Manchester United were in dreamland at the 'Theatre of Dreams' last night. Well, until the 80th minute at least.
A 2-0 win at home to the Europa League experts would have been an impressive result for Erik Ten Hag's men, but the final ten minutes sent the fanbase home in despair.
The two own-goals from Tyrell Malacia and Harry Maguire were unfortunate, to say the least, yet they summed up the bigger picture for the Red Devils on the night.
Raphael Varane went off injured at half-time, whilst Lisandro Martinez was stretchered off the pitch in the closing stages. The duo have been key to United's success this season, but their hard work is in danger of unravelling if they are sucked into an injury crisis.
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The importance of Martinez
Martinez walked onto the Premier League stage with the spotlight on him. From minute one, he had his doubters in the fanbase and the media.
Yet, week after week, the Argentine has proved people wrong. Despite standing at just five feet nine inches tall, the centre-back has met the physical demands of the English league and helped propel United into a Champions League qualification spot.
Against Sevilla, he was stretchered off after suffering a serious injury in the closing minutes. In his post-match press conference, Ten Hag suggested it was not an Achilles injury, and that he would wait to confirm the diagnosis.
However, there is no denying the importance of Martinez to the team. The 'Butcher', as he is commonly known around Old Trafford, ranges in the top percentiles for blocks and tackles this season. His partnership with Varane has seen Man United become defensively secure, despite the odd humiliating thrashing away to Brentford or Liverpool.
Any long-term injury to Martinez would see him miss the rest of the season. A FA Cup, Europa League trophy, and Champions League qualification spot are on the line for the Red Devils. Losing one of their star players risks ending Ten Hag's first season at the club in disappointment.
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Varane's consistent inconsistency
One World Cup, four Champions League honours, and three La Liga trophies. The list goes on. Varane has been one of the most successful defenders of all time in recent years, but his inconsistency, through no fault of his own, is beginning to cost him.
The Frenchman has already missed eight games through injury this season, likely to be more if his injury against Sevilla is serious. Although his campaign last season was plagued by injury more, it prevents the centre-back from finding consistency in front of the Old Trafford faithful.
When together, Martinez and Varane have helped Man United reignite the passion and flare of the Sir Alex Ferguson days. At one point, a potential title race was on the cards. The Red Devils may have suffered a slump since, but they have shown they have the potential to challenge with a few new recruits.
This season Arsenal have shown that consistency is key. William Saliba and Gabriel had formed an unbreakable bond until recently, which helped the Gunners move to the top of the table. If Ten Hag's side wants to harbour ambitions of challenging for the title in the coming years, they must form a consistent backline.
With Varane's fitness only likely to worsen with age, there is a question to suggest if he can be consistently relied on in the north. There is no doubt the Frenchman is one of the best centre-backs in the world on his day, but can he stop his rotten luck with injuries? Only time will tell.
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Will Ten Hag place his faith in Maguire?
Maguire, for good and bad, is always the main talking point at Old Trafford.
Last night, he scored an unfortunate own goal as Youssef En-Nesyri's header deflected off his back into the net. There was little the centre-back could do about it, but it will likely affect his confidence and morale in the coming weeks.
The captain featured against Everton last weekend and, despite the own goal, performed admirably against Sevilla. However if Man United want to finish the season on a high, then he will be relied on week in, week out.
Ever since joining from Ajax, Ten Hag has placed partial trust in Maguire. He kept the former Hull City defender as captain in his first few weeks and has used him on a rotation basis on every competitive front.
Yet there is still a seed of doubt surrounding Maguire. The 30-year-old is a divided figure amongst the Red Devil's fanbase and is often at the centre of blame on the pitch, rightly and wrongly. The Englishman does not send out the same conviction that Martinez and Varane do. Across the pitch, there is less trust in his abilities, which could create a negative mental effect on the team.
Ten Hag could win three trophies in his first season in Manchester, however, is that possible with Maguire (and potentially Victor Lindelof) in place for Martinez and Varane?