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Fabio Paratici has recommended Roberto De Zerbi to Tottenham Hotspur as a potential Ange Postecoglou replacement, talkSPORT understands.

Former Brighton boss De Zerbi, now at Marseille in Ligue 1, is believed to be open to a return to the Premier League.

As reported last week, ex-Spurs managing director Paratici has held talks over returning to the club after serving his FIFA ban.

The Italian stood down in April 2023 and was handed a worldwide ban after being found guilty of financial malpractice at Juventus.

Paratici now appears to have suggested his compatriot De Zerbi's name for the Spurs hotseat should Postecoglou leave.

De Zerbi joined Brighton from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2022 and was the successor to Graham Potter, who moved to Chelsea.

The 45-year-old guided the Seagulls to European qualification for the first time in the club's history at the end of his first season.

Brighton reached the last-16 of the Europa League, but were knocked out by Roma.

De Zerbi spent a second season at the club, however it was announced ahead of the final day that he would leave.

He then moved to France last summer by joining Marseille, who are second in Ligue 1 behind champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Manchester United were also linked with De Zerbi, who reportedly showed his Marseille players his offer from the Old Trafford side.

The Italian could be set to return to the Premier League after just one year away should Spurs make a managerial change.

talkSPORT reported in March that the north London side have a list of potential replacements if they part ways with Postecoglou.

Sources claim that Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola would be Spurs chairman Daniel Levy's top target.

Marco Silva and Thomas Frank of Fulham and Brentford respectively are other targets for Spurs.

However, both have hefty release clauses in their current contracts.

Postecoglou has endured a difficult second season at Spurs as they sit 16th in the Premier League with only 11 wins.

However, they could be set to reach the Europa League final, with the second leg against Bodo/Glimt live on talkSPORT 2.

Sneaky

The most exciting thing at Stamford Bridge has been the fans.

It's been reported that a lot of Djurgarden fans have brought tickets in the Chelsea end for this evening's game.

And they've all jumped over the barriers to join the away end!

The Swedish fans will be enjoying themselves in London tonight.

Their side have had a couple of chances so far, but Chelsea remain 4-1 up on aggregate and cruising.

Double boost

As Athletic Bilbao are without the Williams brothers tonight, their task of scoring four goals gets even harder.

Nico and Inaki are major threats out wide for the Spaniards, but both of them are sidelined through injury at Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim was asked about the boost that could give his Man United team for this huge game.

He told TNT Sports: "I think it is always hard. I don't want my team thinking about that.

"They are two players scoring and assisting in many games for the opponent, we know that. But we don't care who is on the pitch.

"We have to understand the new players in their positions, of course, but we focus on ourselves."

Team news!

The teams are in for tonight's Europa League semi-finals!

Man United have named an unchanged side from their first leg win against Athletic Bilbao.

Victor Lindelof is part of the back three while Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte continue in the centre of midfield.

Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho are in behind Rasmus Hojlund, with Amad Diallo on the bench.

As for Bilbao, they are without Nico and Inaki Williams in a huge blow.

The Spaniards are also forced into a change at the back as the suspended Daniel Vivian comes out for Unai Nunez.

Andoni Gorosabel starts over Oscar De Marcos at right back.

Man United XI: Onana, Lindelof, Maguire, Yoro, Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu, Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund.

Subs: Bayindir, Heaton, Amass, Fredricson, Kamason, Shaw, Eriksen, Mainoo, Amad, Mantato.

Athletic Bilbao XI: Agirrezabala, Gorosabel, Alvarez, Nunez, Yuri, De Galarreta, Jaureguizar, Djalo, Berengeur, Gomez, Sannadi.

Subs: Simon, Paredes, Vesga, Guruzeta, Lekue, De Marcos, Prados, Canales, Boiro, Olabarrieta, Rego, Varela.

For Tottenham against Bodo/Glimt, James Maddison is out injured so Dejan Kulusevski starts in midfield.

That's the only change made to Spurs' team from the first leg.

Richarlison continues in a wider role along with Brennan Johnson and Dominic Solanke in the forward line.

Mathys Tel will be a threat off the bench.

As for Bodo/Glimt, they have Patrick Berg and Hakon Evjen back from suspension and they both start.

Bodo/Glimt XI: Haikin, Gunderson, Berge, Hogh, Blomberg, Saltnes, Bjorkan, Moe, Sjovold, Hauge, Evjen.

Subs: Lund, Nielsen, Auklend, Fet, Helmersen, Maatta, Soril, Hansen, Jensen.

Tottenham XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Johnson, Richarlison, Solanke.

Subs: Austin, Whiteman, Danos, Spence, Davies, Sarr, Oluesi, Ajayi, Odobert, Gray, Moore, Tel.

'One last push'

Ruben Amorim has issued a final message to the Man United fanbase ahead of their Europa League semi-final second leg.

United are 3-0 up heading into tonight's game against Athletic Bilbao and they have one foot in the final.

However, Amorim was keen to point out that the job isn't done and called for 'one last push' from the players and fans.

He wrote on the club's website: "Tonight, we have a job to finish.

"Of course, I was happy with the result, and many aspects of our performance, in Bilbao a week ago – but we must all remember that we are only halfway through this tie.

"As we welcome Ernesto Valverde and Athletic Club to Old Trafford, there is still a lot of hard work for us to do if we are to reach the UEFA Europa League final.

"Athletic Club are a very good team, and they caused us problems in the opening stages in San Mames, so we cannot just assume the game will go the same way it did last Thursday. We will need total focus and effort to keep control of the game, and the tie.

"It is a boost to be playing the second leg at home because we know what a special place Old Trafford can be on European nights, as we saw in the quarter-final against Lyon last month, when the fans helped us get over the line.

"The support we have received throughout such a difficult season has been incredible and we want to reward our fans by winning the UEFA Europa League.

"But, before we even think about that, we have to reach the final, and we cannot take anything for granted until that task is complete.

"So, let’s all pull together tonight for one last push to secure our place back in Bilbao."

Youri joking...

Aston Villa have been dealt a huge blow to their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

Youri Tielemans could miss the rest of the season after picking up a muscle injury, according to The Athletic.

The 28-year-old is yet to miss a single Premier League game this campaign, but now he's set to be sidelined.

Tielemans will sit out of Villa's clash against Bournemouth this weekend and potentially games against Spurs and Man United.

There is said to be a chance that he's fit to face United on the final day, however, it is believed to be only a small hope.

The Belgian has been a key player for Unai Emery's side all season, starting 52 of 54 matches in all competitions.

To now be without him for the tense season run-in as Villa push for a place in the Champions League would be a massive blow.

They currently sit seventh in the Premier League, three points behind Chelsea, who occupy the fifth and final UCL spot.

No excuses

Spurs hold a 3-1 lead heading into their monumental Europa League semi-final second leg this evening.

But nerves will be there and even more so when considering the plastic pitch that Bodo/Glimt play on.

Ange Postecoglou's side are going to have to play on an unfamiliar surface and that could make a big difference.

Speaking about the surface, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario admitted he was wary about it but that it's not an excuse.

He said: "We knew about it before coming in.

"Many teams have played here, so nothing has worried us about the surface. You cannot change the condition of the pitch - it is just about how quickly you adapt.

"I don't have a lot of experience on [artificial surfaces], but it's fine. We will be ready."

Roll out the red carpet

Ian Wright has defended Trent Alexander-Arnold's decision to leave Liverpool and join Real Madrid on a free transfer.

Roy Keane said on Stick to Football: "Is it more that he's a local lad, he's a Scouser, is that more so than his footballing decision? You can't begrudge him the move. It's an amazing move for him."

Ian Wright added: "Did you see his statement? It was beautiful, he spoke with such eloquence simply because he's come to a point where it's not about them being better, it's just on his journey.

"It's just the next step. Honestly, I'm delighted for him. Roy, I remember you saying, if you could think back, if you had the chance, if that opportunity came would I take it? I cannot understand that people are not excited about the fact he's won everything he can win there, and now he's going to arguably one of the best in the world."

Wright continued: "It's like people can't be happy for the fact that he's come from here and he's going there."

Not in the same league

Gabby Abonlahor made a point about Celtic's European ambitions when discussing Rangers' success in the Europa League this season.

The Light Blues made it to the quarter-finals of the competition before being eliminated by Athletic Bilbao.

However, the Gers will get another shot to go deep in UEFA's second tournament next year after finishing second in the SPL.

Celtic, meanwhile, haven't reached the knockout stages of the Champions League proper for 13 years despite their domestic dominance.

The Hoops crashed out of Europe's elite in the playoffs to Bayern Munich, with drop-downs into the Europa League no longer allowed.

“If it’s Man United or Spurs, are they better equipped for the Champions League than Celtic next season?”, Alan Brazil told talkSPORT

“Do you think Celtic would have been more equipped for a Europa League run like Rangers have been? Celtic would get to a semi-final of the Europa League”, Gabby stated, to which Brazil replied, “Yes.”

“Look at the great runs Rangers have had in recent years in the Europa League, imagine what Celtic would do in that competition.”

Paq it in

Lucas Paqueta's legal team has been blamed for the stress caused by the lack of clarity surrounding the Brazilian's ongoing case.

The West Ham star is under investigation for 'spot-fixing', having been alleged to have deliberately picked up four bookings for financial gain.

The Hammers midfielder is awaiting trial, with the case rumbling on at the London Stadium for nearly two years.

A lifetime ban from football if found guilty has been touted as a potential punishment, which appears to be impacting Paqueta.

The 27-year-old succumbed to tears after he was shown a yellow card during the 1-1 draw with Tottenham on Sunday.

Speaking on White & Jordan, talkSPORT host Jim White said: “When you think of it, a year on [from his FA charge] and nothing’s happened.”

Simon Jordan responded: “You have to ask yourself why? What is taking the time? Is it the investigation or is it the legal construct of his defence that’s being put forward, and a variety of objections that might be coming from the defensive side of things?

“I would assume that they must have compelling evidence to bring such a charge, it can’t be on the basis of hearsay. If there was no substance to this, there must be a mechanism where Paqueta’s legal team could have cut through and said, ‘You’ve got no basis for this. You’ve got no substance behind this. This isn’t even grounded in anything that vaguely resembles a meaningful set of observations.’

“I don’t understand if I’m Paqueta and I’ve got all the resources that I’ve got, plus a football club that will support me economically, why I’m not dragging these people kicking and screaming to the first available date to concentrate their minds on the reality of the ramifications of what’s happening to my career.”

White questioned, “So you’re saying Paqueta’s legal team have to get this going?”

Jordan snapped back, adding: “I’m saying that there must be a reason why these two years of torment, as people refer to them, have been allowed to drag on.

“Why is it taking so long? If Paqueta is innocent, then you would like to think he’d be on the front foot, screaming and shouting via his legal representation.”

Spend it like Beckham

David Beckham and Gary Neville completed the takeover of League Two side Salford City.

The former Manchester United teammates have done so with a new consortium committed to infusing significant funds into Salford.

They were already co-owners of the club alongside ex-Man United teammates.

Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have now relinquished their stakes but will continue to hold positions at Salford.

Following the 2024 departure of majority shareholder Peter Lim, Beckham and Neville sought investment partners that would bring success to Moor Lane.

Founder of advisory firm Consello, Declan Kelly, and chairman of the Lawn Tennis Association, Lord Mervyn Davies, have now teamed up with the ex-professionals.

The Athletic reported that it is believed around $15-20 million has been raised to boost Salford’s ‘sporting and infrastructural ambitions’ over the next five years.

Tottenham are on the brink of reaching the Europa League final as they fight in their semi-final second leg against Bodo/Glimt.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have had a nightmare season, but their impressive run in Europe means they still have a shot at silverware.

Spurs lead 3-1 on aggregate after the first leg last week, putting in a strong performance to now take a two-goal advantage to Norway.

A draw with West Ham at the weekend ended their four-game Premier League losing streak and that brings some positivity to the build-up to this huge tie.

Bodo/Glimt haven’t played domestically since their first-leg loss and they will have their home crowd behind them as they look to embarrass Tottenham.

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: Never done before

Tottenham can achieve something they’ve never managed before on Thursday.

After winning the first-leg last week, Spurs made it eight victories in Europe this season, which is only three less than their Premier League tally.

Should they win the second leg too, it would see them break a 64-year record.

Since their first ever appearance in a major European competition in 1961, they have never won nine games across a single campaign.

Spurs will feel they can go to Bodo/Glimt and achieve this feat, especially when considering recent history when having a two-goal lead.

Since the 2009/10 season, there have been 92 instances of a side winning the first leg of a Europa League knockout match on home soil by a 2+ goal margin.

Only nine teams have failed to progress in the overall tie, with all eight prior semi-finalists to achieve the feat progressing to the final.

With their 3-1 first leg victory, Tottenham made it five wins out of five against Norwegian opposition in major European competition. They’ve never faced sides from a specific country more often whilst keeping a 100% win-rate in the process.

Bodø/Glimt have lost seven of their last 12 knockout matches in European competition (W3 D2), although all three victories during that time for the Norwegian side have come on home soil, including a 2-0 victory over Lazio at the quarter final stage.

Tottenham won their last away UEFA Europa League game 1-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt, but haven’t won back-to-back away matches in major European competition since November 2013 (3 in the Europa League), and last did so in knockout stages in March 2008 (2 in the UEFA Cup).

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: Team news

Bodo/Glimt XI: Haikin, Gunderson, Berge, Hogh, Blomberg, Saltnes, Bjorkan, Moe, Sjovold, Hauge, Evjen.

Subs: Lund, Nielsen, Auklend, Fet, Helmersen, Maatta, Soril, Hansen, Jensen.

Tottenham XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Johnson, Richarlison, Solanke.

Subs: Austin, Whiteman, Danos, Spence, Davies, Sarr, Oluesi, Ajayi, Odobert, Gray, Moore, Tel.

Kasper Høgh has netted seven goals in the UEFA Europa League for Bodø/Glimt this season, the joint-most of any player, alongside Olympiakos’ Ayoub El Kaabi and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes. His 50% shot conversion rate is the joint-highest of any player to score 3+ goals this season, whilst across the competition’s history, only James Tavernier in 2021-22 has netted as many goals in a campaign whilst holding a higher conversion rate (7 goals – 53.8%).

Dominic Solanke has recorded eight goal contributions in the UEFA Europa League this season (4 goals, 4 assists), the most by a Spurs player in major European competition since Carlos Vinícius during the 2020-21 campaign in this competition (9 – 6 goals, 3 assists).

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: What has been said?

Postecoglou was still left frustrated at the negative narrative surrounding Spurs, even after beating Bodo/Glimt in the first leg.

Speaking about people doubting his side heading into the second leg, he said: "If you expect something to go wrong, it will.

"People are their experiences and Tottenham supporters have had some near misses for a long time, so there’s always this safeguarding of not getting too excited about what’s happening. But part of creating a winning culture is not to fall into that trap.

"Winners don’t think about things in that way, they don’t think about what could possibly go wrong - they have a real clarity around what they need to do to win, and I’m trying to create that with that group of players.

"The narrative around the club is not positive at all.

"Whether you follow the club or not, there’s always some sort of negative connotation to everything that happens at the club. That’s existed for a very long time, you need to break through that."

Including qualifiers, Bodø/Glimt have won nine of their last ten home European outings (L1), scoring 2+ goals in all but one of those matches – a 2-1 defeat to Qarabag during this season’s UEFA Europa League group stage.

Across their major European history, Bodø/Glimt have lost all four of their matches against English opposition, including their only one on home soil vs Arsenal in October 2022 (0-1). Each of the other three defeats have seen the Norwegian side concede exactly three goals

No side in the UEFA Europa League this season has netted more goals on home soil than Bodø/Glimt (19). Since the 2009-10 campaign in this competition, only Bayer Leverkusen have struck more home goals in a single season than the Norwegian outfit (21 in 2023-24).

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: talkSPORT coverage

This Europa League semi-final second leg will take place on Thursday, May 8.

Kick-off at Aspmyra Stadion is schedule for 8pm.

talkSPORT 2 will have live coverage of the game.

Commentary will come from Alex Crook and former England striker Dean Ashton.

To tune in to talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

talkSPORT.com will be running a live blog of the action too.

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: talkSPORT BET Odds

Match odds:

Bodo/Glimt - 6/4

Draw - 27/10

Tottenham - 6/4

To qualify:

Bodo/Glimt - 9/2

Tottenham - 1/9

*odds subject to change

Tottenham have reason to be wary of their Europa League semi-final second leg against Bodo/Glimt, despite their two-goal advantage.

Spurs have travelled to Norway with a 3-1 lead from last week, but their rivals boast an outstanding record on home territory.

Usually, the phrase in football involved would be 'soil', but, famously, Bodo/Glimt play on an artificial surface.

And it is a key factor behind Kjetil Knutsen's side winning 30 of their 36 games in continental competition at the Aspmyra Stadion.

Bodo, who are on a five-game winning European home run, have won 28 of their last 34 home games in all European competitions.

It has become an icy graveyard for visitors, which includes Ange Postecoglou on his miserable last trip to Bodo with Celtic.

Tottenham themselves are also no stranger to synthetic surfaces this season, having struggled away at non-League Tamworth.

The Lilywhites needed extra-time to claim victory on the 3G pitch, eventually winning their FA Cup third-round tie 3-0 in January.

Why do Bodo play on a plastic pitch?

The Aspymyra Stadion is located above the Arctic Circle, which led to the 3.1 million kroner (£225k) installation of an artificial pitch in 2006.

Club chiefs determined that maintaining a grass field to elite standards in the brutal weather conditions would prove too difficult.

Hours before Bodo's 2-0 quarter-final win over Lazio, the pitch was buried in snow, but adapted under-soil heating saw the tie go ahead.

The 8,270-seater venue is also on the coast, which means Spurs could also be subject to swirling winds of 20-25 mph.

Bodo weather during Europa League home matches

"There's no doubt it is an advantage for us," reveals Bodo/Glimt defender Odin Bjortuft, who missed the first leg in north London through injury.

"But at the same time, it's what you're used to. We train on this pitch every day, the same with the team we meet, they train on grass pitches every day.

"They have an advantage on us, and we have an advantage on them. I think it's evened out.

"But of course, playing here at home is a big advantage for us because I don't think a lot of teams are prepared for what's coming.

"We have managed to do this in a successful way. The ball goes really fast here, and that's a key object for us."

Tottenham trained on Bodo's pitch on Wednesday, but Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was 'not impressed'.

"We knew about it before coming in," Vicario said. "Many teams have played here so nothing has worried us about the surface.

"You cannot change the condition of the pitch - it is just about how quickly you adapt.

"I don't have a lot of experience on [artificial surfaces] but it's fine. We will be ready."

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: talkSPORT coverage

This Europa League semi-final second leg will take place on Thursday, May 8.

Kick-off at Aspmyra Stadion is scheduled for 8pm.

talkSPORT 2 will have live coverage of the game.

Commentary will come from Alex Crook and former England striker Dean Ashton.

To tune in to talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

talkSPORT.com will be running a live blog of the action too.

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: talkSPORT BET Odds

Match odds:

Bodo/Glimt - 6/4

Draw - 27/10

Tottenham - 6/4

To qualify:

Bodo/Glimt - 9/2

Tottenham - 1/9

*odds subject to change 18+ gambleaaware.org

Bodo/Glimt will bid to make their unique name a permanent fixture in the European history books when they battle Tottenham tonight.

The Norwegian side trail Spurs 3-1 from the first-leg of their Europa League semi-final last week, but have reason to remain hopeful.

Bodo, who could fit the entire population of the club's hometown into Spurs' stadium and still have 22,000 empty seats, will look to continue their impressive home record at the Aspymyra Stadion.

Kjetil Knutsen's side, who only won their first Norwegian league title in 2020, have several unique features, including their plastic pitch.

Bodo decides amongst the squad who should be captain for each game, while their fans are often armed with yellow toothbrushes.

However, perhaps most interesting of all is their name, which stands alone among the Athletics, Uniteds, Cities, and Towns of the world.

Why does Bodo/Glimt have a slash in its name?

The Eliteserien (Norwegian top division) outfit was originally founded in 1916 as Fotballklubben Glimt.

This translates into English as 'football club' followed by the Norwegian word for flash.

They initially changed their name to Fotballklubben Bodo-Glimt in 1948 because an older club from Trøndelag had the same name.

The inclusion of the word Bodo was in reference to the club's hometown in Norway and was originally joined by a hyphen.

During the 1980s, that gradually evolved into a forward slash.

This was to avoid confusion on betting slips and printed scorelines in newspapers, where hyphens were typically used to separate two different teams.

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: talkSPORT coverage

This Europa League semi-final second leg will take place on Thursday, May 8.

Kick-off at Aspmyra Stadion is scheduled for 8pm.

talkSPORT 2 will have live coverage of the game.

Commentary will come from Alex Crook and former England striker Dean Ashton.

To tune in to talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

talkSPORT.com will be running a live blog of the action too.

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: talkSPORT BET Odds

Match odds:

Bodo/Glimt - 6/4

Draw - 27/10

Tottenham - 6/4

To qualify:

Bodo/Glimt - 9/2

Tottenham - 1/9

*odds subject to change

Tottenham may have one foot in the Europa League final - but fans with good memories will remember how wrong things can quickly go.

Spurs are 3-1 up on aggregate heading into their second leg tie against Bodo/Glimt - live on talkSPORT 2 - and are looking for just their seventh cup final since one went awry in bizarre circumstances 30 years ago.

We hear plenty about how the north London side haven’t won a trophy since 2008, but rarely do we speak about their bad luck before that.

Yet in the FA Cup in the 1994/95 season, a substitution remembered as one of the strangest of all time left many fans thinking they were cursed.

Spurs hosted Everton at White Hart Lane with a shot at Wembley just around the corner.

The hosts were competing for Europe while the visitors were fighting relegation, and in the home line up was Jurgen Klinsmann, who was almost guaranteed of a goal.

From the off it was Everton who took the impetus, though, with Matt Jackson scoring ten minutes before half-time and Graham Stuart scoring ten minutes after it to leave the hosts reeling.

Then came the usual Klinsmann goal, one his 29 strikes that campaign, and it looked like the tie was back on - only for the German marksman to be upstaged in the most bizarre of circumstances.

Everton's first choice striker Paul Rideout went down injured in the 71st minute, and up popped the much maligned £3million summer signing Daniel Amokachi to take his place.

However, as it instantly became clear, Toffees manager Joe Royle hadn't sanctioned his entrance, with the Nigerian slipping through to the fourth official who allowed him to enter the pitch.

Amokachi recalled: "Rideout got a knock and went down, and if you play the same position you jump off your feet and start warming up and getting ready.

"He got up but went down again. Everybody knew I was in very good shape and ready to go.

“I just went to Willie [Donachie, assistant manager] and I told him, 'The gaffer says you need me on.'”

Donachie and the fourth official quickly realised they’d been fooled, with Royle ranting and raving, unable to do anything about Amokachi’s self-substitution.

"When you look back at the clip, you can see how furious Joe Royle was,” the striker remembered.

“He ran to the touchline, [saying] 'What are you guys doing?' I looked back at him - we had done it already. If you pull me back, we'll play with one less anyway.”

Then two moments that will live in FA Cup folklore came as Amokachi ended Spurs’ fightback with a far-post header and then another tap in to make it 4-1.

Recalling the scenes, Amokachi said: "Ten minutes later - bang. And then another goal - bang - and Everton were in the final.

“Legendary moments like that keep your name in the limelight.

"It was meant to be, because if I didn't score then it would probably have been my last game for Everton.”

Royle soon saw the funny side, and told the media post-match: “It was the greatest substitution I never made.”

Yet back in the dressing room, he was sure to issue a stern warning.

"It was the gaffer that went to the press conference and told the whole world about it,” the Man of the Match explained.

"Then he came into the locker room and hugged me, gave me his hand and said, 'Well done, son, but never try that again.'"

In the final, Amokachi didn’t have to try his trick again, with Rideout scoring the opener against Manchester United on the half-hour mark.

Amokachi made his way on in the 69th minute, but the game was done, and Everton were champions.

"Beating the mighty Manchester United in the final, nobody saw it coming," the first Nigerian to win the FA Cup said.

"And we did it because of that character that Joe Royle brought into the team. It is a day I will never forget."

Tottenham Hotspur have a two-goal cushion to take to Norway after winning the first leg of this Europa League semi-final 3-1. But Bødo/Glimt will believe they can still turn the tie around.

Tottenham will have to dig deep to ensure they do not throw away their aggregate advantage. Will Spurs get the job done, or can Bødo/Glimt mastermind a dramatic turnaround?

Bødo/Glimt vs Tottenham Hotspur best bets

Bødo/Glimt to win - 9/5 with BetMGM

Bødo/Glimt to score first - 11/10 with Spreadex

Kasper Høgh to score any time - 6/4 with Tote

Bødo/Glimt vs Tottenham Hotspur odds

Find the latest match odds for Bødo/Glimt vs Tottenham Hotspur. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.

Bødo/Glimt vs Tottenham Hotspur predictions

They surely cannot mess this up, can they?

Tottenham Hotspur lead Bødo/Glimt 3-1 on aggregate at the midway point of their Europa League semi-final. Ange Postecoglou’s side are now strong favourites to advance to the final.

Yet Spurs fans are not 100 percent confident ahead of the second leg on Thursday. Without a trophy since 2008, Tottenham have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on numerous occasions in the past 17 years. Their supporters are naturally a pessimistic bunch.

A 3-0 advantage would have allowed Tottenham to feel a lot more comfortable. They looked to be on course for a clean sheet last week after goals from Brennan Johnson, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke.

In the end, though, they could not quite keep the back door shut. Ulrik Saltnes struck in the 83rd minute to cut the deficit and give Bødo/Glimt a glimmer of hope ahead of the second leg.

Spurs were deserved winners last time out. They actually had less of the ball than their opponents, but they were much more incisive and productive when they did have it.

Tottenham outshot Bødo/Glimt 24-3. Seven of their attempts found the target, whereas only one of Bødo’s did. Reproduce those numbers here and Postecoglou’s team will be in the final.

Even so, there are good reasons why Tottenham fans are refusing to celebrate yet. One concerns their own vulnerability. Spurs have lost more than half of their Premier League games this season. These players are no strangers to defeat.

Then there are the issues specifically related to Bødo/Glimt. The 8,270-capacity Aspmyra Stadion up in the Arctic Circle is not an easy place to go. Bødo/Glimt play on an artificial pitch unfamiliar to their opponents.

The good news for Tottenham is that they do not necessarily have to win on Thursday. Even a narrow defeat would be enough to send them through to the final, where it looks like Manchester United will be waiting.

Despite being 16th in the Premier League, this could still be a successful season for Spurs. But before they start thinking about a long-overdue trophy-lift, Tottenham must stand up to be counted in Norway.

Bødo/Glimt vs Tottenham Hotspur betting tips

Tottenham Hotspur travel to northern Norway to take on Bødo/Glimt in the Europa League.

Bødo/Glimt to win

The Bødo/Glimt story is a fascinating one. This is not a historically successful Norwegian club, but since 2020 they have won four league titles.

Kjetil Knutsen’s side (the 56-year-old has been in charge for seven years now) have also made admirable progress in Europe during that time, particularly this season.

Lazio topped the inaugural league phase but they lost 2-0 away to Bødo/Glimt in the quarter-finals.

Porto, Besiktas and Olympiacos have also come unstuck at the Aspmyra Stadion this season, as did Jose Mourinho’s Roma and Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic in previous campaigns.

Tottenham could be the Norwegian outfit’s latest victims on Thursday.

⚽ Choose Bødo/Glimt to win at 9/5 with BetMGM ⚽

Bødo/Glimt to score first

It is essential for Bødo/Glimt to take the lead on the night. If Tottenham were to score first, it would almost be lights out for Knutsen’s charges.

There is a danger that Spurs will be caught between two stools here. Should they aim to extend their lead or protect what they have?

Bødo’s task is more straightforward and that clarity should help them in the opening exchanges of the match.

Given how many goals they have conceded this season, it is hard to have much faith in Tottenham’s backline holding out.

It is worth backing Bødo to draw first blood on Thursday, especially at these odds.

⚽ Tip Bødo/Glimt to score first at 11/10 with Spreadex ⚽

Kasper Høgh to score any time

No player has scored more goals in this season’s Europa League than Kasper Høgh.

The Danish striker has found the back of the net seven times in this competition, putting him level at the top of the charts with Bruno Fernandes and Ayoub El Kaabi of Olympiacos.

Hogh is the man Bødo/Glimt look to for goals and they will need him to step up in this semi-final second leg.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were given the weekend off, so Tottenham’s first-choice centre-back pairing should be fresh for Thursday.

That will not necessarily be enough to keep Hogh quiet, though.

⚽ Back Kasper Høgh to score any time at 6/4 with Tote ⚽

📺 How to watch Bødo/Glimt vs Tottenham Hotspur

Location: Aspmyra Stadion, Bødo, Norway.

Date and time: Thursday 8th May, 8pm.

How to watch: TNT Sports 2.

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Ange Postecoglou claimed talking about Tottenham 'does crazy things to people', including former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

Wenger, who is now FIFA's chief of global football development, drew the ire of Tottenham and Manchester United fans on Tuesday when he suggested the winners of the Europa League shouldn't be guaranteed a spot in next season's Champions League.

The Frenchman believed it was something UEFA had 'to think about and to review', especially since the Premier League would have five teams in the Champions League next season thanks to their improved ranking in UEFA's coefficients.

But Postecoglou has returned serve in emphatic fashion and declared people 'try and diminish' his club at every turn.

"Well, I mean that's a debate that's been raging for years, like at least the last eight days," Postecoglou said.

"I've never heard that before. I've said it before, mate, Spurs does crazy things to people. It does, it does.

"You put that club into any sentence or any issue, and invariably they all come out and try and diminish as much as they can.

"Why wasn't there an issue before and it's an issue now, what's the difference? I don't understand what the difference is.

"Last year, fifth didn't get you into the Champions League, this year it does. What does that mean?

"There are competition rules and the rules say that the winner goes into [the Champions League] and it's not the first year, and there isn't an asterisk against it that you have to do something else as well.

"But it's Spurs, mate, they love it. They love it. Oh, they love it, you love it, don't you?"

UEFA tweaked competition rules in 2014 for the winner of the Europa League to qualify for the next season's Champions League.

It is a rule Tottenham stand to benefit from as they hold a 3-1 lead over Bodo/Glimt going into the second leg in their Europa League semi-final tie.

Should Postecoglou's side maintain their advantage, they appear poised to play United in the final after Ruben Amorim's side beat Athletic Club 3-0 in the first leg.

Victory in the Europa League is the only possible route for both Tottenham and United to play European football next season and all the riches that come with it due to their appallingly low positions in the Premier League.

However, Tottenham will have to do it without James Maddison after he was confirmed to be out for the season with a knee injury he picked up in the first leg.

Thursday's clash in Norway will also come too soon for skipper Heung-Min Son.

But Postecoglou has been given a major boost in the form of striker Dominic Solanke, who was another casualty of the first leg when he exited the contest with a quad complaint.

"Dom's good, he's been able to train fully for the past couple of days, so he's no problem," Postecoglou said.

"Disappointing for Sonny. He was pushing hard.

"He has progressed, there's the possibility of him getting some game time on the weekend for us, but he hasn't trained with the team yet, but he is progressing, so we'll just wait and see how he goes."

Dominic Solanke has named the Premier League defender who has 'got everything'.

The Tottenham striker did not hesitate when asked who the toughest opponent he has faced in his career.

Solanke has already made 311 senior club appearances at the age of 27.

Of those, 10 have been against Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, who Solanke believes is the 'most difficult' to come up against.

The forward told Rio Ferdinand Presents, live at Fanatics Collectibles: "It’s always Van Dijk. He’s just got everything. Strong, quick, leader. So I’d probably say he’s the most difficult."

Solanke has won just two of his 10 meetings with Van Dijk across his time at Bournemouth and Spurs.

Meanwhile, their remaining eight matches against each other have ended in victory for the Dutch defender, with all of them coming for Liverpool.

Van Dijk has also limited Solanke to just two goals against him, both of which were scored in defeats this season.

The England international was also asked about the young talent coming through at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Discussing which starlets fans should look out for, he said: "Other than the obvious two, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, who have been playing quite a bit this season.

"I think they’ve got huge careers ahead of them. They’ve been really good this season.

"Someone that hasn’t played as much, Mikey Moore. He’s a really talented boy, very direct and a good winger. So I think he’s got a bright future as well."

Since signing for the club last summer, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall have made a combined 87 appearances for Ange Postecoglou's side.

As for Mikey Moore, the academy graduate was handed his senior debut aged 16 in May 2024.

Still only 17, he has already featured for England at Under-19 level.

The winger has made a total of 19 first-team appearances for Spurs, scoring once and providing two assists.

His tally could have been even higher had he not missed two months through illness earlier this season.

Moore has even been compared to Neymar by team-mate James Maddison this season.

The midfielder was impressed by the teenager against AZ Alkmaar in October, telling TNT Sports: "From minute 45 to 65 I thought we had Neymar on the left wing.

"He was brilliant, demanding the ball, fearless, with that young fearless mentality and you never want to take that away from him."

Moore played a starring role in the Europa League victory before receiving a standing ovation from the crowd as he was withdrawn.

Solanke was speaking to Ferdinand alongside friend and footballing rival Tosin Adarabioyo at Fanatics Collectibles.

The Spurs and Chelsea stars are both trading card collectors and joined Rio Ferdinand at the new store on Regent Street to celebrate the opening.

Aston Villa vs Tottenham has been rescheduled to a new date later this month.

The Premier League fixture was originally earmarked for May 18 with an unconfirmed kick-off time amid the clubs' potential appearances in European finals.

However, Spurs are in the Europa League semi-finals and lead Bodo/Glimt 3-1, with the second leg live on talkSPORT 2 on Thursday.

The final is scheduled to be played at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain on May 21.

Spurs would therefore have just three days to prepare to face either Manchester United or Athletic Bilbao after playing away at Villa.

United, meanwhile, were scheduled to get an extra 48 hours of preparation if they make the final , with their fixture against Chelsea on May 16.

After a request from Spurs, the Premier League have decided that the match at Villa Park will be backdated to May 16, which is ten days away.

Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast, Villa legend Gabby Agbonlahor expressed his disappointed at the change of date: "I'm hearing that Aston Villa's home game against Spurs has been moved to Friday 16 May.

"So that they play on the same night as Manchester United do, so it gives them the same amount of rest as Manchester United for the final of the Europa League.

"But, I don't like that because Aston Villa fans, I've seen it all over social media, it's only ten days away. They're paying for tickets, they're paying for flights, they're paying for hotels.

"The Premier League now have done Spurs a favour, when they didn't do it for Aston Villa when they had PSG [in the Champions League]. Is that a 'Top Six' bias that they're using? I don't get it."

Amid their concerns, the north London club announced to fans they were in discussions with the Premier League over a change.

"We should like to inform supporters that we are in discussions with the Premier League regarding a change in date to our away Premier League match against Aston Villa, currently scheduled for Sunday 18 May."

"Further information surrounding this fixture will be announced in due course."

The Premier League, in consultation with both Spurs and Villa, considered the request and this resulted in the change of date.

Furthermore, there is room for support, when possible, from the league for clubs who reach later stages of European competitions.

Spurs are all but confirmed as Europa League finalists after a dominant first leg performance at home to Bodo/Glimt last Thursday.

Brennan Johnson, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke all scored before a late goal from the visitors denied them a clean sheet.

Thursday's second leg could be more challenging, with Bodo/Glimt's home ground Aspmyra Stadion having artificial turf on the pitch.

However, Spurs will be more than confident in their ability to cross the line and reach their first European final since 2019.

As it stands, United will meet them later this month for an all-English clash as they lead Bilbao 3-0 on aggregate.

Spurs and United will be desperate to win the trophy to make up for their hugely underwhelming Premier League seasons.

They are 16th and 15th respectively, with Europa League glory their only chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season.