Football365

There’s a 50.3 per cent chance Spurs win the Europa League final. Or a 50.7 per cent chance Man United win it. Not even supercomputers can cope with these teams and their absolute nonsense.

Euro vision

It’s the banter final tonight, isn’t it? El Crapico. Hell Clasico. The Donkey Derby. Bilbao Bobbins. A match that Mike Walters in the Mirror – never knowingly afraid of taking a reasonable if obvious point and stretching it way beyond its elastic limit – declares is between ‘the two worst teams in the Premier League’.

Not quite, Mike, but we will concede they are indeed both very bad.

So who will win this contest between resistible force and movable object? Profoundly difficult to say with any certainty, so it is to the supercomputers we must yield.

From The Sun we get this:

Ahead of the game, boffins and brainiacs over at AceOdds have built a supercomputer to crunch the numbers and determine the most likely outcome. The egghead formula has simulated the outcome 1,000 times. And it has worked out that Spurs are most likely to run out 2-1 winners.

You know this is serious, because it involves boffins, brainiacs and egghead formulas crunching the numbers. That settles it, frankly. But wait, the Mail says this.

For the Europa League final showpiece at San Mames, AceOdds backed Tottenham to win 3-2 and lift a trophy for the first time since 2008.

Come on, AceOdds. Come on, boffins. Brainiacs, eggheads; what’s going on here? What’s the crunch of these numbers? Is it 2-1 or 3-2?

We don’t want to have to watch the actual match to find out the answer. What a rigmarole. Mind you the Mail also say this about the magic predicting machine:

The results were then converted into percentages, showing the probability of each team finishing in each position in the league.

Which does rather suggest someone has got slightly muddled up along the way, or failed to update some old copy accurately. Sports Illustrated, meanwhile, bring us this supercomputer news:

Opta currently rates Tottenham as minor favourites, with Spurs prevailing in 50.3% of the 10,000 simulations run by the supercomputer forming the basis of their prediction. United, thus, have a 49.7% chance of lifting the trophy.

We would contend that a supercomputer saying there’s a 50.3 per cent chance of one of two things happening doesn’t really count as ‘Supercomputer Predicts Europa League Final Winner’ any more than it would ‘Supercomputer Predicts Outcome Of Coin Toss’ but that might just be us.

But then there’s the Daily Express, with this water-muddier.

After 10,000 current simulations, United lifted the trophy 50.7 per cent of the time, while Spurs ruled supreme in 49.3 per cent.

There really is no shame in just shrugging your shoulders and going ‘They’re both stupid, it’s too tough to call’. Even if you are a supercomputer. Or a boffin.

Express delivery

Meanwhile, the Daily Express are busy pretending Manchester United have already named their team for the final, including a ‘new striker’.

Man Utd starting XI to face Tottenham decided as new striker named

Gutting that there simply wasn’t room to add the fairly significant caveat ‘by Express Sport writers’ after the word ‘decided’ there. And it was Mason Mount, if you’re interested, which you shouldn’t be.

Utter Woke Nonsense

Textbook Daily Mailing from the Daily Mail here.

Here’s my plea to the BBC – don’t change Match of the Day with box-ticking or wokery, writes JONATHAN McEVOY

Were Mediawatch in a snarkier mood it might note that the only ‘box-ticking’ going on here is the Mail crowbarring ‘wokery’ into a headline for the eight millionth time, while for the eight millionth time failing to define what ‘wokery’ actually is.

The true nonsense here is that McEvoy’s article is broadly fine, hoping that Gary Lineker’s departure doesn’t signal an unnecessary and damaging broader shift in Match of the Day’s overall style and focus.

And unlike other Daily Mail fears, this one is not entirely unfounded. There has been talk from BBC suits of the need for the show to feature ‘more chat’ and Mediawatch finds itself in broad agreement with McEvoy’s central thrust that this would be a bad idea, that people want to watch the highlights and a bit of analysis and not just the analysis. But also not just the action. There are plenty of other options for those who want those things. As McEvoy puts it, Match of the Day should be…

… the amalgam of both, the action dominating with the reassuring-as-old-slippers insight of the pundits as an accompaniment. This diet is distinct from both the protracted analysis of Sky’s ‘main event’ and the unvarnished 10-second video clip trotting across personal smartphones.

But after several hundred words of reasonableness, McEvoy makes his fatal error – or Machiavellian click-generating move, choose your fighter – that presumably made a sub-editor punch the air in delight.

Nobody, even among the small ‘c’ conservative Saturday night audience, is opposed to innovation and judicious tinkering. But the great hope is that change for its own sake, such as box ticking and wokery, or indeed a bellyful of laddishness, is left at the studio door.

Please, can someone explain to us what on earth ‘wokery’ even means in this context?

And also how, precisely, the end of Gary Lineker – a bog-standard centrist dad routinely portrayed by the right-wing press as profoundly dangerous Britain-hating commie firebrand – means the Mail fear there will be suddenly be more of it?

Man Utd legend Paul Scholes reckons Ruben Amorim has to start Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho in the Europa League final against Tottenham.

The Red Devils face Spurs in Bilbao on Wednesday in the Europa League final with the winners getting a place in the Champions League and their hands on silverware.

Man Utd are currently 16th in the Premier League after an awful season, while Tottenham have been equally bad with Ange Postecoglou’s side 17th.

Only four Premier League teams have scored fewer goals than Man Utd in the Premier League this term with Amorim’s side leaning on Bruno Fernandes for inspiration.

And Scholes has claimed that Amorim must start Diallo and Garnacho against Tottenham on Wednesday as he sees them as the Red Devils’ biggest “goal threats” after Fernandes.

Man Utd legend Scholes wrote in his column for TNT Sports: “I would try and start Amad and Garnacho in the final because they’re United’s two biggest goal threats, along with Bruno Fernandes.

READ: Man Utd and Ruben Amorim face a massive sliding doors moment in Bilbao

“The best way might be to drop Fernandes back in the central midfield role alongside Casemiro, which has worked well in the past, especially in European games.

“I think Amorim will start Hojlund in the final because he hasn’t been too bad in the Europa League. He’s looked like a real threat and scored some important goals, but in the Premier League, he’s been really poor.”

Former Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag chose to not start Rasmus Hojlund in the FA Cup final last season as the Red Devils achieved a shock win.

And if Amorim decides to do similar in their Europa final against Tottenham on Wednesday then Scholes reckons Fernandes as a false nine could be the way to go.

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Scholes added: “If Amorim wanted to change things up, he could play Bruno Fernandes as a false nine just like Ten Hag did in last season’s FA Cup final win over City.

“I know he’s tried Kobbie Mainoo in that position too, but I don’t think he’s suited to it and Fernandes is a bit more mobile.’

“With Fernandes playing as a false centre-forward, you could also start with Casemiro and Ugarte in central midfield. There are plenty of selection dilemmas for Amorim, but I just hope he gets it right. The problem is the manager doesn’t know what he’s going to get from most of his players on the day.”

Roy Keane, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville debated who will win the Europa League final on Wednesday in their latest episode of The Overlap.

Keane said: “If you look at the league table, Spurs [Tottenham Hotspur] have scored over 20 more league goals [than Manchester United]. They do have a goal in them.”

Before Carragher chimed in: “If the Tottenham [Hotspur] players weren’t injured, then it could have been a 50/50 chance of them winning. I still think that Manchester United will win. Not being able to bring someone off the bench for Tottenham doesn’t really help.”

And Neville gave his view, he said: “If Manchester United win, they’ll celebrate a trophy but there will be a cautious celebration tomorrow – not by the fans though because they’ll obviously go crazy.

“Their interviews will be along the lines of them saying that they’re so happy and delighted for the fans, but it’s been a difficult season. That will be the tone of it. I don’t think there should be a parade through the city for them winning the Europa League.”

Seventeenth place and seventeen years. These are the things Tottenham are up against when they try to rescue a miserable season in Bilbao on Wednesday night.

They sit just one place – albeit a great many points – above the Premier League relegation zone in 17th and they haven’t won any trophy in 17 years. And any argument that the latter fact is of no consequence or significance to the current group of players has been blown apart this week because they all keep talking about it.

They know. How could they not?

We hear the term ‘season-defining game’ fairly often, but rarely if ever has the concept been more clearly distilled than it is here for Tottenham. Even more so than for Man United, because while for them the low is even more crushing, the high just doesn’t hit anything like as hard as it would for Spurs.

As well as a first trophy in 17 years, victory on Wednesday would deliver a first European trophy for Spurs in 41. And that’s the real marker.

If Spurs win in Bilbao, shedding the trophy drought albatross and winning this title means it becomes their best season since 1984. But defeat leaving only that wretched league position to show for their efforts makes it the worst season since relegation in 1977.

And there is no middle ground here whatsoever. Spurs’ season has become an absurd high-wire act, and seasoned Spurs observers all have plenty of reason to strongly suspect how Spurs attempting an absurd high-wire act might pan out.

Lads, it’s Tottenham. Spursy. Dr Tottenham. Lose this and they will be mocked harder perhaps than any team has been mocked ever before.

Yet the widespread assumption that this is what will definitely happen doesn’t really survive any examination beyond the bantersome and superficial.

It’s long been clear that Spurs were having a very bad league season, but it’s also true that the sheer scale of the bottom three’s awfulness has allowed them to half-arse the league almost entirely for the last four months.

Spurs’ sole focus has been on the Europa League from the moment a run of three wins in three Premier League games against Brentford, Man United and Ipswich sandwiched Carabao and FA Cup exits to Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Those results had the effect of crystallising and focusing Tottenham’s entire season. The unthinkable yet previously real threat of relegation was gone, as was any other route to salvation. For three months, Spurs have been focused entirely on one thing.

Winning only one further league game in those three months – and that against Southampton at home – is clearly at the wildly extreme end of concentrating on one specific goal no matter the cost elsewhere, but it might yet pay off in the most astonishing fashion.

And the thing with Spurs’ half-paced, half-interested Premier League displays is that even beyond the obvious second-string nature of plenty of the XIs Ange Postecoglou has picked is that his football is not really football that can ever succeed that way.

It requires absolute commitment. And in the Europa League, that commitment has been there. What, perhaps more interestingly, has also been present is an acceptance that sometimes it’s okay and even really a very good idea to adapt to the situation in front of you.

There has been precious little Angeball during Spurs’ run through the Europa League knockouts and they’ve been all the better for it.

They produced a rock-solid defensive display at Eintracht Frankfurt and bettered it in conditions that appeared custom-built for Spursiness in the second leg at Bodo/Glimt.

There was much chortling at the idea of Spurs crashing out to the Norwegians, but a look at their record in home conditions on what is an atrocious artificial pitch with all wrinkles in it highlights that this was not the straightforward task Spurs turned it into.

Less overtly self-sabotaging clubs than Spurs have entered Bodo’s Arctic circle home and come unstuck. Spurs never gave them a sniff.

And a team that has barely been able to control a single Premier League game against anyone approaching any level of confidence outplayed the third best team in the Bundesliga this season by a far wider margin than a 2-1 aggregate score suggests.

Most compellingly, a Spurs team that concedes goals for fun in frequently comedic fashion domestically has been a far tougher nut to crack since showing they can be more than Just Who We Are, Mate.

Eintracht scored early at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but could find no further goal across the next three hours of football. Bodo/Glimt’s only goal in the semi-final came via a wicked deflection from their only shot on target in the first leg.

Since a 1-0 last-16 first-leg defeat at AZ in which they were much more recognisably 2024/25 Tottenham, Spurs have shown a calm authority in these games that goes beyond easy jabs about the quality of opposition or personnel changes.

Even something as straightforward as Guglielmo Vicario going long at every opportunity in Norway was a stark reminder that sometimes compromising principles for results is okay. Admirable, even.

Spurs’ chances would clearly be greater still were even one of Dejan Kulusevski or James Maddison available but, unsettling as it is to say, Spurs’ run to this final has been built on endeavour and defensive resilience rather than attacking flair.

Against a Man United side who don’t generally require a great deal of breaking down and offer frequent gifts, the presence of Spurs’ first-choice backline may be of far greater significance than any absences further forward.

Most obviously, Man United’s back three is vulnerable specifically to wide players ghosting in at the far post to score from crosses. They have conceded almost the exact same goal five times in their last three Premier League games – twice against West Ham, twice against Brentford and against Chelsea.

It is a goal Spurs score frequently, with Brennan Johnson’s Temu Raheem Sterling act a genuine potential gamebreaker here.

Micky van de Ven’s outrageous ability to essentially teleport from the halfway line to the edge of his own area remains the single most vital element that separates Tottenham’s best from their worst, but we can’t shake the notion that Wednesday night pivots on what his defensive partner Cristian Romero gets up to.

A World Cup and Copa America winner in a team inevitably short on such trophy-winning calibre, but also, and this is the technical term, an absolute lunatic never more than 30 seconds from an inexplicable brainfade.

He will either produce the finest centre-back performance you’ve seen in your life, or he’ll be sent off within 20 minutes.

And just as with Spurs’ season as a whole, there is nothing in between. Spurs are atop the high wire with absolutely no safety net. We fear to watch, yet cannot turn away.

Ange Postecoglou has hit back at a claim that he will be regarded as a “clown” if Tottenham Hotspur fail to beat Manchester United in the Europa League final.

The two Premier League strugglers — 16th and 17th, respectively — face off in Bilbao on Wednesday night, with a trophy and a place in next season’s Champions League on the line.

Postecoglou, speaking to the press on Tuesday afternoon, confirmed that Lucas Bergvall is still injured, while club captain Heung-min Son is available.

On his captain’s availability, the Australian head coach said (all quotes via Football London): “Yeah, massive to get Sonny back.

“We were a little bit worried when he picked up the injury because we just weren’t sure how long he would be out for, but he worked so hard to make sure he was back.

“Really pleased the other night to see him play 60 to 70 minutes and you could see his sharpness coming back.

“He’s just so important to the group and he is so important as a leader. He is such an important figure at this football club and it’s a big motivation and driver for all of us, including me, to give him a trophy that his career deserves.

“Again, he is a guy who has come from the other side of the world. Not many players have come from Asian and stayed in the Premier League, the top league in the world, for so long and maintained that excellence. It would be great to cap that off with a trophy for him.

“He knows and we all know that we have still got to do the work. He’s been in this position before obviously in the Champions League final so he has that experience. I am sure he will pass that onto the players.”

The largest talking point was potentially ending Spurs’ 17-year trophy drought and his future at the club.

Asked if his future will be decided by the club’s hierarchy, Big Ange responded in classic Big Ange fashion: “My future is assured, mate. I wouldn’t be the first person who changes job. We all change jobs. I am sure you’ve had more than one job.

“My future is assured, I have got a beautiful family, I’ve got a great life, I’ll keep on winning trophies until I finish – wherever that is.

“Don’t worry about my future, mate. My future is not intertwined with anything. My future is assured provided god-willing my health remains, my beautiful family is beside me, my friends, there is nothing wrong with my future, mate.

“Don’t stress. Sleep easy tonight. I’ll be OK.”

Postecoglou was also quick to dismisses questions about whether or not the Europa League final will be his penultimate game in charge.

“Does it matter? Really? It doesn’t matter because the reality of it is the opportunity is the same, for me and more importantly for the club. I’ve said before that whatever happens beyond tomorrow is kind of irrelevant when you think about the opportunity that exists right now.

“That opportunity is to provide something special for the football club and for the supporters and for everyone who has worked so hard, not just this year but for the 15, 16 years, however long it has been without a trophy and also the 41 years without a European trophy.

“If I was worried about my tenure at this football club, it’s fair to say we wouldn’t have been in this position because I would have been distracted long ago. I’m pretty good at just making sure all my focus is on giving this football club the best opportunity that it’s had for a while to do something special.

“Whatever happens after that, mate, I’m very, very comfortable that I’ll continue on trying to win trophies wherever I am.”

An article from Dan Kilpatrick for Standard Sport this week claimed Postecoglou is ‘teetering between hero and clown’ and the journalist asked the ex-Celtic boss if he was conscious of the infamy v legendary status if Spurs win or lose against United.

Postecoglou replied: “That depends on your outlook, but I’ll tell you one thing: irrespective of what happens tomorrow, I’m not a clown and I never will be, mate.

“I’m really disappointed that you would use such terminology about a person who for 26 years without any favours from anyone has worked his way to a position where he’s leading out a club in a European major competition (final).

“For you to suggest that somehow us not being successful means that I’m a clown, not really sure how to answer that question.”

Asked what’s more important between Champions League qualification or the trophy, Postecoglou replied: “It’s a great prize, the significance of Champions League qualification and what it means for every football club.

“There are the obvious benefits but also you get the opportunity to play against the best in the continent. But the club has been in the Champions League before. It hasn’t won a trophy for a long time. So that’s the most important thing.

Asked if having beaten United three times this season adds pressure or makes him more confident, Big Ange said: “Neither because it’s a final and you know that those kind of things aren’t important.

“If we had lost all three games your question would probably be ‘do you feel the pressure because you can’t beat them’, so… What I do know, and I’ve been in this situation a few times in my career in the big games, even your form going into it, even if you’ve got terrible form… it doesn’t matter.

“What matters is how the players cope with the occasion tomorrow. How they cope with understanding the importance of the game. For both clubs, you just don’t know how players are going to react to such a big occasion.

“My role in that is to try to prepare the players in the best possible way and also to prepare the players for Manchester United to be at their best, and that’s what you have to prepare for. If you prepare that way, and then you go out there and play to the potential that you can, you give yourself an opportunity.

“But I don’t think it really matters what you’ve done before any opposition when it comes to big games. Maybe in the league it’s a bit different. But in a final, everything gets decided on the day.”

We’ve picked out our favourite betting tips as Tottenham and Man Utd go head-to-head in the Europa League final on Wednesday night, with both sides looking to rescue something from what’s been a truly dreadful season.

The venue is Bilbao, the stakes are enormous, and the consequences for the loser could be even bigger. One will claim a trophy, a Champions League place, and perhaps the chance to start next season with some belief. The other will head empty-handed toward a full summer reset.

Tottenham haven’t won a major trophy in 17 years. They’ve lost five of their last six finals and stumbled into this one off the back of 21 Premier League defeats and a stack of injuries. Ange Postecoglou’s second-season promise might yet come true, but the end of his first has been nothing short of chaotic.

Still, Spurs came through AZ Alkmaar, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt in the knockouts and have beaten United three times already this season, including a 4-3 thriller in the League Cup and a 3-0 win at Old Trafford. Dominic Solanke has led the charge, with five goals and four assists in Europe.

United’s league form has been no better, but in Europe, they’ve been ruthless. Ruben Amorim’s team are unbeaten in 14 matches, scoring 35 goals and eliminating the likes of Lyon and Athletic Bilbao. Fernandes leads the way with seven goals and four assists.

Missing players is an issue for both sides, and neither team looks particularly secure at the back. But with so much on the line, expect tension, cards, and possibly extra time.

Tottenham vs Man Utd prediction

Utd are slight favourites with Betway at 7/5, while Spurs can be backed at 7/4 to win in 90 minutes. That feels just about right for two sides that have struggled for consistency and could cancel each other out in Bilbao.

Three of the last four Europa League finals have finished 1-1 and gone to penalties, so that outcome is very much in play here. With both teams capable of scoring and neither fully trusted to defend, both teams to score looks like the safest bet.

Spurs have won all three meetings with Utd this season and will take confidence from that. But Utd know how to handle big occasions, and in Fernandes, they have the competition’s most influential player.

Backing Tottenham to lift the trophy (evens with Betway) gives you the extra time safety net, while a correct score of 1-1 in 90 minutes (13/2) makes a lot of sense.

For goalscorers, Dominic Solanke has netted in each of his last four Spurs starts and is 13/2 to open the scoring. If you’re siding with Utd, Bruno Fernandes to score or assist (11/10) is as solid a pick as you’ll find in that market.

Discipline could also be a factor. Over 5.5 cards have landed in four of the last six all-English UEFA clashes, and with Zwayer in charge — averaging 5+ per game in Europe — this could turn feisty.

If the game goes the distance, United to win on penalties (11/1) may be the longest price with the most realistic shot. The Red Devils have the big-game experience and the cooler heads when it counts.

And if you fancy any of our predictions below to come true, you can back them here.

Tottenham team news

Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin are all out of the final.

A familiar back four of Pedo Porro, Christian Romero, Mickey Van de Ven and Destiny Udogie form the back four.

Rodrigo Bentancur returns to midfield alongside Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr.

Postecoglou is expected to recall Guglielmo Vicario in goal, while Solanke, Brennan Johnson and Heung-min Son will form the front three.

Matthys Tel, Wilson Odonbert, Mike Moore and Archie Gray are among the players to drop out of the side.

Tottenham expected line-up

Vicario – Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie – Sarr, Bissouma, Bentancur – Johnson, Solanke, Son

Man Utd team news

Lisandro Martinez and Joshua Zirkzee are ruled out, while Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro remain major doubts.

Diogo Dalot is touch-and-go, which would leave Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu as the options in the full-back positions.

Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte have been one of Amorim’s preferred pairings in midfield, allowing Bruno Fernandes to play further forward.

Mason Mount and Amad Diallo have done their best to make a case for joining him, with one of them likely to get the nod over Alejandro Garnacho.

Rasmus Hojlund will lead the line with fellow Dane Chido Obi-Martin ineligible to play in the Europa League.

Man Utd expected line-up

Onana – Lindelof, Maguire, Yoro – Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu – Diallo, Fernandes – Hojlund

Tottenham vs Man Utd: How to watch and listen

Tottenham vs Man Utd will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate at 20:00 (BST) on Wednesday, May 21. Live radio commentary will be available on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Tottenham vs Man Utd stats

– Spurs are unbeaten in their last six matches against Manchester United (W4 D2).

– Man Utd are unbeaten in the Europa League this season (W9 D5).

– Fernandes has scored seven goals and provided four assists in this competition.

– Solanke has scored in each of his last four starts for Spurs.

– Three of the last four Europa League finals have ended 1-1 after 90 minutes.

– Utd have conceded first in three of their last five Europa League games.

– Over 5.5 cards has landed in four of the last six all-English UEFA fixtures.

Although they are due to meet in the final of the Europa League this week, there isn’t another football club on the continent who’d look to either Manchester United or Tottenham as an idealised vision for a successful – even functional – football team.

The pair currently sit 16th and 17th respectively in the Premier League table. Neither side has won in their last five league fixtures. Over their most recent 20 Premier League games combined, they have mustered just two victories.

Managers Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou both sit on shaky ground and the haphazard, spaff-money-up-the-wall recruitment policies the two clubs have diligently adhered to in recent seasons has left them light years behind the Premier League’s best sides in terms of squad quality.

Yet for all their incompetence on the field and in the transfer market, United and Spurs are, in fact, trailblazers when it comes to a matter that football fans consider of increasingly great importance.

According to a new study commissioned by climate-change charity Pledgeball in partnership with Champions League sponsors Mastercard, a staggering 81% of football fans want their clubs to take more action when it comes to combatting the impact of global warming and instituting policies to drive sustainability.

A survey conducted from a sample of 1,628 football supporters – made up of online questionnaire respondents, mailing list subscribers and in-person interviews with fans at last year’s Champions League final – found that 82% of football followers are concerned about climate change, in addition to the whopping percentage of fans who wish their teams would do more to fight it.

And while United and Spurs fans can rightly feel aggrieved about so many aspects of how their clubs are run, this is one area in which they are leading the way.

Or, rather, in United’s case it’s an area in which they intend to raise the bar.

The Red Devils recently announced ambitious plans for a new stadium to replace Old Trafford. When designs for the 100,000-seater arena were unveiled, they were greeted with ridicule for their striking resemblance to a circus top – a fitting home for what has been a clown show of a team for much of the past decade.

But within the plans there were details of how the new stadium will set high standards for sustainability.

The tent-like roof structure was the most eye-catching and divisive element of the 20-time champions’ as yet unnamed next home. (New Trafford? New Old Trafford? Let’s face it, it’ll more likely end up being called the Crypto.ai Megabowl or something.)

The so-called ‘umbrella roof’, however, will be equipped with solar panels and a rain-harvesting system to reduce the stadium’s reliance on non-renewable energy sources. The energy efficiency of the arena has been devised in order to align with Manchester’s 2038 carbon-neutral target.

“The stadium is contained by a vast umbrella, harvesting energy and rainwater, and sheltering a new public plaza that is twice the size of Trafalgar Square,” said Lord Norman Foster, founder and executive chairman of Foster + Partners, the firm commissioned to come up with the design.

“The outward-looking stadium will be the beating heart of a new sustainable district, which is completely walkable, served by public transport, and endowed by nature. It is a mixed-use miniature city of the future – driving a new wave of growth and creating a global destination that Mancunians can be proud of.”

And while United are talking a good game about the sustainability of their new stadium, Tottenham are very much walking the walk.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (they still haven’t found a buyer for those delicious naming rights) opened in 2019 and set a new standard for what’s possible when it comes to the sustainability of mega-arenas.

It is powered by 100% renewable electricity, sends zero waste to landfill and has eschewed single-use plastic water bottles in favour of recyclable cartons.

When the stadium was freshly finished, videos of their ingenious bottom-filling beer cups went viral. Well, not only are those space-age cups impressive for how rapidly and smoothly they fill, they are also part of a reusable beer cup scheme in operation at the ground.

It’s not just the drinks that are green at Spurs, either. The club commits to sourcing all food produce from within a 60-mile radius of their north London home, with an extensive plant-based offering, too.

All of this is with the aim of achieving net zero carbon neutrality as a club by 2040, a target towards with Tottenham claim to be on track.

So while for one of these clubs, Europa League success will only paper over the chasms of incompetence that have been on full display for several years on the pitch, there’s good work being done in and around their stadiums.

The Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur highlights a Big Midweek for Heung-min Son and Pep Guardiola.

Game to watch: Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United

Somehow, this is where we’re at. The teams 16th and 17th in the Premier League have stumbled into the Europa League final, which takes place in Bilbao on Wednesday evening. To hammer home just how s**t these two have been domestically: both have one win in their last 10 league games – that’s fewer than Leicester City, and the same as Ipswich Town.

That both are woefully out of form actually adds to the spectacle. Football, like boxing, is often at its best when it’s messy. The higher the quality, the more cagey it gets. The worse and more vulnerable the fighters, the more likely someone gets sparked. In other words: chaos incoming.

These two have already met three times this season. Spurs have won all three, with an aggregate score of 8-3. So obviously, Manchester United will win. That’s how football works, innit? Also, it’s Spurs. In a final.

For all the stick United have received post-Sir Alex Ferguson, they’ve actually won two cup finals in the last two seasons, and if you include the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup, they’ve gone seven for 12 in finals since 2013. Spurs in that time have lost three out of three finals and have only won one trophy in the 21st century.

We all know Spurs’ pot-dodging ways, but Ange Postecoglou insisted he wins things in second seasons. It would be the least Spursy thing ever for him to deliver on that promise, and it would allow him to leave with his head held high. Lose, and it’s hard to see him managing in the Premier League again. He needs this, and Spurs need this, to end a ridiculous 17-year trophy drought.

Ruben Amorim, meanwhile, is expected to be in the Old Trafford dug-out next season, regardless of the result. But he needs this too, for the Champions League football, and the money that comes with it, to paper over the cracks of United’s worst-ever Premier League finish.

It’s hard to predict the score – but we’re willing to stick our necks out and predict plenty of chaos, mistakes, and entertainment.

Team to watch: Crystal Palace

There’s a tiny winy chance that Crystal Palace will still be hungover or half-p*ssed for Tuesday’s Premier League clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers – and who could blame them? On Saturday, they made history by winning their first-ever major trophy, and now return home to a boisterous, euphoric Selhurst Park.

It promises to be a carnival atmosphere, and you’d hope that only fuels the fire for Oliver Glasner’s side to put on a show for a fanbase still floating somewhere above south London. With European football already secured, and the pressure off, Palace can play with complete freedom – and that’s a terrifying prospect for any opponent.

Wolves have nothing left to play for beyond the moral victory of finishing above Manchester United and Spurs – which, let’s be honest, would be a laugh but hardly season-defining. They’ve also lost two on the bounce without scoring, and this might not be the occasion to turn things around.

Momentum has the potential to be everything and Palace are absolutely riding the wave

Manager to watch: Pep Guardiola

So, Pep Guardiola overthought another final. Of course he did. As a result, Manchester City have finished FA Cup runners-up two years in a row. Now that a trophyless season is confirmed, attention turns back to the Premier League – where City have a big job to do.

Bournemouth come to the Etihad to face what you’d assume will be a motivated City side, hell-bent on righting their Wembley wrongs with an emphatic performance. A win would at least help secure Champions League qualification, which is still not a done deal.

On the same weekend they lost to Crystal Palace, all of their top-five rivals – except Newcastle United – won. And it was Arsenal who beat them, ensuring City now need a miraculous goal swing and for the Gunners to lose to actual Southampton on the final day to sneak second place.

That particular target – and the hilarious prospect of Arsenal finishing third in a two-horse race behind City again – can be forgotten. The focus for Guardiola now is to get a reaction.

Expect changes. To what extent, who knows? Matheus Nunes at right-back wouldn’t be a surprise. Ilkay Gundogan or Nico Gonzalez could come in to add some midfield steel, and Kevin De Bruyne will surely keep his place after being the only City player to show up at Wembley.

Guardiola looked rattled after being out-tacticed by Oliver Glasner, though he did take time to congratulate Palace on their first major trophy in 119 years. But a Dean Henderson masterclass, plus a slice of luck, clearly p**sed Pep off – and honestly, who could blame him after the Palace goalkeeper got away with a red card?

That’s history now. The only priority is preparing his side for a must-win game. Fail to beat Bournemouth, and suddenly that final-day trip to Fulham starts to look a lot more sticky.

Player to watch: Heung-min Son

Several Spurs players have the chance to win their first major trophy on Wednesday – and Heung-min Son is one of them. That might come as a surprise, considering his world-class ability over much of the last decade, but it makes perfect sense: he’s spent 11 years at Tottenham Hotspur.

And no, we’re not counting the Asian Games he won with South Korea’s Under-23s at the age of 26. He got military exemption for that – and that’s plenty, Clive.

It’s remarkable that a player of Son’s calibre has won diddly squat in his club career, and even more so that he’s stayed at Spurs for so long. But a win against Manchester United would make that loyalty worth it.

Son needs this – to justify his decision to stay, and to give his CV something it badly lacks. But right now, Spurs need him more than ever. In a season full of underwhelming performances, Postecoglou is without his two main playmakers in Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, meaning much of the creative burden now falls on the South Korean.

It’s been a disappointing campaign for both player and club – but there’s hope that Son’s superstar quality could finally shine through to deliver Spurs’ first major trophy since 2008.

Arsenal legend Martin Keown has made a shock prediction for the Europa League final, claiming one Manchester United star won’t “turn up” vs Tottenham.

Man Utd and Spurs have their biggest game of the 2024/25 season on Wednesday night as they meet in the Europa League final.

The two Big Six sides have been fully focused on the Europa League in recent months as they have taken their foot off the gas in the Premier League even more.

Their performances in the Premier League have been shambolic as they sit 16th and 17th in the table with one game remaining, but their respective runs in the Europa League have been a saving grace.

Wednesday’s game is huge for a couple of reasons, as a trophy, Champions League football and an increased budget are on offer.

READ: Premier League winners and losers: Everton, West Ham, Vardy, Newcastle without Isak, Arsenal…

It has been suggested that Man Utd’s winning mentality will be an advantage over Spurs, with captain Bruno Fernandes expected to make a big difference.

Former Spurs and Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy reckons Fernandes is the “only player” on either side who “can create magic”.

“My Tottenham roots pull me towards them and I want them to win of course,” Murphy said on Match of the Day 2.

“But I think Manchester United have the only player in both the sides whose reliable in the big games and can create magic: Bruno Fernandes.

“I think he’s been a shining light and he’ll make the difference.”

MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…

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Keown disagrees with Murphy, though. He has backed Spurs to beat Man Utd as he cannot see Fernandes “turning up on the night” and named a surprise alternative to be the game’s “standout player”.

He said: “I think Spurs will win it, I honestly do.

“I know it could be a long night, maybe Manchester United will look for extra-time and penalties but I feel like Spurs can win this.”

On Fernandes, he said: “I don’t think he’ll turn up on the night.

“I actually think Dominic Solanke might be the standout player. £65million will be like a snip if they win it.”

Fernandes has been Man Utd’s only consistent performer this season and he has saved them on several occasions while his teammates have been below par.

So it is hard to see where Keown gets this verdict from, with his backing of Solanke also pretty wild considering the other players with experience of finals in Man Utd’s squad, particularly Fernandes and Casemiro.

Manchester United and Tottenham go to Bilbao for the Europa League final in worse form than Leicester…

Somehow, United or Spurs will play Champions League football next season despite both teams being record-breakingly bad in the Premier League.

A Europa League victory on Wednesday night will allow one of those banterific sides to sit at the top table of European football next season, despite neither deserving to be anywhere near.

Especially when you consider their recent form.

Yes, the Europa League became the priority for both clubs some weeks ago – but the extent to which they have tossed off their domestic duties has been shameful.

In their last 10 games, since the beginning of March and before the last-16 ties, United and Spurs have won one game each – both against sides now relegated.

United beat Leicester, but even the Foxes have been better than the Red Devils or Spurs since the beginning of March. In that time, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side have set their own new records for wretchedness.

United haven’t beaten a team who will compete in the Premier League since the middle of December. In that time, Spurs have only won twice against those sides – one of them being United.

Here’s just how bad United and Tottenham have been in their last 10 games…

PL TABLE SINCE MARCH 1, 2025

Who will come out on top in the Bilbao battle of the banter clubs?

👉 Lineker, Shearer reveal Europa final predictions as they agree on winner – ‘I’ve got this feeling’

👉 Scholes makes ‘illogical’ Europa League final prediction amid Neville ‘sickly feeling’

If this table doesn’t highlight just how dire United have been, we have five more.

Tottenham have reportedly made an offer for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze after his heroics at Wembley over the weekend.

Ange Postecoglou’s side are having a nightmare season in the Premier League with Spurs currently 17th in the table heading into the final two matches of the campaign.

Tottenham have lost 21 of their 36 games so far this season and it is only their run in the Europa League that has saved Postecoglou from being under even more pressure.

There are rumours that he could face the sack at the end of the season, regardless of their result on Wednesday in the Europa League final against Manchester United, but victory would give them a place in next season’s Champions League.

That would provide them with the funds to bring in top-quality players to boost their squad next season after a tough season for Tottenham supporters.

Crystal Palace attacker Eze is still one of the players they are interested in ahead of the summer after he scored a early goal in the FA Cup final on Saturday against Manchester City to give the Eagles their first major trophy in the club’s history.

READ: Premier League winners and losers: Everton, West Ham, Vardy, Newcastle without Isak, Arsenal…

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed in March that Tottenham want to sign Eze but said that a summer deal could be difficult for two reasons.

Romano said: “He’s on Spurs list since 2023, he’s always been highly rated at the club. But the release clause is very expensive and the payment for the clause is not allowed in 3/4 years as usually happens, so that’s what makes the deal difficult – and there are more clubs also keen.”

When asked in April if Eze could be leaving Crystal Palace in the summer, Romano added: “Yes it’s a possibility. But nothing has been decided yet, in terms of clubs or negotiations. The situation will be one to assess in the summer.”

And now Spanish publication Fichajes insist that Tottenham have made an ‘offer’ of £68m for Eze ahead of the summer transfer window.

MORE EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL COVERAGE ON F365…

👉 Lineker, Shearer reveal Europa League final predictions as they agree on winner – ‘I’ve got this feeling’

👉 Roy Keane makes Europa League final prediction as one factor ‘might edge’ Man Utd vs Tottenham

👉 Man Utd or Tottenham? Pundit names Europa final winner amid one key factor – ‘If I stick my neck out’

It is claimed that Crystal Palace have ‘made it clear they are willing to consider offers for their star player’ as long as clubs meet his £68m release clause.

Tottenham ‘have been closely monitoring the player for some time and are willing to put the money on the table’ with Spurs seeing him as a ‘perfect fit’ for their project.

Spurs reckon the England international ‘could be the ideal partner for the forwards’ in Postecoglou’s current squad and that his ‘versatility in moving across different areas of attack makes him a very attractive option’.

It is understood that ‘everything indicates’ that ‘barring any surprises’ Tottenham could soon ‘sign the player’ as part of their summer planning.

But former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson is unconvinced that Spurs can sign a player of Eze’s calibre, especially if they don’t qualify for the Champions League.

Robinson told Football Insider: “On the Eze question, there’s absolutely no chance.

“Absolutely no chance whatsoever of them even [being] in the conversation for a player like Eze without Champions League football, without a Champions League budget.

“If Tottenham don’t win that Europa League, they’re back to square one without a manager again, and [signing] Eze is not even in the conversation.”