Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has insisted that the club have not secured a ticket to the Europa League final despite their resounding victory over Athletic Club.
The Red Devils on Thursday night took a giant step towards the Europa League final with a memorable away win at 10-man Athletic Bilbao. Casemiro put United ahead in the 30th minute, with Bruno Fernandes keeping his cool to score from the spot after Dani Vivian saw red for bringing down Rasmus Hojlund.
Fernandes added another before the break to complete a 3-0 win for the Red Devils, who head into next Thursday’s reverse fixture in complete control of the semi-final.
Speaking after the match, Amorim sent an important message to his players, insisting the job is not done.
“I think they have to think about the second leg,” Amorim said of his message to United’s players.
“And they have to think more about the first 20 minutes than the rest of the game because the game is going to be really tough.
“There is no away goals so anything can change and that is my message to the players, and we have to think now about Brentford and then the second leg.”
Bruno Fernandes scores his United’s second goal from the penalty spot. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Asked if that was United’s best performance since taking charge in November, the United head coach said: “No, I think it is the best result because nobody expected this result.
“But, again, I think you saw two games today – the first 25 minutes and then after the goal, and also with the sending off the game changed.
“That was a good thing, also a good thing in the second half was we tried to be cautious.
“We create chances but the most important thing is that the opponent didn’t get many shots to our goal and that was really important.”
Athletic head coach Ernesto Valverde reflected on a “very bad result” and expressed frustration about the second goal, with Alejandro Garnacho touching the ball with his hand in the build-up to a cross that led to the penalty and red card after referee Espen Eskas was sent to the monitor.
“Well, the play-off has not finished yet,” he said. “We have challenged a previous handball by Garnacho.
“We thought that it had hit his hand and we believe that’s something that referee needs to assess, and the play continued. That’s what we challenged but it’s the ref who needs to referee.
“It’s been too much of a punishment, not only by the fact that they we were down 2-0 but because we had to play with one man down, so we have felt that of course.”
