Three key decisions Ruben Amorim must get right for Man Utd vs Bilbao including who stops Williams and Mainoo conundrum
MANCHESTER UNITED have one last chance to give the fans something to cheer about by winning the Europa League this season.
But before the Red Devils start thinking about the final, they must first overcome favourites Athletic Bilbao in the semis.
There can be no underestimating the importance of both legs, or the size of the task Ruben Amorim‘s side face.
With more than seven days’ rest after a weekend off, Bilbao are dreaming of the chance to play the final in their own backyard on May 21.
And manager Ernesto Valverde revealed his side are “confident” about ending United’s hopes of securing Champions League football next season.
United may feel their name is on the Europa League trophy already after staging an incredible comeback win to knock out Lyon in the quarter-finals.
The stakes are so high going into the first semi-final at San Mames on Thursday night, with United having only won 17 out of 57 games against Spanish opposition since 2000.
And while Amorim’s sorry lot somehow remain the only unbeaten side in Europe, the club’s dismal away record in recent years leaves little hope.
A win over two legs could set up a final against Tottenham, who face Bodo Glimt in the other semi.
But first, SunSport takes a look at the three key decisions that Amorim must make right against Bilbao.
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Isolating Nico Williams
It’s fair to say that the name Nico Williams induces fear into even the bravest of Man Utd fans.
The Old Trafford faithful thought they were in luck when reports claimed that the Spanish wonder was out injured with a groin issue.
But the 22-year-old – who has scored five goals in the Europa League this season – has been cleared to play on Thursday.
Williams’ biggest threat is his pace and ability to attack space when breaking through the lines.
So Valverde typically wants his 4-2-3-1 team to look for opportunities to get Williams isolated and in 1v1 situations against his full-back.
As Amorim is devoted to his 3-4-2-1, he needs to find a way to avoid leaving Williams too isolated.
Amorim needs to get his defensive starting line-up right, otherwise Williams will be able to run riot down his side of the pitch.
Bilbao play narrow and high, with the intention of forcing the opposition to defend narrow, which in turn leaves space for Williams to be released in behind.
With Diogo Dalot a doubt after missing the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Sunday, Amorim can only really count on Noussair Mazraoui to start as the right wing-back.
Whoever is chosen to start up against Williams shouldn’t be left isolated in a 1v1 situation.
United cannot afford to defend zonally and must have a specific plan for taking care of the threat that Williams can pose.
The left winger guided Spain to glory at Euro 2024 and has been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer.
What about the other Williams brother?
Nico’s breakthrough has overshadowed the fact that his older brother Inaki has long been one of the best attackers players at the Basque club.
His situation is slightly different in that he chose to represent Ghana at international level as opposed to trying his luck with Spain.
In previous seasons, Inaki has played as a No9, but this season he has played more as the right winger on the opposite side to his brother.
While Nico plays further out on the left, Inaki positions himself closer to the No10 and striker.
While Nico drags players out wide, Inaki will force Man Utd to defend narrow, before driving into the opposition box.
Again, this means that United must be really careful who starts as the left-sided centre-back.
The most obvious answer would be to suggest that Amorim starts a left-footed defender – and ideally an experienced one too.
It would be a natural fit for Luke Shaw, who was arguably England‘s best player in the Euro final defeat to Spain.
But Shaw didn’t quite look up to speed in his first start in more than 14 months at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.
Shaw – who started on the left-hand side of the back three – sent an ill-advised pass to Patrick Dorgu, which invited pressure in the build-up to Antoine Semenyo’s opener.
But Shaw did eventually grow into the game and his distribution and crisp crosses into the box offer what others in his position cannot.
Shaw can be almost too aggressive in terms of jumping high and looking to engage to win the ball back in the opposition half.
Shaw is certainly, in our opinion, the correct option to deal with the threat of Inaki Williams in this game.
The issue will be the lack of cover that Shaw will have if he is pulled in and then quickly outplayed as Bilbao attack forward and into space.
United need Kobbie Mainoo in midfield
Kobbie Mainoo’s return from injury a few weeks ago has come at a timely point in the season for United.
But Amorim should avoid putting the 20-year-old back in as one of the two No10s.
Mainoo thrived last season from a deeper midfield role and became a defensive staple for England after a lot of experimenting from Gareth Southgate last summer.
And he needs to start alongside another holding midfielder in front of the back line against Bilbao for United to be successful.
That’s because Bilbao are a high-pressing team and are brilliant at stopping their opponents from playing out of their defensive third.
With Casemiro likely to be one of the midfielders picked in Spain, it is essential that Amorim also selects a midfielder who is comfortable taking the ball while facing his own goal while under pressure from an opposition midfielder.
This is why Mainoo must be one of the two midfielders in that role for United.
The English youngster is brave on the ball and willing to take passes when the game is tight around him.
This will allow United to be more effective in playing through the thirds and building some attacking dominance when they are in possession.
Mainoo in midfield will give United an element of control that will be crucial if they are to head back to Old Trafford with a positive result.
Conclusion
United need to win this semi-final to have any semblance of success this season.
The issue they have is that Bilbao are the best team left in it.
Their physical strength and the way they commit to defending aggressively makes it difficult to break them down.
And the threat of the Williams brothers means that you cannot afford to play too high and leave them space to attack into.