Mason Mount says it was worth the wait to finally ignite his Manchester United career after his two goals off the bench against Athletic Club secured their place in the Europa League final.
Mount's United career has been blighted by injury since he signed from Chelsea in 2023 for an initial £55m and has threatened to fade away completely, but this performance, on what was undoubtedly his best night for the club, may well be the turning point.
United were 1-0 down and struggling at Old Trafford - although 3-1 up on aggregate - when Mount came on with Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo after an hour to change the game, booking their place in the final against Tottenham on May 21 in Bilbao with a 7-1 win over the two legs.
Mount's equaliser, a sharp turn and finish in the box, kickstarted a late flurry of goals, four coming in less than 20 minutes, as Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund scored before the midfielder's second, an effort from near the halfway line with his weaker foot.
Asked if it was his best 20 minutes in a Man Utd shirt, Mount told TNT Sports: "Yeah, for sure. It's been difficult since I've been here, I've had the injuries and setbacks.
"I knew something good was going to come. I carried on going, working hard in training every day and trying to stay positive, and when I had the opportunity like this, it paid off."
"It was too long," he added, referring to his wait for a feeling like this on a big night.
Mount, who had never scored at Old Trafford for United, became the first substitute at the club to score twice in a European knockout match since David Beckham against Real Madrid in 2003.
"The crowd has been unbelievable," he said. "They've stuck with us. For me personally, my first goals here at Old Trafford, so a special night, one I've been waiting for a long time.
"To go back to Bilbao, a special moment for us, and we want to finish strong now."
"Moments like these are worth the wait," Mount later wrote on social media with an image of him celebrating his goal in front of the Old Trafford crowd. "Back to Bilbao, Reds!"
Mount's moment was enjoyed by the whole Man Utd squad, none more so than his head coach Ruben Amorim, who has always been a big advocate of his since arriving mid-season from Sporting, despite his injury setbacks.
Asked about his smile when Mount scored, Amorim said in his post-match press conference: "Not just me, if you look at the bench, that is the best feeling as a coach.
"When you look at the other guys on the bench, they are so happy for Mason Mount because everybody in that dressing room sees Mason Mount doing everything he can to be available.
"He's a really good player and you can see both goals are really good goals. So I think not just Mason Mount, not just me, but also the team-mates, they were so happy for him."
Speaking to TNT Sports, Amorim added: "Mason Mount, I am so happy for him, he is such a player. He works really hard. He has quality.
"When you see that kind of guy, working hard every day. When you have this type of player, you just want to help them.
"He is perfect for that [No 10] position because he can be a midfielder, he can run like a winger, he can play with his back to the goal."
Tottenham await Man Utd in the Europa League final, which takes place at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain on Wednesday May 21; kick-off 8pm.
