Man Utd vs Athletic Club preview, H2H, team news, line-ups, and prediction

Manchester United will hope to secure their Europa League final qualification when they host Athletic Club at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

United appear to have one foot in the Europa League final following what might be their most complete showing of the season. The clash in Bilbao was effectively decided before the interval, as Ruben Amorim’s men stormed to a three-goal advantage by the break.

A brace from the ever-reliable Bruno Fernandes – continuing his remarkable Europa League form – followed Casemiro’s early strike that set the tone for United’s dominant display.

They made the most of their opportunities, netting three times from three shots on target in the opening half. It could have been four before the whistle had Noussair Mazraoui’s long-range effort been marginally lower instead of crashing against the crossbar in added time of the first half.

The remainder of the game unfolded without significant incident, with United exercising composure and discipline. They were satisfied to protect a three-goal cushion to carry back to Old Trafford. Fans are already buying UEFA Europa League final tickets as it’s almost unthinkable that Man Utd will let slip a 3-0 lead at home.

While their domestic campaign has brought minimal satisfaction and is already confirmed as their worst-ever Premier League season since the division’s inception in 1992, United continue to find solace in this European competition. They have claimed victory in eight of their 13 Europa League fixtures this season – only two shy of their 10 wins across 34 league games.

Now, two matches separate them from continental success and a return to next season’s Champions League. Judging by their showing – inside the same venue where the final will be contested – they can complete the task and salvage their campaign with a flourish.

Despite enduring their poorest Premier League season on record, this tournament has served as a welcome distraction from their troubles in England’s top flight.

They are the only team to have yet to suffer a loss in the 2024–25 Europa League, although just three of those wins have come away from home—none in the knockout rounds. Still, a 13-match unbeaten sequence marks their best run in any major European competition since they went 15 without losing between November 2016 and October 2017.

Had this impressive record not existed, Ruben Amorim’s future might already have been in question, given that his side has suffered defeat in 12 of 24 league games. However, remaining undefeated in nine European outings grants him the longest unbeaten European start with the club since Alex Ferguson avoided defeat in his first 11 matches.

Bilbao had no doubt been dreaming of a chance to contest the final on home soil, with their San Mamés ground set to stage the event. However, their hopes now face a daunting challenge. The Basque outfit concluded the group phase in second place with 19 points, edged out only by Lazio on goal difference.

Their path through the knockouts has been far from easy — first rallying from behind to eliminate Roma in the round of 16, followed by a 2-0 aggregate triumph over Rangers in the quarter-finals, which included a first-leg stalemate. Yet a three-goal deficit now stands between them and the final, and overcoming it may prove insurmountable.

This marks the Basque club’s third semi-final appearance in European competition, having progressed from both prior occasions: in the 1976–77 UEFA Cup against RWD Molenbeek and the 2011–12 Europa League against Sporting CP. However, their chances of reaching the final appear slim after falling 3-0 to United in the opening leg.

Ernesto Valverde – no stranger to dramatic collapses himself, having led Barcelona during their infamous 4-3 aggregate loss to Liverpool in the 2018–19 Champions League semi-finals – knows full well how unpredictable football can be and that surprises are never out of the question.

United now find themselves firmly in control ahead of the second leg scheduled for Wednesday, 21 May, after a commanding win in Bilbao last Thursday, courtesy of Casemiro’s headed goal and two from Bruno Fernandes.

Nonetheless, Zuri-Gorriak—currently enduring a seven-game winless streak away from home in the league—will be fiercely driven to overturn the tie and secure a place in the final, especially with the incentive of it taking place on their turf.

Man Utd vs Athletic Club match details

• Date: Thursday, 8th May
• Location: Manchester, England
• Venue: Old Trafford
• Kick-off time: 08:00 PM GMT
• Tickets: Man Utd tickets for the game can be bought on the club exchange or via trusted reseller Seatsnet.com

Match stats and head-to-head

• United netted three first-half goals in a major European knockout away match for the first time since the 1965-66 European Cup quarter-final against Benfica. Their 3-0 lead in Bilbao also marked their most significant half-time advantage on the road since leading Tranmere Rovers 5-0 in the 2020 FA Cup.

• All 133 teams who’ve secured a 3+ goal victory away from home in the first leg of a UEFA Cup/Europa League knockout tie have gone on to progress — United’s win in Bilbao stands as their largest away semi-final win in European history.

• United are this season’s highest scorers in the UEFA Europa League with 31 goals, scoring twice or more in 10 different games — equalling their record for most such games in a single European campaign, set in the 2002-03 Champions League.

• Only Aubameyang (34) and Falcao (30) have scored more Europa League goals than Bruno Fernandes (27), who is now level with Romelu Lukaku. He’s also joint-top for assists in the competition (18) alongside Dries Mertens.

• The Red Devils have won just two of their five meetings with Bilbao — both by the same margin.

• United are unbeaten at home in the Europa League this season after 90 minutes (W4 D2), though they’ve yet to keep a clean sheet at Old Trafford under Amorim in this competition.

• Last week’s 3-0 win was only United’s second ever over the Basque side, led by a Bruno Fernandes double.

• Fernandes has either scored or assisted in four of United’s six home Europa League games this season.

• This marks the sixth meeting between the clubs and only the second to be held at Old Trafford. United have won two and lost three of the previous five encounters.

Team news

The Red Devils are set to be without some crucial figures in defence. Dependable full-back Diogo Dalot was absent for the first leg due to a calf issue and appears unlikely to be fit for Thursday’s second leg. Matthijs de Ligt also emerged as a fresh concern, having been withdrawn during the 4-3 loss to Brentford on Sunday.

Ruben Amorim opted to rotate heavily for that Premier League fixture at the Gtech Community Stadium, making eight alterations to his lineup. Noussair Mazraoui was entirely given the day off. At the same time, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, and Rasmus Hojlund remained on the bench throughout, and Luke Shaw and Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu were both taken off at half-time.

Amad Diallo, continuing his gradual return from injury, made his second consecutive appearance as a substitute. He marked the occasion by scoring United’s third goal in stoppage time — a notable lift for Amorim’s side.

Ayden Heaven, Lisandro Martinez, Toby Collyer and Joshua Zirkzee have all remained unavailable for several weeks. In contrast, Chido Obi, who was featured from the start against Brentford, is not eligible to play in this tournament.

Bilbao, meanwhile, will be without Dani Vivian, who was shown a red card in the first half of last week’s match after preventing a clear goalscoring chance.

Their top scorer, Oihan Sancet, missed the first leg in Bilbao through a hamstring injury. Still, manager Ernesto Valverde offered an encouraging update, stating the player is “doing quite well” and may return.

Nico Williams — who only recently came back from injury — featured for 79 minutes in the reverse fixture before being substituted and was left out entirely for the weekend’s goalless draw against Real Sociedad. Also rested were goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala and veteran captain Oscar de Marcos, who last played at Old Trafford in 2012.

Predicted starting lineup

Man Utd predicted starting lineup:

Onana; Lindelof, Maguire, Yoro; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund

Athletic Club predicted starting lineup:

Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Paredes, Alvarez, Berchiche; De Galarreta, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Berenguer, N. Williams; Sannadi

Prediction

United are firmly on course for a place in the Europa League final as they prepare to host Bilbao in the decisive second leg of their semi-final tie.

A commanding 3-0 triumph in Bilbao — aided by Dani Vivian’s early dismissal — has left the Spanish outfit facing an uphill task despite having the incentive of a home final later this month.

Ruben Amorim’s men are now seen as frontrunners to lift the trophy and clinch a crucial return to the Champions League in a campaign offering little to celebrate outside of their European exploits.

We’re predicting a 2-1 win for Bilbao.