Manchester United dispatched Athletic Club by four goals to one to seal their place in the Europa League final against Tottenham on 21 May in Bilbao.
On an understandably nervy evening in the North West, the Old Trafford faithful endured adversity when Mikel Jauregizar opened the scoring after 31 minutes.
But the introduction of Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Amad with an hour played turned the fixture on its head, with four goals following emphatically.
Mount began and finished the assault with two strikes of undeniable quality, with Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund earning their moment of adoration in between.
That said, it was anything but a perfect performance, and Ruben Amorim will need to craft a cunning plan to see off Ange Postecoglou and his Spurs side.
Football can be a science, but it can also boil down to the simple fact that teams require specific players in key positions to win from back to front.
That was never more evident than in the Theatre of Dreams this evening.
Mount banishes Manchester United demons with magnificent brace
Firstly, there is no denying the majesty of Amad. His introduction unravelled the visitors with a barrage of unstoppable attacking assaults from the flank.
The Ivorian is a genuine star, possessing the grace and ability to propel this Manchester United side into a different conversation entirely.
But, all things considered, the headliner of the evening was Mason Mount. Plagued by a sequence of injuries since his mega-money move from Chelsea in 2023, the attacking midfielder banished 22 months of woe in a single outing.
Amorim has repeatedly hailed the Londoner as a consummate professional and routinely suggested his abilities were tailor-made for his system. Well, this felt like a repayment.
If his first strike was born from the training ground with perfection, its importance can not be understated when the Basque outfit was hunting for a second.
The momentum immediately shifted with a Casemiro header turning defeat on its head, and Hojlund gleefully tapping home the rarest of square deliveries to put the tie beyond question.
But Mount was not yet done, pouncing on an idle ball and striking from 45 yards into an empty net, capping another memorable Manchester evening under those magical floodlights.
The smile on his face told its own story at full-time. It was one of relief, joy and the possibility of many more unforgettable outings in the famous number seven shirt.
Not to forget, in extending their unbeaten Europa League run to 14, United have become the seventh side in the competition’s history to reach the final without suffering a loss.
From 15th in the Premier League to within 90 minutes of a major European trophy and passage to the Champions League. Football, eh?
How do you feel about Amorim’s chances of lifting the Europa League title with Manchester United against a familiar domestic face?
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