Amorim hails ‘perfect’ Mount as Manchester United sweeps past Bilbao
Mason Mount delivered a star performance for Manchester United, scoring two crucial goals as the team swept past Athletic Bilbao 7-1 on aggregate to reach the Europa League final against Tottenham. Coach Ruben Amorim hailed Mount as 'perfect,' crediting him and late substitutions for changing the game and securing a spot in the final after a difficult season.
Manchester United is heading to the Europa League final, having convincingly swept past Athletic Bilbao with a dominant 7-1 aggregate victory. The semi-final second leg at Old Trafford saw United overcome an early 1-0 deficit to explode with four late goals in just 19 minutes, securing their place in the showpiece event against Tottenham Hotspur.
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Central to United's late surge was Mason Mount. The 26-year-old midfielder, who has endured an injury-plagued season since his arrival in summer 2023, delivered what was described as his "finest contribution" for the club. He scored the crucial equalizer in the 72nd minute with an "impressive pivot-and-curled finish" and then sealed the victory with a second goal in added time, executing a "precise 45-yard shot into Athletic’s empty net."
United manager Ruben Amorim was full of praise for Mount's impactful performance. A "delighted" Amorim hailed Mount as "perfect," stating, “I’m so happy for him. He is such a player... He works really hard, he has quality." He highlighted Mount's versatility, noting he is "perfect for this position as he can be a midfielder, but also runs like a winger." Amorim also pointed to the positive reaction from the United bench as a highlight, calling it the "best feeling as a coach," seeing teammates "so happy for Mason Mount."
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Amorim credited a triple substitution in the 62nd minute, which saw Mount, Amad Diallo, and Luke Shaw enter the game, as a tactical decision that "changed the game." He explained the team "needed a bit more energy. We needed to keep the ball."
Reaching the Europa League final is particularly significant for Manchester United after a difficult domestic campaign that sees them guaranteed to finish in their lowest ever Premier League position (15th). Amorim acknowledged the importance of winning the trophy, stating it would be "massive especially after this season in the Premier League." He added that it would provide a crucial feeling that "we can do good things, to give something to our fans... it is that feeling we can change things."
Looking ahead to the final against Tottenham, a team United has lost to three times this season across the league and Carabao Cup, Amorim remained optimistic about their chances. "Every game has its history, we lost the three last games so we can win this one," he remarked, emphasizing that the final would be a high-stakes encounter where "Both teams are going to play all or nothing," a match "completely different from the Premier League." The final is set to take place next Wednesday at the San Mamés Stadium.
