Man Utd news: Remembering the riches - A Red revival in Bilbao
For all his recent claims of emotional detachment, Sports News Blitz’s Robert Bore couldn’t escape the nerves as kick-off approached in the Basque country.
Here, he reflects on Manchester United’s stirring Europa League semi-final display against Athletic Club.
The weight of Red history and a father’s legacy
It was about two hours before kick-off and I couldn't concentrate.
Another presentation to check, another Teams message, best to switch off.
I've convinced myself over recent years that I'm not really that bothered by United's results.
Having lived through the most successful period in the club's history from around my sixteenth year, I was spoiled. Truly spoiled.
After a 1980s childhood lived in the footballing shadows, albeit punctuated with the odd cup joy, league title starvation magnified year after year.
When we finally fed at the top table we gorged and filled our faces until our bellies split. Moaning when the courses dried up felt a bit rude really.
So I tried not to be a big baby when things went wrong.
I truly believe your football team is genetic and was usually inherited through your Dad, at least back then.
It's a bond. Something that can galvanise your relationship and provide that roller-coaster of highs and lows over the seasons and the years.
My Dad could remember the glories of league titles and European Cups, living through the legacy of Charlton, Best & Law.
I had Ralph Milne and Peter Davenport before the tide thankfully turned into a tsunami.
So I naturally brainwashed his grandson and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Born on the wrong side of the Pennines as I relocated for work, it was my prime directive.
Like Robocop, or was it the Terminator? Whatever, you catch my drift. My son is a Red, I fulfilled my prime directive.
Luckily, he managed to celebrate the Robin van Persie-inspired title before the rot set in, and you don't need me to tell you that's a festering wound still weeping today as club money flows into Glazer coffers.
But James had it right. "If I hadn't seen such riches I could live with being poor".
So as kick-off in Bilbao loomed large, I gave my head a shake and remembered that of course, I care.
I've been pouring my ire out on Sports News Blitz all season, like a less jaundiced Grandpa Simpson shouting at clouds.
And I had nerves, those little butterflies in your stomach, like the ones you got when you had just before your first kiss.
Or when you queued up underage at the local nightclub and still hadn't started shaving.
Bilbao bring the fear factor
There was a bloody good reason for this mild trauma. Athletic Bilbao are bloody good.
They can attack. They can defend. They perform well in big games and had won all six of their Europa League matches this season at San Mamés.
They got skills.
They also got Nico Williams, who has been involved in at least one goal each of those games scoring five and setting up two.
Okay, for balance, we do have our own Europa League raider in Bruno Fernandes - 17 goals and 12 assists in 31 Europa appearances in the knockouts.
He knows his way around a semi-final as well with three goals and three assists in three games at this stage.
Early wobbles, early warnings
It looked like Manchester United had gone defensive, with Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro as anchors, and Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu as wingbacks.
And as well as Harry Maguire has done this season, there was a shiver up my spine at the prospect of the England man linking up with Victor Lindelöf again in a starting line-up.
And we saw Bilbao's intention from kick-off, pressing the visitors high.
All the post-match pessimism was nearly extinguished inside five minutes when Alejandro Garnacho thought he'd put Amorim's men ahead, firing low to the far post but an offside flag saved the hosts and TV replays concurred.
Bilbao came back, Alex Berenguer forcing Andre Onana into a low save and Yuri Berchiche heading wide from a deep cross to the far post.
Inaki Williams should have scored, running across Leny Yoro and in-between the United back three but his flicked header was too high.
It was a real let-off. United would have to be better.
Maguire magic and a classic United goal
Lindelöf was looking a little shaky. He was loose on the ball, but he was the saviour after 18 minutes.
Dorgu was far too high - a feature of the opening to the game and surely tactical, leaving Inaki Williams in acres of space down the right on the break.
He picked out Berenguer 10 yards out with a goal looking a formality but the Swede was well-positioned to block close to his line.
Garnacho was proving a nuisance, running at his full-back whenever he had the ball and winning free-kicks in good positions.
But when United needed someone, who else but Maguire to come up trumps again?
The hero of the quarter-final turned into prime Georgie Best, beating his man twice on the right before putting in a dangerous cross, Ugarte glancing the ball on and Casemiro nodding in at the far post for 1-0.
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VAR drama and Fernandes ice
It got better. Mazraoui crossed low into the six-yard box where Rasmus Hojlund was left screaming for a penalty after Dani Vivian dragged him back by his neck.
Play initially continued but once the ball went dead, VAR called the referee over and he blew for a spot kick, Vivian was shown a red for his troubles.
Berchiche was booked for dissent and had they been on the pitch, there were 50,000 more Basques who would also have been on the wrong side of the official.
All eyes were then on Fernandes as the home support screamed blue murder. But there was no need to worry, the skipper cantering up to calmly slide the ball to the other side of the keeper.
2-0. 10-men. Wow!
Staying ruthless, staying red
It was game management time. And time for old heads.
Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde made quick changes. The dangerous Berenguer sacrificed along with Oscar De Marcos, presumably not wanting to ship more and stay in the tie.
My mind whirred again, let's remember this is United folks and the capitulation to Lyon's 10 men was still fresh in memory.
However, today was not that day. It was 3-0 before the break.
Casemiro fed Ugarte who in turn tipped a ball into Fernandes. He did well to not lose the ball as it squirmed back to Ugarte via Hojlund and his neat flick put Fernandes in behind and into the box.
He was never going to miss. Another ice-cold finish past Julen Agirrezabala.
A half to remember, a tie to control
There was still time for Mazraoui to rattle the bar - which is probably still shaking - with a left-foot curler before the referee ended what was a chaotically beautiful first half for the visitors.
The question now was 'stick or twist'. Go for the throat and try and kill the tie completely or sit back and try and take what was banked?
The second half began with the hosts in a 4-4-1 but there was obviously space between the lines if the ball was good enough.
There was a strong shout for another penalty after Fernandes and Dorgu combined and the former Lecce man's cross saw Garnacho seemingly clipped by his defender but this time the referee was unmoved.
United were managing the game well, keeping possession, moving Athletic from side to side and probing holes.
Sannadi tried to get Maguire sent off, pulling at the United man and then throwing himself to the deck as he tried to run in behind but the official was strong.
He would need to be strong and quick at full-time you felt and would not be receiving any invites back but it was another correct decision by Espen Eskås.
Yeray Alvarez was shown a card after taking out Garnacho and Ugarte fired straight at the keeper as we moved into the final third of the game.
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Controlling the chaos
Chances continued to come.
The massively impressive Casemiro forced the keeper to tip over and from the resulting corner, he headed against the outside of the post.
Ruben Amorim made a couple of changes; Matthijs de Ligt back from injury to replace Best - sorry, Maguire - with Mason Mount on for Ugarte.
The danger now looked like United being too eager to get forward and being caught.
However, Casemiro was so noticeable, chastising his teammates when he thought they had made the wrong decision or played the wrong ball.
Mazraoui made way for Luke Shaw, who went out left with Dorgu switching and there were still around 20 minutes to play.
Garnacho forced a save from Agirrezabala before he was subbed off after an impressive 83 minutes.
He was joined by Dorgu with Kobbie Mainoo put on alongside Amad Diallo, back for the first time since February and that ankle injury.
Was there time for another goal?
Eyes on the second leg, with a racing heart
Fernandes was unusually wasteful when side-footing over when he knew he should have done better.
But hang on a minute. There was still time for Bilbao to nick one.
Sub Alvaro Djalo chanced his arm from range but Onana gobbled up safely before the ref's whistle.
So rewind four hours. Were the pre-match jitters justified?
Of course, they were, we've seen United ship goals for fun this season but, surely, this tie must be over?
Not on your nelly.
By 6pm next week I'll be thinking of reasons why we will lose 4-0, or maybe 3-0 and get stuffed on penalties.
A pessimist is never disappointed. But I go to bed with a smile for now at least.
