Manchester United thought a lesson by Athletic Bilbao, Rooney double goals keeps Manchester United in tie as Muniain inspires impressive Athletic Bilbao to shock win at Old Trafford.

Manchester / NationalTurk – Red Devils humbled at Old Trafford once again in Europe with the Basque side Athletic Bilbao putting in a hugely impressive performance vs Manchester United to give themselves a superb chance of progression for Uefa Europe League Quarter Finals. There was a frantic start to proceedings at Old Trafford as Athletic Bilbao, backed by an incredibly noisy set of travelling fans enjoyed the better of things. Manchester United managed to strike first, but Athletic Bilbao would eventually get the better of Manchester as Bilbao defeated the Red Devils 3-2. Manchester United slipped to yet another poor home defeat in Europe this season after being beaten 3-2 by Athletic Bilbao at Old Trafford in the Europa League.

Moving the ball quickly and at will within the Manchester United half, you’d have been forgiven for thinking they were home side in this tie as Fernando Llorente and Iker Muniain posed all kinds of questions for Johnny Evans and Chris Smalling in the Manchester United defence.

Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao : Red devils toyed with a wounded Lion

Manchester United took the lead, against the run of play through Wayne Rooney before Fernando Llorente equalised with a powerful header on the brink of half-time.

Oscar De Marcos turned home a wonderfully crafted winner and Iker Muniain hit a late third before Rooney turned home a penalty in stoppage time to round off a thrilling affair.
United made five changes to their side, Phil Jones moved into midfield as Chris Smalling was reintroduced to the defence and Javier Hernandez partnered Rooney in attack.

Athletic made one change to the side that beat Real Sociedad in Sunday’s Basque derby, highly rated midfielder Javi Martinez moved into defence to cover the suspended Fernando Amorebieta with Ander Iturraspe coming into the middle.

Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao : Bilbao started well

The Spaniards made an assured start to the Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao match and went close to taking a deserved lead in the fourth minute as Llorente fired just wide after displaying nimble feet on the edge of the area. It was Llorente who had the first real opening of the game after five minutes, when Wayne Rooney’s sloppy pass was intercepted by the exciting Munain, he fed his fellow Spanish international and had he kept his balance the ball could well have been nestled in the back of David De Gea’s net as opposed to a yard wide.

United were struggling to cope with Bilbao’s fluid formation and the Spaniard’s had a good shout for a penalty turned down as Llorente was dragged to the turf by Smalling.

Just as an Athletic goal looked imminent Sir Alex Ferguson’s side struck, Ryan Giggs bundled his way through midfield before exchanging passes with Hernandez, the Mexican turning sharply in the box but saw his effort saved by Gorka Irazioz but Rooney was on hand to follow in and smash home.

The goal could have sucked the life from Marcelo Bielsa’s side but they persevered, Llorente unlucky to see his header fly over the bar before Markel Susaeta could only chip wide when through on De Gea’s goal. The equalizer came though. Iraola got forward well from right-back, laid it out wide to Susaeta rather than taking the strike on goal, and he sent in a great ball for Llorente to nod in powerfully from six yards out, giving Bilbao a share of the spoils at half-time, and a precious away goal.

Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao : Resilient Spaniards

Andoni Iraola tried to sneak an effort in at the near post before Athletic Bilbao grabbed a richly deserved equaliser just before the break, Susaeta was given too much space by Patrice Evra and picked out the on-rushing Llorente who planted a firm header into the net and sent the 6,000 travelling fans into ear-shattering delirium.

The visitors could also have felt aggrieved not to have a penalty awarded when Fernondo Llorente had his shirt clearly pulled in the area by Chris Smalling, however it was Manchester United who would go on to open the scoring.

In all honesty, the home side had offered very little apart from Javier Hernandez tame effort straight at Iraizoz in the Athletic Bilbao goal early on, so it came as quite a surprise when Wayne Rooney gave them the lead in the 23rd minute.

Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Video : Watch how Bilbao toyed with Manchester United

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The Lions came out for the second half as though the break hadn’t happened, Muniain’s 20-yard drive bringing a magnificent sprawling save out of compatriot De Gea before the 21-year-old made another stunning stop to deny Llorente’s curled effort. The second half saw neither side hold back in attempt to take a lead into the second leg, and Athletic were out the blocks fast in a thrilling second half.

Muniain and Llorente were again the main protagonists for athletico, with Muniain being the first to test Manchester goalie De Gea with a low drive from just outside the area, with the former Atletico Madrid goalie Spanish keeper’s finger tips coming to the home side’s rescue. Manchester United had De Gea to thank again moments later when he was at full stretch to deny Llorente had sent a curling effort towards the top right hand corner.The hosts however were not without their own chances in this end-to-end tussle, Rooney fired a freekick low towards the bottom corner was watched wide by Gorka Iraizoz, however the best of Manchester’s chances fell to Hernandez, who found himself in the box with plenty of time, perhaps even too much time before he fired weakly at Iraizoz.

Manchester United Atletic Bilbao : Drama pure at Old Trafford

Then we had the breakthrough, and a game of stunning quality had a goal to match. Ander Herrera played an absolutely delicious dink over a static defence on the edge of the penalty area, and whilst Manchester United were caught napping, Oscar De Marcos lashed the ball left footed, low and across De Gea into the bottom corner. A truly magnificent goal for Atletico Bilbao vs Manchester United.

Manchester United were forced to reshuffle their pack as Smalling’s head wound, sustained in England’s defeat to the Netherlands, re-opened and Michael Carrick was brought on in his place with Jones moving back into the defence.

Hernandez was looking the most potent of Manchester United side’s strikers but the Mexican wonderkid could not find space in the box and saw two of his efforts blocked by Bilbao defenders.

A change was needed and Sir Alex Ferguson responded, sending Anderson on in place of Park Ji-Sung, moving Manchester’s veteran Ryan Giggs to the left flank.

United were still looking sluggish and ince again had De Gea to thank as he blocked Muniain’s effort after a great twisting run from the teenage attacker.

The home side went straight up the other end and Hernandez may have equalised but his touch from Giggs’ ball got away from him and Irazioz was able to smother the ball.

The Basque side were the game’s much better side and scored their second goal with 20 minutes remaining, Muniain and Susaeta combining brilliantly through the middle to bypass Anderson before Ander Herrera chipped an excellent ball to De Marcos who swept the ball past De Gea first time to give Athletic the lead.

Nani was sent on in place of Giggs as United chased an unlikely and undeserved equaliser. Rooney jabbed and prodded at the Bilbao back line with shots of varying quality from varying differences, but it was Hernandez again who wasted a great opportunity to level things up. A great move started in United’s own half by Rooney, followed by Michael Carrick’s cross field ball to Nani, and eventually the ball landed with Hernandez, in the area, who dallied on the ball and the danger was eventually snuffed out, met by audible frustration by the home fans, and a certain Scouse striker who was very well placed and awaiting the ball.

Perhaps we were done, it had been an enthralling 90 minutes, and if nothing else happened we could all sit back and reflect on an exceptional display of football. Oh no, there was plenty left in the tank, and a controversial but correct call by referee Florian Meyer had a major hand in Athletic’s third goal.

Rooney hit a rasping effort into the gloves of Irazioz before Llorente was substituted to thunderous applause from the Basque supporters.

Athletic further extended their lead late on, De Gea saved De Marcos’ initial effort but was powerless to resist as Muniain raced in to tap home a third.

Wayne Rooney smashed home a late penalty to narrow the deficit but Manchester United will have much work to do if they are to salvage the tie in a week’s time. Patrice Evra will feel annoyed that a freekick was given against him for playing on with only one boot on, but technically it’s within the rules of the game that it’s a freekick. Athletic lumped it forward to Gaizka Toquero who didn’t manage to get there, but De Marcos did, and smashed one towards the bottom corner. De Gea parried, Rafael seemed to fall asleep, and Iker Munain nipped in and popped the ball into the back of the net, getting a goal his performance richly deserved.

The drama wasn’t over though, and in the first minute of stoppage time De Marcos’ outstretched hand got in the way of the cross, and Rooney stepped up to send Iraizoz the wrong way, cutting the lead, and giving United a little more confidence headed into the second leg.

And what a second leg we have set-up at the San Mames next week in Bilbao, Spain. Sir Alex Ferguson stated after the game that Manchester United were beaten by the better team, and his side must do better if they are to progress in the European League, and he’s right on the money as whilst they had their moments, they were outplayed and outclassed for the majority of a thoroughly entertaining game.

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