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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer urges his side to channel pain from their two semi-final defeats this season

Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær (C) talks to players during a drinking break in the UEFA Europa League quarter final soccer match between Manchester United and FC Copenhagen in Cologne, Germany, 10 August 2020 Manchester United vs FC Copenhagen, Cologne, Germany. - Sascha Steinbach/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær (C) talks to players during a drinking break in the UEFA Europa League quarter final soccer match between Manchester United and FC Copenhagen in Cologne, Germany, 10 August 2020 Manchester United vs FC Copenhagen, Cologne, Germany. - Sascha Steinbach/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants his Manchester United side to channel the pain of their two semi-final defeats this season as he challenged his big players to “step up” and deliver against Sevilla on Sunday night in the hunt for Europa League glory.

Conquerors of Wolves in the previous round, Sevilla dumped Jose Mourinho’s United out of the Champions League in 2018 and are chasing a sixth Europa League crown in 14 years.

But Solskjaer hopes his players are inspired by the heartache of their semi-finals exits to Manchester City and Chelsea in the League Cup and FA Cup respectively this term as he urged his match-winners, including Bruno Fernandes, to secure their place in Friday’s final in Cologne.

“We’re physically and mentally ready,” the United manager said. “I just want them to enjoy the semi-final. We’ve got to three semis this season but we want to go one step further.

“You know that when you come to a semi-final you’re playing against big teams with quality – so big-game players have to step up and you need to have 100 per cent focus.

“These games will be decided so often on a set-piece or a piece of individual brilliance by some players. Any little moment can win or lose you the game and we’ve learnt that it’s very painful when you lose a semi-final.”

United have lost just one of 22 matches since Fernandes joined the club for £47 million in late January from Sporting Lisbon and his instant impact at Old Trafford has been likened to that of Eric Cantona, who opened the door to an era of extraordinary success following his move from Leeds in 1992. Yet Fernandes believes he has a long way to go before he can stand comparison with Cantona’s achievements at United.

“Cantona was amazing for the club, I need to do much, much, better to be compared with him,” the Portugal midfielder said. “I will be happy this season if we win the Europa League.”

Solskjaer believes it will be important United score first and hopes Fernandes will again prove a driving force.

“We have to get the first goal, it’s important in games like this,” he said. “If you start on the back foot against good teams, you are searching. We have to play our best game, keep the ball when we can, play out of their press, we’ve got to be clever, creative and step up in the big moments. [Bruno] has been instrumental in creating chances on the counter and establishing play.”

Marcus Rashford is likely to be the only survivor in United’s side on Sunday night who started against Sevilla in a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford two years ago.

Expected teams

Sevilla (4-3-3): Bono; Navas, Kounde, Carlos, Reguilon; Banega, Fernando, Jordan; Suso, En-Nesyri, Ocampos.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Romero; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Williams; Pogba, Matic; Greenwood, Fernandes, Rashford; Martial.

Referee: Felix Brych (Germany).

Kick-off 8pm TV BT Sport 1