After the first round, Manchester United had half a foot in the UEFA Cup final venue. Against the backdrop of a difficult breakthrough in the league standings, the whole team naturally shifted their focus to the European competition. Coach Amorim's league rotation last weekend and Athletic Bilbao's loss of several key players have tipped the scales in United's favour in the second leg.

With the advantage in their hands, United should be sure to advance, but there is no 100% insurance in the football world. Amorim will be playing his usual tactical system. On the opposing side, Valverde used a strange tactic: Unai Gomez and Jalo to fill in the gaps on the flanks of Sannadi and Berenguer in an attempt to make up for their size disadvantage with running - a key bargaining chip in the Basque team's turnaround.

The first 20 minutes were an open game, with United threatening despite their ineffective attack. The turning point came in the 31st minute, when a mistake by Maguire allowed the visitors to equalise. This goal completely revitalised Athletic Bilbao's morale, and if they could score another goal before the 60th minute, the game would have been a scorcher. At this point, United need to overcome not only the opponent, but also their own psychological fluctuations.

To their credit, the hosts showed the necessary ability to resist pressure. Although the ball out of the backfield was still sluggish, they continued to create shockwaves through quick conversions. As many as 10 blitz waves throughout the first half have been depleting the physical reserves of the opponents' remnants. The focus of Amorim's midfield adjustments was clear: to stabilise the mindset and withstand the opponents' last 15 minutes of desperate attacks. As long as they can hold on to this crucial period, United's promotion prospects will become clearer.