Yoro at United for trophies
Leny Yoro moved one step closer this evening to fulfilling a career ambition: winning a major trophy with Manchester United.
The 19-year-old centre-back put in an assured performance as the Red Devils came through a slight scare in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final with Athletic Bilbao.
And afterwards, the French teenager insisted he was at Old Trafford to win silverware and follow in the footsteps of the club’s great defenders before him.
I come to Manchester United to achieve big things, to win trophies, so when you see players like Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Raphael Varane, you want to achieve the same things as them, stay in the memory of fans and be a big defender. When they compare me to them it’s a real honour, I’m proud of this. I’m trying to be the best I can. When you play for Manchester United you need to feel this – this is a club of trophies.
Leny YoroUefa.com
Brace it like Beckham
Mason Mount’s sensational stoppage time finish this evening brought comparisons with the goal from the halfway line that David Beckham scored against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park back in August 1997.
And that wasn’t the only similarity that the Manchester United’s midfielder’s performance drew with the former England captain.
With his double off the bench tonight, Mount became the first substitute to score a brace in a European knockout match for Manchester United since Beckham against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in April 2003.
Amorim: We must win final
Ruben Amorim was a proud Manchester United manager at full time this evening, but quickly cooled the mood by insisting that it will all be for nothing if they fail to lift the Europa League trophy.
Amid all the emotion and celebration, the Portuguese coach remained level headed by insisting he needs to begin preparing immediately for a final that the club must win in order to reward the supporters that have stuck by them through thick and thin.
I’m already worried about the next game, and trying to not get any injuries before the final. If we don’t win the final then it means nothing for us. We have to have a full squad, stay in the game, have a bit of luck and then we have to be clinical. It’s quite similar for me and Ange [Postecoglou]. It has been tough for us both but one of us is going to win. We want to give the fans something because we have been so disappointing in the Premier League.
Ruben AmorimTNT Sports
Do Spurs hold the edge?
Manchester United fans are already thinking about a return to Bilbao for the Europa League final later this month.
But with it may come some slight trepidation as they face Tottenham, a side they have been beaten by this season, not once, not twice, but three times.
Spurs completed a league double over the Red Devils without conceding a goal, building on a thumping 3-0 success at Old Trafford early in the season.
And sandwiched in between came a 4-3 thriller in the League Cup quarter-final, memorable for all except goalkeepers Altay Bayindir and Fraser Forster.
Still, as Ruben Amorim says, it’s not often that one club beats another four times in a single campaign…
- Man Utd 0-3 Tottenham (PL, Sept 29)
- Tottenham 4-3 Man Utd (League Cup QF, Dec 19)
- Tottenham 1-0 Man Utd (PL, Feb 16)
Marvellous Mount made to wait
Was this Mason Mount’s best half hour in a Manchester United shirt? Without a doubt.
The Red Devils were edging nervously towards the Europa League final at 1-0 down on the night when the midfielder came on as a second half substitute, but 30 minutes later the former Chelsea man had chipped in with two beauties as United stormed to a 7-1 aggregate win.
Speaking at full time, a clearly emotional Mount admitted that his time at Old Trafford had been difficult but he now sees good times ahead – starting in Bilbao in two weeks’ time.
It has been too long and it has been tough with all the injuries. I carried on going, working hard in training every day, have tried to stay positive and when I had an opportunity to try to make an impact. Today it paid off. I came on and affected the game when it was tight, and I just tried to calm it down. The crowd has been unbelievable, they have stuck with us. For me, these were my first goals at Old Trafford, and it’s a night that I’ve been waiting a long time for.
Mason MountTNT Sports
Match stats from Old Trafford
Four goals from five shots on target? Maybe Manchester United could bring that 80% shot conversion rate to the Premier League.
