Ruben Amorim has hailed Manchester United’s senior stars who helped Manuel Ugarte and Patrick Dorgu recover from ‘nervous’ starts in the Europa League victory over Athletic Bilbao.
A ruthless 3-0 victory at San Mames has United in control of their semi-final tie ahead of the return leg in Manchester next week.
Casemiro opened the scoring for the visitors with Bruno Fernandes coolly converting a penalty kick moments later after Athletic had Dani Vivian sent off for hauling down Rasmus Hojlund.
The United captain added a third with another smart finish just before half-time.
While they now have one foot in the final, United had to weather the storm in the opening 20 minutes.
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Roared on by the crowd, Inaki Williams failed to get his header on target from close range before Victor Lindelof blocked Alex Berenguer’s shot on the line.
Ugarte and Dorgu in particular struggled in that opening stanza, losing possession too easily to put their side under pressure.
Both grew into the game however with Ugarte providing the telling flick on for Casemiro’s opening and Dorgu a threat down the left.
Amorim credited his three most senior players, Casemiro, Fernandes and Maguire, for steadying the ship and helping those around them settle into the game.
Asked if it was the experience of the trio that helped United take control, Amorim told TNT Sport: ‘I think so, yes. It is a good point.
‘You could feel it especially in the players, players like Ugarte, who has a lot of experience, he was a little bit nervous. Patrick was a little bit nervous. This is a semi-final, not a Champions League semi-final but a big final.
‘But these kind of players, Harry, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, they help us a lot.’
While United are in control, Amorim warned everything can change very quickly back in Manchester next week.
‘I think they have to think about the second leg,’ Amorim said.
‘And they have to think more about the first 20 minutes than the rest of the game because the game is going to be really tough.
‘There is no away goals so anything can change and that is my message to the players, and we have to think now about Brentford and then the second leg.’
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