Romelu Lukaku must shed the flat-tack bully tag and be Man United's key man against Sevilla

WISSAM BEN YEDDER V ROMELU LUKAKU

Ben Yedder is the classic penalty box poacher. He hasn’t even taken a shot from outside the box in the Champions League this season, and yet, he’s scored six times.

His ability to find a pocket of space in the penalty area is lethal. Combine his finishing prowess with his talent from set-pieces and you have a deadly striker – as Liverpool found out during Sevilla’s comeback from 3-0 down to earn a draw in the group stages.

Nicknamed “Benyebut” because of the French word for goal (“but”), the Frenchman’s pace and movement will keep United’s defenders honest throughout.

Pace is a key asset for Ben Yedder’s opposite number. Lukaku‘s underrated speed is what makes United’s counter-attack work, along with his link-up play to bring his teammates into the attack.

Lukaku’s physicality will also be a handful for Sevilla, whose defence has shown a vulnerability this season – they let in five against Spartak Moscow in a surprising loss, not to mention the three they conceded to Liverpool before coming back. The Belgian is the sort of striker who will give Sevilla problems.

This tie also gives the 24-year-old the opportunity to shed the flat-track bully tag – it’s his first appearance in the Champions League knockouts.

STEVEN N’ZONZI V NEMANJA MATIC

N’Zonzi’s composed play in midfield has been at the heart of everything good about Sevilla over the last two years. He’s shed his reputation as a no-nonsense bruiser – an undeserved tag in any case, because he was shoehorned into an old-fashioned defensive midfield role.

The Frenchman now helps Sevilla control the midfield, keeping play ticking over and recycling possession as well as stepping in to cut out opposition attacks, very much the modern midfielder in the mould of United’s Michael Carrick.

Like a metronome, N’Zonzi sets the tone for Sevilla’s play. As he goes, so does the rest of the team.

It’s the same role that Matic occupies for United now that Carrick is unable to play every game – although they may play together on Wednesday. Matic’s arrival at Old Trafford added steel to the United midfield, making them defensively more stout.

What Matic does best is let the attacking players play their natural game. He shifts the ball quickly, and also has the ability to find players in dangerous positions with an underrated passing range.

His one weakness is his lack of pace, which leaves United vulnerable to the counter and his form of late has dropped from his early-season domination.

N’Zonzi vs Matic is set to be the battle that defines the tie.

GABRIEL MERCADO V CHRIS SMALLING

The veteran Mercado has had an up-and-down campaign for Sevilla. On occasion, he can be solid, outstanding even, but he can also be erratic and at times gets beaten too easily.

With Simon Kjaer injured, however, the responsibility of leading Sevilla’s defence against United’s attack falls upon the Argentinian. Mercado will have to marshal the young Clement Lenglet and the rest of his colleagues on a night where Sevilla cannot afford the sort of mistakes that saw them slip up in the group stages.

Coming back from deficits will not be as easy against United, so they’d rather not have to face one.

Sometimes outstanding, sometimes erratic is a description that can be applied to Smalling as well. He had a decent game on Saturday in United’s FA Cup win over Huddersfield, but that came after a horror show of a performance against Newcastle.

Those two games could serve as a microcosm of Smalling’s United career. The Red Devils need him to be the best version of himself on Wednesday, in a difficult away game.

With Ben Yedder snapping away at his heels and trying to allude his attentions, the Englishman will be the target for Sevilla to spring an upset.