Man Utd's Starting Lineup in Last Europa League Final Win | OneFootball

“For me, it doesn’t matter if we win the Europa League, because the problems are much bigger than that.” Ruben Amorim recently commented ahead of Manchester United’s meeting with Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao on Wednesday night.

Amorim’s first few months in charge have failed to inspire confidence that the talented Portuguese coach is the right man to spearhead the umpteenth attempt at a Red Devil rebuild in a post-Fergie world.

This grand institution has chewed up and spat out a collection of managers of varying ability over the past decade or so, including José Mourinho, who guided the club to their previous European success eight years ago. While Amorim has talked down what victory in Bilbao would mean for his team, the trophy-hungry Mourinho asserted that success in the Europa League final over Ajax would be "amazing" after his team scraped by Celta Vigo in the semifinals.

But who was a part of Mourinho’s triumphant squad eight years ago? Let’s take you back to May 24, 2017, United fans, and remind you of the winning team in Stockholm.

Man Utd’s Starting Lineup vs. Ajax – 2017 Europa League Final

Man Utd’s goalscorers in Stockholm / IMAGO/TT

While United struggled in the Premier League during Mourinho’s debut season at Old Trafford, the Red Devils ended the season with the Community Shield, Carabao Cup and Europa League in their back pocket.

They underwhelmed domestically having been lauded as potential title contenders following the appointment of the "special one", but the Portuguese had a right to claim the 2016–17 season as a success due to the silverware they claimed.

Amorim, even if they win on Wednesday, has less of a case. His team could end the season as the worst non-relegated team in the Premier League with an all-time low points tally. They’re almost 30 points worse off than Mourinho’s first Man Utd outfit, which finished sixth.

However, while the current boss has overseen just one new arrival since succeeding Erik ten Hag, Mourinho quickly went about building the Red Devils in his image. The two goalscorers in United’s 2–0 win over Ajax in the final were their most expensive acquisitions in the previous summer’s transfer window.

£89 million addition Paul Pogba started in midfield alongside understated workhorse Ander Herrera and opened the scoring, before Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who started down the left, doubled United’s lead just after half-time. Mourinho’s other two arrivals of note that year, Eric Bailly and Zlatan Ibrahimović, were both unavailable.

After taking a 2–0 lead, they leant on their manager’s "humble" pragmatism and a sound defensive display to keep the Dutch side – a precursor to their great 2018–19 team which reached the Champions League semifinals – at arm‘s length. Sergi Romero kept his place in the Europa League XI over David de Gea but was forced into few saves, as he was well-protected by a back four consisting of Antonio Valencia, Chris Smalling, Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian – now a two-time Champions League finalist.

A 19-year-old Marcus Rashford led the line, with the bruising Marouane Fellaini operating as a duel-winning focal point to escape Ajax’s press. Juan Mata supplied guile and outright class when drifting off the right flank, functioning as their chief creator on the night

2017 was a time when managers were limited to a mere three substitutions, and Mourinho opted against loading up his backline to contain their frustrated opponents. He refreshed his attack late on, as Wayne Rooney appeared for one final time in United colours. The more youthful talent of Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard also entered proceedings in the second half.

Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan did the damage from midfield. / FotMob

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