It was a night to remember for English football as three Premier League giants, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea delivered commanding performances in their respective European semifinal first legs on Thursday, May 1.
In the UEFA Europa League, Manchester United stunned Spanish side Athletic Club with a clinical 3–0 away victory at San Mamés.
First-half goals from Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, who netted a brace, sealed the win for Ruben Amorim’s side.
The hosts were reduced to ten men before halftime when Dani Vivian was sent off for a foul on Rasmus Højlund inside the box.
Fernandes converted the resulting penalty and added a third moments later, putting United in firm control ahead of the return leg at Old Trafford.
Tottenham Hotspur also impressed on home turf, defeating Norwegian outfit Bodø/Glimt 3–1 in North London.
Goals from Brennan Johnson, J. Maddison and Solanke gave Ange Postecoglou’s team the upper hand in a tie that still hangs in the balance.
Despite conceding an away goal, Spurs looked sharp and dangerous in attack and will be confident going into the second leg in Norway.
Meanwhile, in the UEFA Conference League, Chelsea showcased their European pedigree with a dominant 4–1 win over Swedish side Djurgården in Stockholm.
Jadon Sancho opened the scoring before further goals from Madueke and Nicholas Jackson’s brace sealed a comfortable away result for Chelsea.
The Blues, managed by Enzo Maresca, were in full control throughout and will carry a heavy advantage back to Stamford Bridge.
Thursday’s results mark a powerful statement from the Premier League, with all three clubs now well-positioned to reach their respective European finals.
The victories also highlight the depth of quality in English football, as clubs across multiple European competitions continue to assert their dominance.
With the return legs set for next week, English fans will be hoping to see a clean sweep of finalists from the Premier League, something that would further underscore the league’s global supremacy in club football.