'Manchester United had no energy... they had nothing' - Paul Scholes slams 'very bad' Champions League exit

Scholes was highly critical of United's tactical approach
Rex Features
Tom Doyle14 March 2018

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes blasted the Red Devils' "conservative" tactics as Sevilla knocked Jose Mourinho's side out of the Champions League.

United were cautious in the first leg of their last-16 tie in Seville as they escaped with a goalless draw to take back to Old Trafford, but Mourinho's men showed little flair or invention at home in the second leg.

Wissam Ben Yedder scored two goals off the bench to put Sevilla in control of the tie, and Romelu Lukaku's 83rd-minute strike came too late for United to stage a comeback as they exited the competition in a 2-1 defeat.

In Pictures | Champions League round of 16, second legs | 2017/18

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United managed just three shots on target in the second leg, and Old Trafford icon Scholes was critical of his former team's approach as they failed to trouble a spirited, if limited, Sevilla side until the closing stages.

"They approach every game conservatively," Scholes told BT Sport. "Some they get away with, because they get a win.

"Tonight they had nothing - no energy, no fast start... the performance was very bad."

Scholes' former United team-mate Rio Ferdinand was also unimpressed with Mourinho and his players on the night.

When asked to sum up the performance, Ferdinand replied:"Terrible.

"I didn't see this result or performance coming, especially after the result against Liverpool at the weekend and the way they played.

"I thought they would have brought confidence to this game but they looked like a team thrown together and full of strangers."

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