Manchester United are into the final of the Europa League final as a 4-1 win over Athletic Club completed a 7-1 aggregate victory.
Mikel Jaureguizar’s first-half goal had given Athletic hope but Mason Mount came off the bench to settle United nerves before goals from Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund and a second from over 40 yards out by Mount earned a handsome win at Old Trafford.
The result sets up an all-English final in Bilbao on May 21 following Tottenham’s win over Bodo/Glimt in the other semi-final. A difficult season for both Premier League clubs will end with one of them securing a Champions League spot next season.
How Man Utd turned night around
Much of the work had been done in Bilbao, United securing that seemingly unassailable three-goal lead. With the Williams brothers – Nico and Inaki – both unavailable for this return match in Manchester, the feeling was that Athletic lacked the requisite firepower.
But this is United. While they found plenty of space in behind from the outset, they were wasteful. Patrick Dorgu and Alejandro Garnacho were the chief culprits and the Basque side punished them when Mikel Jaureguizar curled in from long range to pull one back.
Harry Maguire lost possession too easily, while Andre Onana got hands to the shot but could not keep it out. It encouraged the vocal away fans to believe that an improbable comeback was on and Garnacho missing a one-on-one did nothing to dispel the notion.
Athletic were dreaming well into the second half but Ruben Amorim’s substitutions changed the game. Amad Diallo provided attacking impetus but it was Mount’s quality finish that ended Ernesto Valverde’s side’s hopes, turning and firing expertly into the far corner.
Casemiro’s looping header turned it around on the night before another brilliant Amad run laid a goal on a plate for Hojlund. Mount had the final say, finishing beautifully from distance with his weaker left foot after a poor clearance by the Athletic goalkeeper.
It capped a special night at Old Trafford, yet another one for them in this competition. Even in these troubled times for United, the trophies have kept coming. Last season, it was the FA Cup. Now, they are just one game away from European silverware in Bilbao.
Player of the match: Mason Mount
Mount had never scored for United at Old Trafford before this game, his only previous goals for the club coming at Brentford. These two were special, the first because of its importance in the moment and the second enough to light up any evening.
“It has been difficult with the injuries, but I have kept going and it has paid off,” Mount told TNT Sports.
“We knew it was going to be difficult at the beginning of the game. Getting that goal to make it 1-1 calmed us down. It’s been too long [since I had a feeling like this]. I just tried to come on and affect the game.
“The crowd has been unbelievable. For me personally, my first goals at Old Trafford. Special night, one I have been waiting a long time for. We want to go to Bilbao and finish strong now.”
Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlund speaking about his team-mate:
“I am very pleased for Mason Mount, he is one of my very good friends in this team. He is a good lad, always working very hard.
“He has been getting a lot of stick because he had a lot of injuries, but he has been positive and trying to get fit all the time.
“He has only had one goal, that was to get back on the pitch. He did what he did today, we knew he had the quality. It was just about the time.”
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Amorim hails impact of subs
“Amad gave us this spark that you need to change games,” Amorim told TNT Sports.
“Mason Mount, I am so happy for him, he is such a player. He works really hard. He has quality. I really like Kobbie Mainoo, just 10 minutes on the pitch, but everything he did was really good.
“Sometimes you are on the bench, but you change the game.
“It is hard to describe what it is like to be a manager in this kind of club. You want to give something to the fans, because we’ve been so disappointing in the Premier League this season.
“It is more important to give something to the fans, than to add something [to my CV] as a winner.”
Valverde: Walk in the park at the end
“Games last 90 minutes,” said Athletic coach Valverde. “You have to be on it for 90 minutes, especially against teams that won’t let you off. It was a wide scoreline.
“We felt like we had a chance when it was 1-0, it was good to get ahead. They scored a goal at a key time but we were not that bad. It was almost like a walk in the park for them at the end. Take away those last few minutes, it was much more even.”
When is the Europa League final?
Tottenham await Manchester United in the Europa League final.
It takes place at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain on Wednesday May 21; kick-off 8pm.
