Everything you need to know, while Manchester United seems to end to end a destroyed season at a peak in the Europa League and Champions League football for next season
Manchester United wants to end the track and will go within one match of securing Champions League football next season. The side of Ruben Amorim achieved a memorable 3-0 win over 10-man athletic Bilbao in the first stage of their semi-final of the Europa League.
A return to San Mames for the showpiece of May 21 against Bodo/Glimt or, more likely, Tottenham Hotspur is at a moving distance, after he has seen an early storm against one side that desperately tries to reach the final in their stadium. Athletic flew out of the blocks but imploded after Casemiro United gave the lead in the 30th minute, with Bruno Fernandes kept his cool to score from the place after Dani saw Vivian Red because he had taken Rasmus Hojlund.
The club captain added one before the break to complete a thunderous victory for the Red Devils. But while United is firmly on the steering trolley, a Bilbao comeback cannot be fully discounted, given the vulnerability that has been united in recent seasons. Mirror Football brings you everything you need to know about the big game …
When is Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao?
The kick -off at Old Trafford is at 8 p.m. on Thursday 8 May. Although United is in a strong position, Amorim will not consider anything for granted, especially after his much changed side lost 4-3 in Brentford on the weekend.
“I think they should think about the second stage,” Amorim said. “And they have to think more about the first 20 minutes than about the rest of the game, because the game will be really difficult.
“There are no road goals, so everything can change and that is my message to the players, and we now have to think about Brentford and then about the second stage.”
How to look at Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao
The second stage will be shown by TNT Sports, which has the most rights for the club competitions of UEFA.
Coverage on TNT Sport 1 and the accompanying Discovery Plus app, where fans can stream the promotion live, starts one hour before the start at 7 p.m. National Radio Commentary will be provided by Talksport, with BBC Five Live over the other semi -final between Bodo/Glimt and Spurs.
Team news
Amorim's team should at least be fresh after he has made eight changes for the defeat in Brentford.
However, there are a few worries, with Matthijs de Ligt hoping against the bees in the first half, while Luke Shaw was removed during the break to 'protect' him before the Thursday game, according to Amorim.
Diogo Dalot has missed the last three games and remains a doubt. Joshua Zirkee and Lisandro Martinez are excluded for the rest of the season.
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