It really will be Bilbao or bust for Manchester United, who will chance their arm at saving their season against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final later this month.
Ruben Amorim’s side came from behind to defeat Athletic Club 4-1 at Old Trafford and book a high-stakes showdown with their fellow Premier League underachievers Spurs.
United were put through the wringer by Athletic for long spells, with their La Liga opponents taking a first-half lead through a powerful Mikel Jauregizar strike before substitute Mason Mount scored with the home side’s first shot on target of the game with 72 minutes on the clock.
Casemiro then stooped low to head home their second of the night, Rasmus Hojlund tapped home from a low cross from Amad, and then Mount got his second in style as he took advantage of out-of-position goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala and swept home into an empty net.
It all means that United will go toe-to-toe with Spurs at Bilbao’s San Mames Stadium on Wednesday, May 21, after they swept aside Bodo/Glimt.
Laurie Whitwell, Anantaajith Raghuraman and Thom Harris break down the main talking points from United’s semi-final success.
United suffer first, then they shine
United’s first-half performance was nervous and error-strewn. Athletic Club taking the lead made the possibility of a dramatic, unprecedented collapse seem plausible.
But the game changed on Amorim’s substitutions. Mount, Luke Shaw and Amad all brought technical quality to United’s team. Mount’s first goal, a smart swivel and finish, eased the pressure entirely and United began to play proper football.
Casemiro celebrates putting United 2-1 ahead on the night (Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Amad was central to Hojlund’s goal and Mount topped off the night with a stunning strike off his weaker left foot from near the halfway line — a semi-final sealed in style.
“It was too long (waiting for a night like that),” Mount said to TNT Sports after the game. “I carried on going, working hard in training every day and tried to stay positive and when I had an opportunity to try to make an impact.
“When I saw him (the goalkeeper) come out, I had it in my head if it comes to me, ‘first touch and shoot’. I didn’t want it to come on my left foot, and then I was just trying to get it on target. Same with the first goal: create the turn and try to get it in the net.
“The crowd has been unbelievable; they have stuck with us. These were my first goals at Old Trafford, a night I’ve been waiting a long time for. To go back to Bilbao is a special moment, and we want to finish strongly.”
Laurie Whitwell
Amorim’s substitutes change the game
Nothing wakes a team up quite like a triple substitution. With the game still hanging in the balance and United still nervy in and out of possession, Amorim replaced Noussair Mazraoui, Alejandro Garnacho and Manuel Ugarte. Amad, Shaw and Mount made their way on and that began United’s comeback on the night.
Dorgu shifting over to right wing-back meant United played two left-footed players on the right side — a rarity — but the reasoning was sound as it stretched the pitch against a tiring Athletic team.
Amad’s dribbling ability and pressing was valuable on both ends, with one turn away from an Athletic marker from the halfway line in the 83rd minute standing out. His combination with Dorgu produced a telling moment as well with the duo combining before Amad set up Rasmus Hojlund for United’s third.
Amad, Hojlund, Yoro and Dorgu celebrate with a selfie (Carl Recine – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Behind him, Mount put in a collection of actions that United have simply not seen since signing him from Chelsea, largely due to injuries. His goal, a curler from the right after a slaloming forward run from Leny Yoro, was brilliant but his off-the-ball work stood out too.
A crafty backheeled flick to fellow substitute Harry Amass was the biggest sign that this was a player who had got his confidence back. If that wasn’t enough, he scored a goal from near the halfway line from a poor goalkeeper clearance — a goal worthy of that heavy United No 7 jersey.
Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo, who replaced Casemiro after the Brazilian headed home Fernandes’ free-kick to make it 2-1, helped United see out the game with minimal hiccups.
Amorim has previously shown that he is shrewd with his substitutes. With a largely healthy squad finally available for him to call upon, that ability could prove crucial in the Europa League final against Tottenham: a team they are winless against in six games.
Anantaajith Raghuraman
Fernandes’ quality shines through
There was space to attack this evening for United, but throughout much of the early stages, there was only one player — no prizes for guessing — who looked genuinely capable of exploiting it.
The first half was particularly frantic, with Athletic pressing unusually high in search of a way back into the tie. They were frenetic on the ball too, anxious to get it forward quickly, and a moment of brilliance from Jauregizar aside, they missed the technical quality and composure of Oihan Sancet in midfield.
Centre-forward Maroan Sannadi threw his weight around, makeshift winger Unai Nunez huffed and puffed, but given the number of players the visitors committed forward, and how liable they were to losing it, the breakaway was always on.
Fernandes was the player to set United away for their first fast attack, poking a long ball through to Dorgu on 16 minutes, who took a fraction too long to release the pass. He produced an incisive, slide-rule pass for Dorgu again six minutes later, leading to a strong penalty claim, before zipping it up to Hojlund moments before Jaureguizar’s goal to start another quick break.
After practically winning this tie in Bilbao with two goals, his free-kick assist for Casemiro to finally see off the valiant visitors was just reward for another forward-thinking, adventurous display, a consistent bright spark in for what could have turned into a nervy night.
United eased away as Athletic ran out of steam, their substitutes stealing the late show with fluid football, but Fernandes’ threat — as always — bubbled beneath the surface, even when things were tough.
Thom Harris
Was the early pressure nearly too much for United to handle?
“We are prepared to fight to win the game, not thinking about the result (of the tie). Of course, that matters, in the way we are going to do things, especially at the start of the game, but we are thinking about winning the game.”
Those were Ruben Amorim’s words while previewing the second leg, and you get the sense he had something very different in mind compared to what unfolded on the pitch.
Athletic were always going to be the aggressors to start this game, with their press causing United the same issues they faced in the first leg. Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte were denied easy access to the ball when United’s defenders had it as Athletic pressed forward in numbers.
It led to multiple unsuccessful attempts to play over the press. The one notable time they played through the press with short passes saw Bruno Fernandes release Patrick Dorgu, who went down in the box under minimal pressure from Andoni Gorosabel.
Without the ball, United’s structure took various forms. Athletic alternating between passing short when United pressed with two players and going long when Ugarte pushed up the pitch to join the front three caused issues. One of those long passes led to Jauregizar’s opener following a miscued Harry Maguire pass under no pressure, another sign of United’s nervousness to start the game.
That continued into the second half, too. Alvaro Djalo grew in confidence on the right flank, United misplaced passes, and their press was worked through far too easily, with Casemiro left alone to defend too much space. United were required to make numerous last-ditch interventions and it was a surprise Amorim waited more than an hour to make a triple substitution.
Amorim tries to cajole Manchester United into life against Athletic Club (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)
Anantaajith Raghuraman
Dorgu’s mixed bag of a night
Before the game swung in the home side’s favour, Dorgu’s chaotic performance mirrored United’s in many ways. The wing-back was often the outlet down the left as he set off on speedy overlapping runs, but translating that into meaningful contributions was a harder task.
One such moment came after half an hour, when a set routine build-up saw Fernandes, under pressure, fire a sharp pass up to Hojlund, who held off the ball to Casemiro as Dorgu sprang down the wing. Casemiro’s pass set Dorgu free, but his cross to Garnacho was way off target, with Yuri Berchiche heading clear.
Dorgu also took the unusual approach of stealing a shot off Fernandes, bursting into the box from a deeper position on the left to take Garnacho’s cross. Fernandes, United’s top scorer, was primed, and Dorgu’s effort was blocked.
Patrick Dorgu goes down in the Athletic box (MB Media/Getty Images)
There were good moments too, though. He could have had a penalty when driving into the area and tangling with Andoni Gorosabel. Dorgu does invite contact when he dribbles, and while VAR neglecting to intervene was understandable, had the challenge happened anywhere else on the pitch a foul would likely have been given.
Then he should have had an assist when roaming into a central position, picking up the ball from Hojlund – curiously in deep midfield – and threading a pass to send Garnacho clear. Garnacho’s finish was too cute, but Dorgu had shown his adaptability.
He displayed more versatility after the break when switching to the right once Luke Shaw was introduced. It was his flick by the touchline that teed up Amad for a trademark burst into the box and shot.
So, much like United, Dorgu’s was not a perfect performance, but there was effort and, at 20 years old, scope to improve.
Laurie Whitwell
What did Amorim say?
Amorim told TNT Sports: “It is the least we can do for these fans for the support they give us in this tough season but I am stressed already because of the final.
“If you don’t win it, it is nothing. We are happy to be there. Let’s see.”
On Mount: “It is important for every player but when you see that kind of guy working hard every day, eating well, resting ice bath; he does everything.
“When you have this kind of player, you just want to help him and then the quality he has, he is perfect for that position because he can be a midfielder, he can run like a winger, he can play with this back to the goal, so I am really happy for him.”
What next for United?
Sunday, May 11: West Ham (Home), Premier League, 2.15pm UK, 9.15am ET
(Top photo: Carl Recine – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
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: NCAA Outdoor East Preliminaries 
: Jacksonville, Fla.
: Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium
: 2:30 p.m.
: 
: (ESPN+) 
Ronald Acuña Jr. left NO DOUBT about this one!
