Manchester United will return to San Mames to contest the Europa League final after they clinched a 7-1 aggregate win over Athletic Bilbao in the semi-final with a 4-1 second-leg victory at Old Trafford.
United did the bulk of the hard work in the first leg in Bilbao, a Bruno Fernandes double sealing a 3-0 win, and their status as heavy favourites from that point was enhanced by injuries to Nico and Inaki Williams for Athletic.
Still, Athletic were the more threatening sides for long periods and gave themselves hope through Mikel Jauregizar’s excellent 31st-minute opener.
But a remarkable comeback rarely looked on the cards, and Mason Mount settled United nerves with his first goal since March last year.
Casemiro completed a turnaround on the night with a stooping header in the 80th minute before Rasmus Hojlund and a second from Mount gave the scoreline an emphatic look that had appeared unlikely at half-time.
United will face Tottenham in the final back in Bilbao, with European silverware and a place in next season’s Champions League on offer
Manchester United v Athletic Bilbao
Understandably given their desperate position in the tie, Athletic started with much more urgency, though they struggled to create much in the early going save for a couple of wayward Alex Berenguer efforts.
But United were punished for a lacklustre start when Jauregizar bent a superb effort that found the top-right corner despite Andre Onana getting a hand to it after the hosts failed to deal with a long ball forward.
United should have levelled on the night just before half-time as Alejandro Garnacho was played through on goal by the influential Patrick Dorgu, only for the Argentine to skew well wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Athletic began the second half in the same manner as the first, but the goal that would have put them within touching distance of a famous comeback eluded them, and Mount effectively made sure of United’s place in the showpiece 18 minutes from the end of normal time.
Mount’s time at Old Trafford has been defined by injury struggles, but he delighted the Stretford End with a smart finish on the turn into the bottom-right corner.
Casemiro left no doubt of United’s place in the final when he glanced home Fernandes’ free-kick delivery from the right, and there was time for a pair of final flourishes from the hosts.
The first came through Hojlund’s tap-in after excellent work down the right from Amad Diallo, with then second then gifted to Mount in the dying seconds when Julen Agirrezabala came rushing off his line and sent a clearance straight into his path, allowing the former Chelsea man to fire into the empty net from long range.
