Manchester United, Tottenham seize commanding leads in Europa League semifinal showdowns

The rescue act is on for Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Big wins for both English teams on Thursday in the first legs of their UEFA Europa League semifinal showdowns kept alive their hopes of lifting a major trophy and qualifying for next season's UEFA Champions League.

United beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 at the San Mames Stadium in Spain, while Tottenham claimed a 3-1 win at home against Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt.

Both United and Spurs have endured miserable domestic campaigns, with both teams languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table. But better performances in the Europa League could yet see one side salvage their season.

Not only is silverware on the line, but so is an unlikely route to the lucrative Champions League as the prize for winning the second-tier continental competition.

United in control

United produced possibly their finest performance of the season to take a commanding first-leg lead against 10-man Bilbao.

Casemiro headed Ruben Amorim's team in front in the 30th minute after a cross from Harry Maguire.

They extended their edge to 2-0 seven minutes later, when Rasmus Hojlund was brought down in the box by Dani Vivian, and a penalty was awarded after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. Vivian was shown a red card for the foul, and Bruno Fernandes converted from the spot.

Fernandes picked up his second, and United's third, in the 45th minute when he ran through on goal and curled a shot past keeper Julen Agirrezabala.

The United captain has now scored 18 goals and distributed 16 assists in all competitions this season. According to data and statistics aggregator Opta, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is the only Premier League player to have made more goal contributions this term with 56.

"I want to score goals, I want to be involved. I know one of my qualities is getting goals and making assists, so I just need to keep going," Fernandes said.

United's win could have been even more emphatic with Noussair Mazraoui and Casemiro both hitting the woodwork in the latter stages of the match.

The second leg will take place at Old Trafford on May 8, and United are potentially just 90 minutes away from returning to Bilbao, which is set to host the final on May 21.

Tottenham lead

Under-pressure Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou could yet live up to his proclamation that he always wins a trophy in his second season.

That record – which was brought to fruition at former clubs Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos, and Celtic – has looked in serious jeopardy for much of a season that has seen Spurs lose 19 times in the Premier League.

Nonetheless, a 3-1 win against Bodo/Glimt at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium may fuel belief that Postecoglou can deliver the goods again.

Spurs went on top inside a minute through Brennan Johnson, before James Maddison doubled their lead in the 34th.

Dominic Solanke's penalty in the 61st made it 3-0, but Ulrik Saltnes gave the visitors hope ahead of next week's return leg in Norway by pulling a goal back in the 83rd minute.

"I don't think the scoreline reflects our dominance, but at the end of the first leg, all you want is to be in a good position, and we've got ourselves into a good position," Postecoglou said.