Man United put on arguably their most impressive performance under Ruben Amorim as the national media react to Thursday's win over Real Sociedad.
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Updated 10:11, 14 Mar 2025
Diogo Dalot of Manchester United celebrates
Manchester United earned a much-needed win over Real Sociedad in the Europa League on Thursday night
(Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag)
Manchester United breezed through to the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday night after beating Real Sociedad 4-1 (5-2 on aggregate).
Bruno Fernandes was again the hero for Ruben Amorim's team, as a hat trick from the Reds' captain kept United's faltering season alive. Amorim's men are realistically out of contention to qualify for Europe next season through the Premier League, as they sit 14th in the top-flight table with 10 league games left to play.
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It means that if United are to avoid missing out on European football at Old Trafford for the first time in a decade, they must win this season's Europa League. The Reds will face Lyon next in the quarter-finals.
Below is what some of the national media made of Thursday's win at Old Trafford.
'A swaggering display'
Jamie Jackson of The Guardian wrote: "Manchester United kept their trophy hopes alive with a swaggering display that battered Real Sociedad and must be the Ruben Amorim blueprint.
"From the moment they fell behind early on, his side were electrified, as if finally locating the high-voltage socket under him and gleefully plugging themselves in. United came at Real Sociedad relentlessly, a whir of energy and creativity that is the best advertisement yet for where their head coach might take them.
"Bruno Fernandes crowned his and United’s night with a blistering hat-trick strike, running on to Alejandro Garnacho’s pass to blaze into the left corner to send United’s faithful ballistic and secure a quarter-final against Lyon."
'The perfect companion'
Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic wrote: "In a week when the countdown clock was started on Old Trafford as we know it, Manchester United’s historical home reminded us that when the football is good, it remains the perfect companion.
"The atmosphere was a heady concoction of perpetual noise, occasional explosions and melodic backing, with those in the stands feeding off events on the pitch to give Ruben Amorim his first proper embrace in the famous stadium.
"For all the talk of a new £2billion ($2.6bn) ground to make this spot of M16 a global destination, complete with fanzones, restaurants, and “dwell time”, this was a night to bring attention back to the present and the simple beauty of watching your team play the game well."
'Had other ideas'
Paul Hirst of The Times wrote: "Ruben Amorim has had plenty to say since his appointment as Manchester United head coach but perhaps his most telling utterance came last Sunday in the aftermath of the 1-1 draw against Arsenal.
“We need more Brunos,” Amorim said. Oh, how that rang true last night. The epitaphs for United’s season had been drafted before they took the field for the second leg of their Europa League tie against Real Sociedad, but Fernandes had other ideas.
"United’s season, he decided, would not end ten weeks early, not on his watch anyway. His second hat-trick for United, and a late strike from Diogo Dalot, was enough to give United a 5-2 aggregate win over Sociedad — who ended the match with ten men — and set up a quarter-final tie against Lyon."
'Fall to pieces'
James Ducker of The Telegraph wrote: "It was the 60-yard dash from deep in his own half as much as the composure he demonstrated at the end of that lung-busting run to complete his hat-trick that showcased what Bruno Fernandes is all about.
"He is the player who never tires, the one who is always there even when team-mate after team-mate succumbs to injury, the guy that keeps stepping up in his side’s time of need, United’s man for all seasons.
"On a night when United played pretty well up until they reached Real Sociedad’s goal, at which point they would invariably fall to pieces, Fernandes displayed the cool head in front of goal that eluded his team-mates."