One Manchester United star has been blasted for a “terrible” performance against Athletic Club, with Rúben Amorim’s experiment clearly failing.
Rúben Amorim’s Manchester United cruised into the Europa League final with a dominant 4-1 win over Athletic Club at Old Trafford, sealing a 7-1 victory on aggregate.
Despite holding a 3-0 advantage from the first leg, United started slowly and were punished when Mikel Jauregizar fired in a superb goal to give the visitors hope. Alejandro Garnacho nearly hit back just before the break but missed a chipped effort, leaving United behind on the night but still two goals up overall.
Amorim reacted early in the second half, bringing on Amad, Luke Shaw, and Mason Mount to add energy and intensity. The decision paid off immediately, as Mount curled in a brilliant strike to draw level on the night. Moments later, Casemiro headed in a Bruno Fernandes free kick to restore United’s control, before Rasmus Højlund added a third to put the tie beyond doubt.
Mount then rounded off the performance in style with a stunning long-range goal from near the halfway line, sending the home fans into raptures and United into a final showdown with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Ugarte slammed for “terrible” display
Manuel Ugarte has started United’s last three fixtures, including both semi-final legs, and picked up three assists in the first two games, including two against Athletic Club.
Amorim has been experimenting with Ugarte playing further forward, and it looked as if it was an idea that could pay off, although his performance at Old Trafford has changed this view.
Fans described Ugarte as “terrible” on the night. He failed multiple times to pull off basic passes and looked nervous on the ball throughout his 62 minutes on the pitch.
While he won his only tackle, made three clearances, and made eight recoveries, his passing and lack of composure under pressure caused issues. He misplaced 11 of his 33 passes and completed neither of his attempted long balls.
Amorim’s best midfield and attack is obvious ahead of the final
Ugarte’s display against Athletic Club is proof that, as of now, United’s best attacking line up does not include the player.
Casemiro is a no-brainer to start against Tottenham in the final, while Fernandes has shown himself to be a fantastic asset deeper in midfield.
Mount’s stunning performance in the final 30 minutes of the tie puts him in contention to play in the final, with the player not just showing off his goalscoring abilities but putting in a hard graft defensively, too.
Meanwhile, Amad will start up front if he is fit enough, while Rasmus Højlund is the club’s only striker, and his goal on Thursday evening will do wonders for his confidence.
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