Manchester United vs Athletic Club Football Match Stats & Results Thursday, 8 May, 2025 15:00

Current Situation:

Manchester United holds a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg played in Bilbao. This puts them in a very strong position to advance to the Europa League final, which will be held at Athletic Club's home stadium, San Mamés.

Head-to-Head Record:

Across all competitions, Manchester United and Athletic Club have met 5 times:

• Athletic Club Wins: 3
• Manchester United Wins: 2
• Draws: 0

However, Manchester United secured a decisive 3-0 victory in their most recent encounter in the first leg of this semi-final.

Recent Form:

• Manchester United (Last 5 Matches): L-W-D-L-W. Their most recent game was a 4-3 away defeat to Brentford in the Premier League. In the Europa League, prior to the first leg, they won 2-0 at home against Lyon in the second leg of the quarter-finals (winning 5-4 on aggregate).
• Athletic Club (Last 5 Matches): D-L-W-L-W. Their most recent match was a 0-0 away draw against Real Sociedad in La Liga. Before the first leg loss to Manchester United, they defeated Rangers 1-0 at home in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final (winning 2-1 on aggregate).

Team News:

• Manchester United:
  • Out: Lisandro Martinez, Joshua Zirkzee, Diogo Dalot, Ayden Heaven, Matthijs de Ligt (doubtful).
  • Ruben Amorim rested several key players in their recent Premier League match, including Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, and Rasmus Hojlund, who are expected to be fresh for this game. Amad Diallo is pushing for a start after scoring against Brentford. Chido Obi is ineligible for this competition.
• Athletic Club:
  • Out: Dani Vivian (suspended). Inaki Williams and Nico Williams did not travel with the squad due to injuries. Oihan Sancet is also a doubt. Aitor Paredes is likely to replace the suspended Vivian in central defense.

Key Stats and Trends:

• In the 5 previous meetings between these two clubs, there have been a total of 22 goals, averaging 4.4 goals per game.
• All 5 previous matches have seen at least 3 goals scored.
• Manchester United is unbeaten in their last 13 Europa League matches (8 wins, 5 draws).
• Athletic Club had not lost at home in the Europa League this season until their 3-0 defeat to Manchester United in the first leg.
• Manchester United has not kept a clean sheet in their last few home Europa League matches.
• Athletic Bilbao has struggled in their recent away games.

Betting Tips and Predictions:

Given Manchester United's strong first-leg lead and Athletic Club's key attacking absentees, the predictions lean towards a comfortable progression for the English side. However, Athletic Club will be looking to restore pride and could contribute to the scoreline.

• Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Athletic Club (Manchester United to win 5-1 on aggregate)
• Betting Tip 1: Both Teams to Score - Yes @ around 3/4 (1.75). Despite United's lead, Athletic will need to attack, and United have conceded in recent home Europa League games.
• Betting Tip 2: Over 2.5 Goals @ around 10/11 (1.91). History between these sides suggests high-scoring encounters, and Athletic's need to score could lead to an open game.
• Betting Tip 3: Manchester United to win @ around 21/20 (2.05). Playing at home with a significant lead, Manchester United is favored to win the second leg as well.

Additional Considerations:

• Athletic Club will be without some of their key attacking threats, which significantly reduces their chances of overturning the deficit.
• Manchester United will be keen to secure their place in the final and will likely field a strong team.
• While United have a comfortable lead, they might not be defensively solid, offering Athletic Club a chance to score.