Manchester United are only one game away from reaching the Europa League final. Despite a poor season, the Red Devils have been brilliant in the Europa League, and they are now very close to securing the final. Man United won the first leg against Athletic Club with a dominating 3-0 margin in Spain, now they are all set to host the second leg at Old Trafford tomorrow.
Although Man United have a comfortable 3-0 lead over Athletic Club, coach Ruben Amorim believes a small mistake can make a big difference. So, he takes this match very seriously and wants 100% from his team to beat Athletic Club. Amorim said, “That is clear because also if you look at our season, anything is possible. We have to understand that one goal can change everything, the momentum of the game, one sent off, you saw it one week ago. So, we are prepared to fight to win the game.”
Stats & Facts
- No team has ever failed to progress into the next round after winning the first leg with a 3+ margin in the Europa League.
- Manchester United and Athletic Club’s last five games had lots of goals—22 in total, with all matches seeing at least three goals each.
- Athletic Club has struggled in England, losing 7 of their 9 away games against English teams in Europe. However, they did beat Manchester United 3-2 in 2012.
- Manchester United is unbeaten in 13 Europa League games this season and could be one of the 7 teams to reach the final without losing.
Team News
Man United boss Ruben Amorim benched Bruno Fernandes, Noussair Mazroui, Casemiro, and Rasmus Hojlund in the match against Brentford last week. However, they are all available and likely to play at Old Trafford tomorrow against Athletic Club.
Matthjis de Ligt had recovered and returned, but he suffered another injury and will miss the second leg in the Europa League. Luke Shaw and Amad Diallo are also back from injury and are available for selection.
As for Athletic, defender Dani Vivian is suspended due to his red card in the first leg. Oscar De Marcos and top scorer Oihan Sance missed the first leg due to hamstring injuries. However, the manager will wait for them until the very last.
Possible Lineup for Man United:
Onana; Lindelof, Maguire, Yoro; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund
Possible Lineup for Athletic Club:
Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Paredes, Alvarez, Berchiche; De Galarreta, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Berenguer, N. Williams; Sannadi
Prediction: Man United 2-2 Athletic Club
Man United won the first leg without much struggle. With a 3-0 lead in their hands, Man United are in a comfort zone. However, the defense has been a major issue for Man United throughout the season. Since Athletic need goals, they will play aggressively from the start, which could see Man United conceding goals. But Manchester United have been scoring in their recent games. So, we expect a draw between the two sides, which will take Manchester United into the final with a 5-2 aggregate.
Betfair Odds
Man United: 2.00
Draw: 3.52
Athletic Club: 3.72
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