” Mourinho said. “If we win, we are through. It’s difficult. I believe that Old Trafford misses a big European night. We had the quarter-finals and semi-finals last year but the Europa League has a different meaning.”

United welcome Sevilla to Old Trafford for the second leg on March 13. Next up, they welcome Chelsea to Old Trafford on Sunday, a must-win game for Mourinho’s side as the Blues will draw level on points with them should Antonio Conte’s champions take three points.