Manchester United left Vitality Stadium with a well-earned point following a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth; Rasmus Hojlund's 96th minute goal cancelled out Antoine Semenyo's first-half strike.
The Cherries began the game with intensity, taking the game to the visitors, who were lacking confidence and winless in their last four league matches.
Despite the early pressure, United were still in the game and created some openings with the best chances falling to Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.
After a lengthy VAR check on Tyler Adams' reckless chanllenge on Garnacho, the hosts took the lead through Semenyo, who beat Andre Onana at his near post.
In the second half, the Red Devils continued to pile on the pressure and they were handed a lifeline when Brazilian striker Evanilson was sent off following a robust challenge on Noussair Mazraoui.
Ruben Amorim's side left it late but managed to find the equaliser with Hojlund converting from close-range.
Here are the key takeaways from the contest.
-
Luke Shaw returns
Luke Shaw made his return to the United starting lineup for the first time in 14 months. The defender has been sidelined for a lengthy period and hadn't made an appearance at club level in over a year.
Shaw, 29, made his return to the squad earlier this month but has only made a couple of substitutes cameos, with the club cautious over his minutes as he steps up his recovery. The England international began the game on the left-hand side of a back three, but he looked more comfortable when used as a wing-back in the latter stages of the contest.
Shaw created multiple chances with his delightful crosses and he was one of United's predominant outlets in the last 25 minutes of the match. The Englishman played an instrumental role in the equaliser, driving in a low cross, which Manuel Ugarte poked forward into the path of Hojlund.
Amorim admitted after the match that he didn't plan for Shaw to play the entire 90 minutes and it remains to be seen if the fullback will start in Bilbao on Thursday night.
-
Shaky build-up
Under Amorim, the Reds frequently play out from the back in order to beat the opposition press. However, against one of the best pressing teams in the division, United played themselves into trouble on multiple occasions.
Harry Maguire was often tasked with moving into a slightly more advanced central position when Onana had the ball, however the former United skipper is not comfortable at receiving with his back to goal. The visitors were too slow when playing out from the back and eventually Bournemouth capitalised on this.
Patrick Dorgu was dispossessed too easily and Semenyo made no mistake from inside the box to give his team the lead. The Red Devils manager will need to address the build-up structure as a team like Athletic Bilbao will punish these errors on a more consistent basis.
-
Mazraoui cements his position
Mazraoui has been one of United's only consistent performers this season, impressing at both wing-back and centre-back. The Moroccan's excellent performances will mean the club will now focus on strengthening other positions in the team, with the right-centre back position and perhaps even the right-wing back role covered by the versatile defender.
At the Vitality Stadium, Mazraoui defended brilliantly against Bournemouth's tricky forwards, while also offering a threat in the final third. Although the 27-year-old isn't known for his attacking attributes, his ability in tight spaces combined with his technical dribbling makes him a valuable asset in forward areas.
Mazraoui will continue to play as a wing-back this season with Diogo Dalot unlikely to feature again due to injury, however next season it is more than likely that the Morocco international features mainly in a back three.
-
Hojlund gets his goal
Hojlund ended his six-game goal drought with the striker looking to take some momentum into the first leg of the semi-final. The Dane was anonymous for the majority of the contest, but became more effective when Amorim introduced Chido Obi-Martin.
The forward's link-up play had improved compared to recent weeks, however his confidence was still clearly lacking. Bournemouth's physical backline had the better of Hojlund for large periods of the game.
However in the dying moments, United's number nine got his goal, deflecting Ugarte's effort into the back of the net. Hojlund is the only senior striker available for selection and this goal could prove to be a turning point in his season.
