Manchester United vs Athletic Club

Manchester United scored three first half goals in a knockout stage away game in major European competition for the first time since the quarter-finals of the 1965-66 European Cup against Benfica – 3-0 was their biggest half-time lead away from home overall since they were 5-0 ahead against Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup in January 2020.

133 teams have won the first leg of a UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League knockout stage tie by 3+ goals away from home and all 133 have progressed from/won the tie. Tonight was Manchester United’s biggest away win in a semi-final of major European competition.

Manchester United – the UEFA Europa League top scorers this season (31) - have scored 2+ goals in 10 different games in the competition this season, their joint-most times in a campaign of major European football alongside the 2002-03 UEFA Champions League.

This is the first European meeting between Athletic Club and Manchester United since the 2011-12 UEFA Europa League last 16 – under Marcelo Bielsa, Athletic won both legs (3-2 away, 2-1 home) and eventually reached that season’s final.

Manchester United have lost three out of four European matches against Athletic Club, with their one win coming back in February 1957 in the second leg of that season’s European Cup quarter-final, a 3-0 victory at Old Trafford which took them into the semi-final 6-5 on aggregate.

Athletic Club have reached their third European semi-final and they progressed from the previous two: in 1976-77 against RWD Molenbeek in the UEFA Cup and 2011-12 against Sporting CP in the UEFA Europa League.

Manchester United are the only side still unbeaten in this season’s UEFA Europa League (W7 D5). Their 12 games without defeat are their longest in major European competition since going 15 in a row between November 2016 and October 2017.

Athletic Club have won all six of their home UEFA Europa League matches this season at San Mamés. The last side to win seven home games in one campaign was Ajax in 2016-17.