Manchester United have one foot in the Europa League final after a huge win last week at San Mames.
Ruben Amorim’s side won 3-0 against Athletic Bilbao, capitalising on a first-half red card to take a giant stride towards more silverware.
Below is a full match preview from NetBet focused on the second leg at Old Trafford, complete with betting tips for your midweek football bets.
And if your bet on Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao is coming in with time still left to play in the match, our Cash Out feature allows you to collect winnings early.
Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao
Thursday, May 8, 8pm
Old Trafford, Manchester
Live on TNT Sports
Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Preview
United fans could not have wished for a better first-leg display after arriving at San Mames as underdogs.
Casemiro put the Red Devils 1-0 ahead on the half hour mark, before Dani Vivian’s foul and red card handed Bruno Fernandes the chance to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot five minutes later – a chance he took.
The United skipper made it 3-0 just before the break and it will now take something incredible from Bilbao to recover and reach the final.
They can perhaps take solace from the fact that the Premier League side conceded four goals in their last home Europa League outing against Lyon, though Amorim’s team did score five times themselves to reach the semis.
Worryingly, Bilbao have netted just one goal in the previous four matches across all competitions following the 0-0 draw with Basque rivals Real Sociedad on the weekend.
A much-changed United team lost 4-3 at Brentford last Sunday, but the fact Amorim was able to fully rest Fernandes and Casemiro ahead of this fixture represents a huge positive.
Furthermore, Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde is unable to call on key attacking trio Nico Williams, Oihan Sancet and Inaki Williams due to injury.
Things could not be tilted more in United’s favour, a huge aggregate lead and an understrength opponent. But in football, it is wise to never rule anything out…
Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Odds
*All odds are subject to change
United are huge favourites for the win here at 1.95, while Bilbao are priced at 3.71. The draw it at odds of 3.66.
Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Betting Tips
Alejandro Garnacho to have over 1.5 shots on target @ 3.50
While Garnacho has only scored one goal in the Europa League this season, he is a great option when it comes to the shots on target market. The Argentine winger has registered 13 shots on target in the competition, the joint-third highest total.
Alejandro Garnacho to have over 3.5 shots on goal @ 2.50
And if you want to take less of a risk when it comes to Garnacho having a pop at goal, look no further than this selection. The youngster is joint-second for shots on goal with 41.
Bruno Fernandes to score anytime @ 2.80
When it comes to United, Old Trafford and the Europa League, it is rare that Fernandes does not turn up. The Portuguese playmaker scored a hat-trick against Real Sociedad at the Theatre of Dreams in the last 16 and then netted a crucial extra-time penalty in the famous 5-4 win over Lyon. Overall, Fernandes has seven goals in 12 European outings this term.
When you choose NetBet Sport, you can enjoy a whole range of top-quality sports and markets. Whatever you choose, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at NetBet, player wellbeing is our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information. When the fun stops, stop.
