Harry Maguire doesn’t want his Manchester United teammates getting too comfortable after a comfortable win over Athletic Club.
Manchester United beat 10-man Athletic Club 3-0 at San Mames on Thursday night to take a hefty lead into next week’s second leg at Old Trafford.
The result means United have one foot in the final thanks to goals from Bruno Fernandes (x2) and Casemiro.
While the first-half was extraordinary, including three goals and a red card, United retained control of the game after the break to ensure the hosts couldn’t find a way back.
It was also a chance for United to play at San Mames for the first time, and they will hope to return later this month because it will be hosting the Europa League final.
United fans should be advised to wait until the final is set in stone before booking flights to Bilbao in three weeks.
Harry Maguire sends warning to Manchester United teammates
As one of the top performers on the night, Harry Maguire spoke like a true leader after the match.
The United centre-back has seen how the team has collapsed in games throughout the season and he wants to avoid that happening at Old Trafford next Thursday when the Red Devils host Athletic Club.
Maguire stressed that “the tie is not done” despite United taking a three-goal lead back to the Theatre of Dreams.
However, it would be a huge shock if United were to throw away their lead over Athletic Club.
Speaking on TNT Sports after the match, Maguire said: “All the pressure is on us now, everyone will expect us to get into the final, so next Thursday we need to make sure we prepare like we’ve done in this game, and if we do we give ourselves a great opportunity to make the final.
“It’s been a great night for us, one foot in the final but it’s still not done.”
Ruben Amorim echoed Maguire’s thoughts in his post-match interview, warning that the tie is not over.
United’s head coach said: “I think the result is really good but we have to understand the result also, at the same time. We struggled a lot in the beginning, but the goal from Casemiro and the sending off changed the game. But that is a good thing, with a little bit of luck we managed to stay in the game and anything can change with one situation. I think we had opportunities to score one more. This is not done. They can do the same in Old Trafford because they are really strong, they are really intense. One sending off can happen in our stadium, so we need to be prepared.”
Maguire explains involvement in Casemiro goal
The first goal came after some superb wing-play from Maguire down the right flank, although it wasn’t enough to get credited with an assist.
Maguire found himself in an unfamiliar position and Athletic Club didn’t know how to stop him from getting a dangerous cross into the box.
When asked about his involvement in Casemiro’s goal, Maguire added: “I found myself attacking the back post, I think [Alejandro] Garna passed me the ball, it was nice to do a bit of dribbling and put in a great cross. We had a lot of bodies in the box and they must’ve trusted me to put in the cross. It was a nice feeling and it was great header in the end.”
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