Bruno Fernandes celebrates with Mason Mount after the latter's goal against Athletic Bilbao at Old Trafford.
Manchester United are on the cusp of Europa League glory.
After Manchester United failed to win any of their opening three matches in the Europa League this season, few would have banked on them reaching the final in Bilbao.
Despite taking the lead in all of their opening three league phase outings, United amassed a paltry three points from a possible nine, drawing with FC Twente (1-1), FC Porto (3-3) and Fenerbahce (1-1).
The stalemate with Fenerbahce in Istanbul left United 21st in the league phase table. It also left Erik ten Hag clinging on to his job.
Alongside making an underwhelming start to their Europa League campaign, United experienced a difficult start to their Premier League season. They won just three of their opening nine matches, leaving them 14th in the table.
United's ninth game of their league campaign saw them beaten 2-1 by West Ham United at the London Stadium, just three days after they were pegged back by Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce.
That defeat to the Hammers, which was United's fourth in their opening nine league games, marked the end of the road for Ten Hag, who was dismissed the following day, just months after Ineos decided to keep him.
United, almost as soon as Ten Hag had cleared his office, were on the phone to Sporting Lisbon and attempting to convince Ruben Amorim to replace him. Despite the Portuguese chief being hesitant about moving to Old Trafford mid-season, United got their man, appointing him just four days after Ten Hag had been dismissed.
As part of the agreement, Amorim stayed at Sporting until the November international break, meaning Ruud van Nistelrooy was placed in temporary charge.
He won three of his four games at the helm, drawing the other, and it felt as though Amorim would pick up from where the Dutchman had left off. His short spell in charge did improve the mood in and around the club. It also saw United get their Europa League campaign up and running with a 2-0 win over PAOK at Old Trafford.
Two Amad goals got Manchester United's Europa League campaign off the ground. (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images.)
However, Amorim's obsession with his trademark 3-4-2-1 system meant that teething problems were to be expected at the start of his tenure. After a solid first set of results saw United draw 1-1 at Ipswich Town, beat Bodo/Glimt 3-2 and brush Everton aside 4-0, United's supporters hoped the transition to Amorim's preferred system would be seamless.
Amorim's warning about a storm being on its way soon came to fruition, though, and United started stumbling. The 2-1 win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium was the only highlight in a forgettable December.
However, despite the disappointment and frustrations of United's Premier League form, their results and performances in Europe have seen them reach the Europa League final. Wednesday night's clash with Tottenham Hotspur offers them the opportunity to salvage something from what has been a disastrous campaign.
United head into the clash with Spurs boasting an unbeaten record in Europe this season, winning nine and drawing five of their 14 Europa League matches. They won each of the four league phase matches Amorim took charge of, ensuring they finished in an automatic qualification spot for the last-16.
Despite being held to a draw in the first leg of their last-16 tie with Real Sociedad in Spain, they came from behind to make light work of them at Old Trafford in the second leg, winning 4-1 to seal a 5-2 aggregate triumph.
Lyon were up next in the quarter-finals and United, as we all know, made hard work of that one. After the first leg finished 2-2 in France, United were heading for the exit in the second leg at Old Trafford, trailing 4-2 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate with just minutes to go.
The comeback against Lyon will never be forgotten. (Image: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images.)
However, goals from Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire meant the Europa League dream remained alive. Maguire's dramatic header was perhaps a sign that it is simply meant to be for United in this competition.
Athletic Bilbao, despite looking as though they would pose the sternest test United had faced in Europe all season, were blown away in the semi-finals. United won 3-0 in Spain and 4-1 at Old Trafford to progress to the final with a commanding 7-1 aggregate victory.
Now, of course, they are one step away from winning a European trophy and securing a place back in Europe's premier club competition next season.
Despite how poor their domestic form has been this season, supporters of other clubs in this country would kill to be in the position United will find themselves in on Wednesday evening.
After the way in which this Europa League campaign started and a managerial alteration needing to be made just months into the season, United deserve credit for reaching a European final. Now they need to win it.