Manchester United came from behind at Old Trafford to win 4-1 against Athletic Bilbao, inspired by Mason Mount and earned their place comfortably in the Europa League final against Tottenham
After Mason Mount had rubber-stamped Manchester United’s passage to the Europa League final with his first goal of the night, he stood in front of the Stretford End and cupped his ear. Maybe he was making a reference to the talk that he was the sort of expensive signing that symbolises the club’s failings in recent years.
Or maybe, after the frustration brought on by his painful struggles with injury, he just wanted to hear the acclaim that signified a rare positive step in his Old Trafford career. Or maybe he was cheekily asking the crowd to show proper appreciation for the one moment of elite-class skill that turned a fairly mediocre United performance into a glorious procession to the final.
Never mind that Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund .and Mount again would make it a crushing United victory on the night, it was Mount’s sublime turn and finish just under 20 minutes from the end that was the pivotal moment in a game that had been run by Athletic for a good hour or so.
Quite frankly, United were pretty abysmal until Mount struck with an individual effort that was a reminder of why so many top coaches down the years have adored this wonderful footballer. And after that, Athletic went to pieces, as they had done in Bilbao.
But for half an hour, there was not even a suggestion United might add to their three-goal advantage and the Bilbao breakthrough was hardly a surprise. But the mistake that gave the half-chance to Mikel Jauregizar was a surprise, coming, as it did, from Harry Maguire.
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The misplaced pass still looked unlikely to be too damaging but Jauregizar struck his effort nicely enough to beat Andre Onana’s delayed take-off. At least it gave United a nudge of urgency and they would have been level just before the break had Alejandro Garnacho not once again shown that he can be a scorer of great goals rather than a great goalscorer.
Occasionally doing the spectacular is great, frequently doing the routine is better. And it should have been a routine finish when Patrick Dorgu put him in the clear but his attempt to send a chip over Julen Agirrezabala went badly awry.
The miss meant a pervading sense of anxiety remained and that is why, just after the hour mark, Ruben Amorim opted for a triple change of personnel – Mount, Luke Shaw and Amad Diallo all entering the fray. The alterations had the desired effect, to say the least.
And after Mount’s brilliance and Casemiro’s quick-thinking finish, Diallo’s directness enabled him to set up Rasmus Hojlund, who, literally, only had to let the assist hit his foot to get on the scoresheet. Three-one and even Hojlund scored.
Whether or not it was worthy of a celebratory selfie is open for debate but the man who should have been posing for photos finished the job in quite remarkable fashion. When a clearance reached Mount just inside the Athletic half he responded with a first-time, left-footed hit that must have travelled a good 50 yards or so.
Both of Mount’s goals were a measure of a talent that, for reasons beyond the player’s control, Old Trafford has yet to enjoy. Here, that talent has made sure United have an endgame of a European final … but for Mount himself, this will, hopefully, be a new beginning.
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