Manchester United are through to their ninth major European Final, and their first since the 2020-21 Europa League (lost to Villareal 11-10 on penalties).
United remain unbeaten in their 14 games in the Europa League this season (W9 D5) - the most matches they have ever played in a single European campaign without losing.
Meanwhile, Mason Mount became the first substitute to score a brace in a European knockout match for United since David Beckham against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in April 2003.
Why Man Utd have a better record in Europe this seasonpublished at 09:10 8 May
09:10 8 May
Image source, Getty Images
With the way that Manchester United have been this season domestically, you could see a world whereby this second leg against Athletic Bilbao does not go the way they want.
But in Europe, United's record has been very different.
I do not feel United play differently in Europe - it is just the kind of teams they are facing. In the Premier League, sides have shown they have got the number of this version of United.
That is because they play them twice a year and have done in many cases for the past ten years or more. Teams know what they are coming up against, the players and the stadium. For most sides in Europe, this is their first time at Old Trafford for years or possibly in their career. They do not really know how best to play against them.
That is why, in reality, taking a three-goal lead to your home ground means it is highly likely you will get through. They know they can do well against this Bilbao side, as we saw last week. While the tie is not done and dusted - it would be wrong to say that it is - anyone thinking about what could go wrong is talking worst case scenarios, not probable ones.
I am a believer that United have got enough professionalism within that squad and can make the stadium as hostile as they need to be to be able to get through. They have got plenty of whatever they need to be able to make it to the final.
It does not need to be beautiful - it just needs to finish with them getting a chance to play for the Europa League trophy.
Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson
'No point thinking about' key injuries - Bilbao bosspublished at 18:54 7 May
18:54 7 May
Image source, PA Media
Athletic Bilbao boss Ernesto Valverde has refused to rule out the prospect of his depleted squad turning their Europa League semi-final around at Manchester United.
Trailing 3-0 from the first leg at home, Bilbao will be without suspended defender Dani Vivian, as well as top scorer Oihan Sancet and injured forward duo Inaki and Nico Williams.
Nevertheless, Valverde insists he is making the trip to Old Trafford believing they can still make the final.
"I am focusing on those players that are going to be doing a job for us tomorrow," Valverde said. "There's no point thinking about the ones who aren't here. We know we've got some key injuries, but it's about the ones who are on the field.
"It's not going to be easy. We know it's tough because the result is pretty much against us. We also know how high quality our opponents are and their stadium, but this is football. Anything can happen.
"That's what we always hope for, and we're hoping for the best like we always do."
Inaki Williams and younger brother Nico, who have 11 goals apiece this term, have been ruled out with hamstring and groin issues respectively.
Striker Sancet, who has 17 goals this season, missed last week's first leg with a hamstring injury and has been unable to recover in time
Valverde added: "If they could have been here, they would have been here because this is the most important game of the season.
"Manchester United are a side that don't let you off. If you make mistakes, they punish you. Football is what it is.
"We've got to go for it. We want to eradicate mistakes, and then impose our style of play on the game like we always do, taking into account the opponent and the surroundings.
"We want to try and win."
'Work hard every day and show the manager I need to play'published at 16:13 7 May
16:13 7 May
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Manchester United forward Alejandro Garnacho says he is "happy" at the club and just needs to "show the manager I need to play".
There has been speculation around the future of the 20-year-old this season, with interest from fellow Premier League side Chelsea reported in January.
Garnacho struggled to become a consistent starter when Ruben Amorim first came in as head coach and was dropped for their league game against Manchester City in December, however, he has since become a regular in the team under the Portuguese.
"Obviously as a footballer you want to read and listen to some rumours about the future but I have a contract here until 2028. I am happy here," said the Argentina international.
"We know we have to work hard to be even in the squad and I just have to train well every day and I will be available for all the games.
"I think it is not easy when in the middle of the season you change the manager and all the staff but, in my mind, it is always try to work hard every day and show the manager I need to play and that is the only thing I need to do."
Garnacho will be hoping to play a key role in securing the side a place in the Europa League final and a place in next season's Champions League if they can lift the trophy.
United host Athletic Bilbao on Thursday, holding a 3-0 advantage from the first leg.
"We know we are not doing a great job in the Premier League, but the manager said before - we follow the rules and now it is a final tomorrow.
"We want to face the game like it is 0-0 and if we win the Europa League we will be in the Champions League and can face the season in a better mentality."
Amorim clear on Fernandes' futurepublished at 14:17 7 May
14:17 7 May
Simon Stone Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim was fairly clear about his thoughts on Bruno Fernandes.
United wanted, Amorim stated, to keep their best players - and Fernandes was undoubtedly one of them.
However, the situation is not quite so clear cut.
Amorim knows he must sell players if he is to fund a substantial squad-rebuilding exercise, which surely he wants after this season's continued below-par performances.
Fernandes is one of his highest-paid players.
There is also a feeling that while the Portugal playmaker has been indispensable for United this season, in a different structure, he may be a liability.
United are clearly interested in Wolves' Matheus Cunha but he likes to roam in the same way Fernandes does, albeit from not quite as deep positions.
Might losing Fernandes create the potential to make Amorim's squad more rounded?
It is a tricky conundrum.
Al Hilal want players for the Club World Cup. Once the Premier League campaign ends in just over a fortnight, Fernandes' future will really focus minds.
Amorim on De Ligt, 'anything possible' in tie and Fernandes futurepublished at 14:12 7 May
14:12 7 May
Nicola Pearson BBC Sport journalist
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao (kick-off 20:00 BST).
United won the first leg 3-0 last week.
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Matthijs de Ligt does not have a "big issue" but the defender will still be unavailable for this match and they will check "day by day" for when he will be ready again. Ayden Heaven and Toby Collyer will also not be in the squad.
Despite holding a 3-0 lead, Amorim still feels "anything is possible" in the tie and United are only "thinking about winning the game".
He added: "It is hard to say [which United will turn up]. We do not know what team we will be tomorrow. Even sometimes during the game we are one team, then something happens and we lose our minds a little bit. But we are improving way we play and we are more confident and ready to face this challenge."
On if the quarter-final against Lyon showed they are the only danger to themselves: "It is everything together. If you look at our team, you cannot say today what is going to happen. There are some teams in any league that can understand what a game is going to be like and can control the narrative of the game. We cannot do that. So we have to face the game as one more game. I feel we need to score to go to the next round."
On if he still feels this is the worst United team in the club's history: "You have to see the quote in the moment, so things can change. For me, and if you look to the Premier League, I think we are the worst team in terms of results in the league. At the end of the season we can be the worst team in Premier League history with a European title. It will not change anything."
Having played in the Europa League as a player, Amorim feels losing the final would "hurt even more" as a manager and they "need to win it", but added: "It is different from coach to player, but we need to focus first on the semi-final."
He said it is "easy to understand" why there is speculation around captain Bruno Fernandes' future because of his numbers and "importance". Amorim added: "It is normal that lots of clubs want players like Bruno, Garnacho and others, but we want to keep our best players and Bruno is clearly one of top players in the world."
Bilbao's three top scorers missing for Man Utd second legpublished at 11:10 7 May
11:10 7 May
Image source, Getty Images
Athletic Bilbao will be without Nico Williams, his brother Inaki and leading scorer Oihan Sancet for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Manchester United on Thursday.
Nico Williams (groin), Inaki Williams and Sancet (both hamstring) were not included in the 24-man squad travelling to England.
The trio have scored 39 goals between them for Bilbao this season.
Their absences further dents the La Liga side's limited chance of reaching the final, having lost the first leg 3-0 at home last week.
🎧 Does the Premier League matter?published at 07:35 7 May
07:35 7 May
The Devils' Advocate team at BBC Radio Manchester are back with a fresh episode.
This week's talk focuses on the second leg against Athletic Bilbao, and they also discuss whether the Premier League even matters after another defeat against Brentford.
'Don't underestimate the power of momentum in football'published at 12:43 6 May
12:43 6 May
Alex Turk Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
Excited for that Bilbao final on 21 May, are ya? Already dreaming of Ruben Amorim lifting silverware in his first season, are ya? Salivating at the thought of the Champions League anthem blasting out at Old Trafford later this year, are ya?
Don't get ahead of yourselves. Manchester United may lead Athletic Club 3-0 on aggregate ahead of Thursday's semi-final second leg, but the job is far from done.
Sunday's defeat against Brentford served as a timely reminder that this group of players can collapse. An hour of football after Mason Mount's early opener in West London, his side trailed 4-1.
Need something more dramatic? You only have to look as far as the previous Europa League match at Old Trafford.
United led Lyon 2-0 at half-time. At full-time, it was 2-2, and when the clock struck 109 minutes, the visitors were 4-2 to the good. The bedlam that followed can't be explained.
And may I remind you of last season's FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City? The memory of that feeling as it turned 4-3 in extra time before VAR came to the rescue gives me chills.
You can also look back to last season's nightmare Champions League group-stage campaign (at your own peril).
Erik ten Hag's team only won one of their six games to finish bottom of Group A behind Bayern Munich, Copenhagen and Galatasaray.
They led in three of the five matches they didn't win but displayed an implosive tendency to crumble in each of them.
United should be confident. They are taking a three-goal advantage onto home turf and haven't tasted defeat in 13 European games this season.
But don't underestimate the power of momentum in football. An early goal for the visitors could easily tempt unwanted history to repeat itself.
Athletic Bilbao 'the most important game for us' - Amorimpublished at 14:27 5 May
14:27 5 May
Image source, Getty Images
Manchester United have to "take all the hits" right now as they put their focus on the Europa League, says boss Ruben Amorim.
After a 16th Premier League defeat of the season away at Brentford on Sunday, United dropped to 15th in the Premier League table.
However, they are well placed to win a first trophy under Amorim and clinch Champions League football for next season as they take a 3-0 lead into their Europa League semi-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday.
"I think it's stressful to lose games," said Amorim. "[But] when we're fighting for a title it's not stressful.
"I have no doubts that we are playing better and we are understanding the way we play, even in this context.
"So we have to take all the hits in this moment. We are losing games in the Premier League, but we are fighting for the Europa League so we need to accept that and to think about Thursday now, which is the most important game for us."
United made eight changes to their starting XI and succumbed to a 4-3 defeat at the Gtech Community stadium, despite Mason Mount giving them an early lead.
"As a club, we need to understand in this moment that we have a big responsibility [to win the Europa League]," Amorim added. "We have to prepare a squad for different competitions.
"[Rotation] is good for the players. Everybody is playing, we are preparing more than one game but it's hard.
"Of course we want to be competitive - we struggled a lot during these 90 minutes. We have to think about the next game and then the Premier League. It's really hard but we are doing the best we can to try to manage [the situation] and try to risk in some games."
Image source, Getty Images
