Match Review: Manchester United 4-1 Athletic Club
That last half hour... ah, United.
Goals from Mason Mount, Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund, and Mason Mount from 45 YARDS OUT ON HIS WEAKER FOOT turned a 1-0 deficit on the night into a big win.
The game wasn't especially good until Ruben Amorim made his substitutions. Mazraoui looked tired and thus off it, Maguire was bang average, Lindelof very poor, Onana poor, and that then filtered into Ugarte being sloppy on the ball... 5/11 people not pulling their weight, with Garnacho unable to finish either of two great chances and a shattered confidence Hojlund leading the line...
Luckily Bruno, Casemiro, Dorgu and Yoro were up for it tonight. Even with the odd mistake in there, lesser players crumble under the weight of their team shitting it. These lot will excel as their team improves.
And improve it did. Mount, Shaw and Amad came on for Ugarte, Mazraoui and Garnacho. Two goals followed - the first being absolute class from Mount and the second a fluke but prime placed Casemiro... shoulder?
The final subs followed, with Mainoo on for Case and Amass on for Lindelof. United kept up the intensity and the desire. We had tekkers. Mount's cheeky back flick off the 1-2 passing moves from Dorgu and Amad. I was nursing a semi, and if Amass had been brave enough to stride into the box and shoot... it could have been pants off and dancing round my apartment.
Amad and Dorgu's combination work on the right flank would lead to goal number 3, with a low pass actually finding Hojlund for once and an eaaaasy finish for 3-1, and then a great throughball from Amass for Hojlund was intercepted by the Bilbao keeper. Only, it didn't go high. It stayed low enough for an intercept. By Mason Mount. And the crowd said shoot. And he did. And it lofted over all, arcing, arcing, dropping... and it's 4-1 and we're all squealing. Scenes.
United this season have been a poor show. Amorim's said that enough times, and did again in his post-match with TNT.
A Europa League final win would not only be hilarious for beating Spurs, after losing to them 3 times this season but winning the 1 that matters, but it does so much more.
Silverware in his first HALF season, with a squad that's not his, silences the doubters and means he went unbeaten the entire campaign in Europe.
Champions League qualification.
The appeal for enticing new signings.
Support and trust to build the squad in his image.
United's banter era still delivering more silverware than most clubs can dream of.
A lot hangs on this final, but with Mount finding form, Garnacho and Hojlund scoring, Mainoo back from injury, Casemiro being a Rolls Royce, Bruno's elite talent... it feels like it's happening.
Avoid injuries to West Ham on Sunday and away at Chelsea the following Friday and we'll be in a strong place for the final. We also need people to have fitness and form though, so lets be resting Mazraoui for Sunday and give Mount a start. Lets make this happen.
