'Can’t mess it up from here' - national media make same Man United point after Athletic Bilbao
Manchester United produced their best performances of the season against Athletic Bilbao
Manchester United have one foot in the Europa League final after a stunning 3-0 victory against Athletic Bilbao.
Reds captain Bruno Fernandes struck twice following Casemiro’s first-half opener at San Mames, giving Ruben Amorim's side a commanding advantage to take to Old Trafford for next week’s second leg.
"The players have to think about the second leg, and more about the first 20 minutes than the rest of the game," Amorim warned post-match.
"The game is going to be really tough. There is no away goals so anything can change: that is my message to the players.
"You saw two games: the first 25 minutes, before the goal and then after the sending-off the game changed. The most important thing is that after that the opponent didn’t get many shots. In the first 30 minutes they had some chances to score and didn’t."
Here, MEN Sport has taken a look at the how the game was reported by the national media.
'Fernandes stars as Manchester United cruise'
Sid Lowe of The Guardian, wrote: "Manchester United enjoyed their night in Bilbao so much that they will surely be coming back. They remain the only unbeaten team among the more than 100 that have played this competition over eight long months, and even if they do fall to a first in seven days’ time, the margin of this victory means they should still be there on its final game in this same arena, the season given meaning and potentially a triumphant end, the Europa League their elixir and their escape once again.
"They came to the stadium everyone calls the Cathedral and defeated Athletic Bilbao so convincingly that the second leg carries little threat. No one had won here this year in Europe and Athletic had conceded just 10 times in all competitions. Ultimately this was an efficient, impressive performance in which United looked something like the team they are supposed to be: one that can win a European title that has become their salvation and a glimpse, perhaps, of future hope, not least as it would give them Champions League access.
"United scored three in a quarter of an hour, an opening goal from Casemiro and two from Bruno Fernandes ending this before half-time. All the more so because the second came from the spot, accompanied by a red card for Dani Vivian, infuriating the home supporters and virtually ensuring that they will not play the final they host on 21 May. For Manchester United, despite not adding the fourth, the night in Bilbao could hardly have been any better, and they will surely be back."
'Man United crush Athletic dreams in Bilbao'
Richard Jolly of The Independent, wrote: "A few hundred metres from the Guggenheim Museum, Manchester United painted an unlikely, unforgettable picture of their own. It felt more surrealist than modern art but a team who had been failing and floundering at home, who risked being officially the worst United side in decades, entered one of the most intimidating atmospheres any of them will encounter, went 3-0 up in the first half of a European semi-final and dominated.
"Nothing, Ruben Amorim had said, could save their season, but that was before the finest night of his reign, before a return to the Champions League, which once looked a pipe dream, felt all too real. Before this. “Nobody expected this result,” said Amorim. It was, he willingly admitted, the best of his tenure. It prompted the question of where this United had been all season but if the answer was in Bilbao, in the San Mames, that is fortuitous. United can plan for a return in the final, perhaps to face Tottenham, the Premier League’s two greatest underachievers duelling for European glory.
"If it all felt rather improbable, there was at least a hint of predictability in the identity of the two talismanic figures. Casemiro has been resurgent of late, offering a reminder why he has won the Champions League more often than United. Fernandes has been magnificent for much of a torrid season. He may end it lifting the Europa League, as both its top scorer and player of the tournament. It meant that United scored three goals in the first half of an away knockout game in Europe for the first time since 1966."
'Ruben Amorim's side take huge step towards Europa League final'
Chris Wheeler of The Daily Mail, wrote: "Maybe Manchester United can’t save their season, but it can still have a silver lining after a quite stunning night in Bilbao. United produced their best performance yet under Ruben Amorim to calm the cauldron of the Estadio San Mames and take a huge step towards reaching the Europa League final in next week’s second leg at Old Trafford. Surely even United can’t mess it up from here.
"The disbelief among the home fans was probably shared by many United supporters high up in the stands who are used to seeing their team do things the hard way, but must already be looking forward to the final on May 21. Fuelled by the tantalising prospect of seeing their team compete for the first European trophy in the club's history at their own ground, an afternoon of celebrating a national May Day holiday, and a festering sense of injustice at Norwegian referee Espen Eskas who sent off Daniel Vivian before half-time, the San Mames was a melting pot of passion.
"United weathered the storm with incredible composure as they remained unbeaten in Europe in quite emphatic fashion. Let’s not forget that Athletic are the best team United have faced in Europe, and one that had conceded only twice in winning all six home games up to this point, which made what happened in the first half all the more sensational. The place they call The Cathedral – though not so reverent that they stopped singing during a minute’s silence for the late Pope – went quiet in the fifth minute when Alejandro Garnacho scored before replays showed he was half a yard offside."
'Man Utd produce best performance under Amorim to stun Bilbao'
Jason Burt of The Telegraph, wrote: "Ruben Amorim said that winning the Europa League will not save Manchester United’s season. He was wrong. If they play like this, if they get through to the final, and if they triumph and qualify for the Champions League, then a lot of misery and under-performance will be forgotten. United were simply fantastic against Athletic Bilbao as they finally gave an exciting glimpse of the football their head coach is trying to inculcate.
"Amorim was not in need of a statement performance, he just wanted to get through. But United delivered one and produced – by a vast margin – their best game under the Portuguese. United were Basque-ing in the glory of it (sorry for that). It was that kind of crazy night, with Harry Maguire eclipsing Nico Williams as the best winger on show – albeit in a mesmerising brief cameo to help open the scoring – and Casemiro rolling back the years to play like the European champion he was so regularly at Real Madrid. In winning so convincingly, and with Tottenham Hotspur also winning, we have the likelihood of an all-English final back in Bilbao on May 21.
"That would mean six teams in the Champions League next season, including one who is either 14th or 16th in the Premier League at present. But those are the rules. It is now seven wins in nine Europa League games for Amorim and just six in 23 in the Premier League which may say much about the strength of the European competition. But it is potentially a £100 million reward – and a trophy – for United. It was so good for them that Amorim was even able to reintroduce Amad Diallo – out since early February – and Matthijs de Ligt from injury."