Paul Scholes believes Manchester United could make it through to the final of the Europa League - if they can 'get a result' against Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their semi-final in San Mames on Thursday night. Ruben Amorim's side have enjoyed a strong European campaign, overcoming teams like Real Sociedad and Lyon to reach the semi-finals. In the last round, United came away 5-4 winners (7-6 on aggregate) against the French side in dramatic style. Harry Maguire netted a last minute winner in extra-time. Bilbao booked their place in the last four by defeating AS Roma in the round of 16 and Rangers in the quarter-finals. United legend Paul Scholes believes playing the second leg at Old Trafford could give his former side an advantage when it comes to making it through to the final. "There’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel with the Europa League for the fans especially," Scholes told TNT Sports . "They’ve got a tough game against Athletic Club as they’re one of the better teams left in the competition. I think being at home in the second leg helps them. "If they were away in the second leg, I think they’d really struggle to get through, but if they can go over there and get a result, then the crowd at Old Trafford in that second leg can really get you through. "You wouldn’t be putting your money on them and calling them favourites to win it because of how inconsistent they are, but out of the four teams, they’ve got as good a chance as any of them." Despite predicting his former side could make it to the Europa League final with a result in the Basque Country, Scholes believes that lifting the trophy wouldn’t be enough to rescue United’s season, with the club currently languishing in 14th place in the Premier League. "Man United have been a disaster in the Premier League this year. The Europa League has given them a little bit of life," he added. "Winning it will not save their season because the Premier League is your bread and butter and that’s where you’ll be judged, and I think Amorim knows that. Roy Keane also previously echoed the sentiment, stating that a Europa League title wouldn’t be enough to salvage United’s season. When asked if winning the Europa League could save United's season, Keane said : "Not that trophy, no. Not for Manchester United, maybe for other teams winning that trophy. "There is a plus to it, because it’ll get them into the Champions League , but the trophy and that competition shouldn’t be enough for United, absolutely not." Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis. Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories. And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts , and you can also watch along on YouTube .