Last week saw Manchester United play, arguably, their finest match of the season. They went to Athletic Club, the fourth place team in La Liga and a side that had been in title contention for their domestic league, and handed them a 3-0 defeat. That’s impressive in any season, but especially so during this campaign, which has been nothing short of disastrous.
Now United come home with a 3-0 advantage in the tie, meaning they basically have one foot in the UEL final already.
UEFA Europa League Semifinals Leg 2/2
Manchester United vs Athletic Club
Aggregate United leads Athletic Clubs 3-0
Kickoff: Thurs. May 8, 8pm, Old Trafford, Manchester, UK
United Preview Material: Team News Starting Lineup Prediction
Fun Fact: United are undefeated in the 13 UEL (8W5D) matches this season
What is it about the continental competition this season, versus the league? Yes, there is some drop-off in the formidableness of the opponents, but that doesn’t account for disparities as extreme as this. They are just one million, billion, trillion, zillion times better in the UEL this season than they are in the Premier League.
And now, at this point, Amorim has been crystal clear about how he’s playing his top guns in the Europa League, and letting his kids get a run out in the Prem.
As he should- the priorities are indeed properly placed. So with that in mind, let’s go with this as our projected best 11 right now.
Man United Starting XI Prediction vs Athletic Club
Andre Onana; Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro; Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, Patrick Dorgu; Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes; Rasmus Hojlund
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter