Manchester United had another night to remember in this incredible Europa League campaign with a 4-1 triumph over Athletic Club, claiming a spot in the final.
As the fourth Manchester United goal went in, Ruben Amorim was the happiest man in Manchester.
This is because he watched his team survive 70 minutes of pressure relatively unscathed, barring one long shot, before going on to score four excellent goals with ease.
United beat Athletic Club 7-1 on aggregate in the end, which is a remarkable scoreline that shows the levels Amorim’s side can reach and emphasises his request for time.
Goals came from Mason Mount with a brace, Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund. This all sets up United’s Europa League final clash with Tottenham, in which Amorim will be desperate to lift silverware and qualify for the Champions League.
In this final, there looks likely to be one nailed-on starter who previously was a forgotten man.
Ruben Amorim was spot on about Mason Mount being perfect for Manchester United
Mount has finally arrived as a United player, just two years after £55m was spent to sign him from Chelsea, but he looked worth every penny for every minute of his cameo against Athletic Club.
The number 10 was flawless, and the performance has justified comments made by Amorim when he first arrived as United head coach.
Back in November, Amorim admitted that he already loved Mount, having only worked with him for a week.
“Mason Mount… I have to tell you I love that kid”, Amorim explained.
“You can look in his eyes that he wants this so bad. And this is the most important thing for me. He played in this system [before], so it’s perfect for him. I have two positions for Mason Mount, so he should be very happy!”
These comments at the time raised some eyebrows, as in the previous year and a half at Old Trafford, Mount showed no sign of being a player ready to step into a team and be a difference maker.
However, he did just that on Thursday with an excellent performance that should give him all the confidence in the world to continue shining and make his mark in the number 10 role.
Mason Mount can become the No.7 Erik ten Hag dreamed he would
When Mount joined, he was handed the famous United No.7 shirt by Erik ten Hag, which was viewed as a strange decision at the time and has since looked baffling.
However, Thursday was the first time he filled the shirt worn by legends such as David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona, as his impressive stats from SofaScore demonstrate.
It was an immaculate 28 minutes from Mount as he barely put a foot wrong, getting himself about the pitch to win duels, complete passes and dribbles, but most importantly, two huge goals at the most important stage of the season.
Mount now has three in two games for United as he begins to build some momentum and a run of games. Now the big test will be whether he can see out this season and play a big part in the final against Tottenham.