Manchester United staged an exceptional first-half efficiency, protecting a commanding 3-0 lead ahead of the 2nd leg next week. Dive into the essential data from the match on our devoted Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United statistics page.

With this excellent proving, Manchester United seems on the brink of reaching the Europa League last. The encounter in Bilbao was efficiently chosen by halftime, thanks to an electrifying three-goal burst from Ruben Amorim’s group. The preliminary momentum was set in movement by Casemiro, whose early objective led the way for a spectacular screen from his colleagues, especially the ever-reliable Bruno Fernandes, who included 2 more objectives to his tally.

Initially, United appeared poised for a perfect start when Alejandro Garnacho handled to score within the very first 5 minutes. However, his happiness was short-term as he was ruled offside after getting a pass from Manuel Ugarte. This minute highlighted the razor-thin margins in high-stakes matches like these, where every choice can be crucial for a group’s fate in the competitors.

Despite the early obstacle, United quickly took control of the match, with Casemiro heading home from close quarters, leaving the home fans in shock. This objective came from a fantastic screen of wing play by Harry Maguire, who skillfully navigated into position and provided an ideal cross. The ball discovered Ugarte, whose header rerouted it to the back post—where Casemiro was completely placed to net his very first European objective for the club considering that September 2023.

A couple of minutes later on, United was granted a charge when Rasmus Højlund was fouled by Dani Vivian right in front of the objective. Initially, the referee Espen Eskås did not award the charge, however after a VAR evaluation, he indicated the area. The choice was much more controversial as Eskås consequently dismissed Vivian</b.

As is often the case, Bruno Fernandes stepped up to take the penalty and successfully converted it, demonstrating his reliability in crucial moments. Yet, he was far from finished, as just before halftime, he found himself in an abundance of space after receiving a clever flick from Ugarte. With composure, he slotted the ball past Bilbao’s goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala, further silencing the home crowd. This goal marked his impressive 31st goal involvement in 32 knockout-stage appearances in the Europa League (comprising 19 goals and 12 assists), making him the most prolific player in the competition’s history since its rebranding in 2009.

In the first half, United made the most of their opportunities, scoring three goals from just three shots on target. It could have been four if Noussair Mazraoui’s spectacular strike from outside the box had been slightly lower, as it struck the crossbar in added time of the first half.

The second half was relatively uneventful, with United maintaining control over the match, demonstrating composure and strategy as they opted to preserve their three-goal advantage to carry into the return leg at Old Trafford next week.

While the current Premier League season has been challenging for United, marking what is likely their worst performance since the league’s inception in 1992, the Europa League has offered a glimmer of hope. They have triumphed in eight out of their 13 matches in this competition this season, just two wins short of their league total of 10 victories in 34 matches.

United now stands just two matches away from potential European glory and a coveted spot in next season’s Champions League. Given their recent performance—especially in the very venue set to host the final—they have every reason to be optimistic about completing the task and finishing the season on a triumphant note.

Our Opta match centre provides comprehensive statistics from the Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United clash in the Europa League at San Mamés Barria.

The match centre below encompasses a wide range of information, including team and player statistics, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard, and much more. It equips you with all the necessary tools to perform your own in-depth match analysis.

Additionally, you can find official Opta stats on the game located beneath the match centre as well.

In-Depth Statistical Analysis: Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United

• Manchester United achieved a remarkable feat by scoring three first-half goals in a knockout stage away match in a significant European competition for the first time since the quarter-finals of the 1965-66 European Cup against Benfica. This stands as their largest half-time lead away from home since they led Tranmere Rovers 5-0 in the FA Cup back in January 2020.
• A total of 133 teams have won the first leg of a UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League knockout stage tie by three or more goals on the road, and each of those 133 teams has progressed from or won the tie. This match marked Manchester United’s most significant away victory in a semi-final of a major European competition.
• Manchester United leads as the top scorers in the UEFA Europa League this season with 31 goals. They have scored more than two goals in 10 different matches throughout the competition this season, tying their record for the most times achieving this in a major European football campaign, a mark last set during the 2002-03 UEFA Champions League.
• Only Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (34) and Radamel Falcao (30) have netted more goals in the UEFA Europa League than Bruno Fernandes (27), who is level with Romelu Lukaku. Fernandes also shares the top spot for assists in the competition with 18, tying with Dries Mertens.

If you enjoyed this article, consider subscribing to our football newsletter for exclusive weekly content. Don’t forget to follow us on our social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.