Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao: United can prevent Bilbao fightback
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- United have kept just six clean sheets in all competitions this term
- The last five meetings between the sides have featured over 2.5 goals
- Recommended bet: Manchester United to win and both teams to score
Athletic Bilbao's dreams of competing for the Europa League in the final at their own San Mames stadium later this month are hanging by a thread after Manchester United ran out 3-0 winners in last week's semi-final first leg in the Basque region.
The Spanish side had been favourites to book their place in the decider on May 21, but defender Dan Vivian was shown a red-card in the 35th minute for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund inside the penalty box and United then took full advantage.
Bruno Fernandes tucked away the resulting penalty and the Premier League side turned the screw to set-up a commanding lead which could easily have been greater.
Winning the Europa League is Manchester United's only chance of securing European qualification for next term, and they have looked at their strongest in this competition this season, following a miserable domestic campaign.
Bilbao are flying high in La Liga but their dream was to compete in the final of this competition on home soil, so they will look to come flying out of the traps at Old Trafford on Thursday as they attempt to claw back the deficit.
Team news
Matthijs de Ligt is a doubt after limping out of Sunday's Premier League loss at Brentford and could join Joshua Zirkzee and Lisandro Martinez on the sidelines for the hosts.
Amad Diallo is likely to be on the bench again as he works his way back to fitness, with Ruben Amorim likely to name the same starting XI that won the first leg 3-0 last week.
For the visitors, Dani Vivian will miss the second leg following his red card in the first clash last Thursday, while Oihan Sancet is Bilbao's only other confirmed absentee.
The stats
The Red Devils have recorded just three shutouts in their 13 Europa League encounters in this campaign.
Bruno Fernandes is the joint-leading scorer in this season's Europa League with seven goals.
Bilbao have failed to score in each of their last four away matches in all competitions.
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Each of the last five meetings between these sides have featured over 2.5 goals.
Prediction
The goals have dried up somewhat for Athletic Bilbao recently but they will be desperate to pull off a miracle comeback in this Europa League semi-final, so they are fancied to get on the scoresheet in a losing effort at Old Trafford on Thursday.
United will look to preserve their 3-0 advantage from the first leg but clean sheets have been an issue all season for the beleaguered Premier League side and it is hard to see them holding out against a likely wave of Athletic attacks.
The Red Devils have kept just six clean sheets in 27 home matches this season and they shipped four goals when 2-0 up against Lyon in the second leg of their quarter-final last month.
That will offer Bilbao a glimmer of hope and they will look to replicate the efforts of the French side as they attempt to salvage this tie.
However, that could offer the English giants a chance to strike on the counter-attack, so backing a home in which both teams score looks the way to go.
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