The Sun

IT all comes down to this for Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United when the pair meet in tonight's huge Europa League final.

The Premier League's 17th and 16th placed sides have suffered a dismal domestic campaign, but for one of them, their season will be saved by continental glory - and a spot in next season's Champions League.

SunSport have enlisted the help of their betting experts to preview the European showdown and select the best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses from our leading betting partners.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United preview

A pretty disastrous season will all be forgiven for ONE of these sides in Wednesday's do-or-die final.

Plenty has been made about Tottenham and Manchester United's dire campaigns but it's still ridiculous to fathom them heading into the final Premier League weekend in 17th and 16th, respectively.

But they'd given up on the league long before now and focused on this competition and the riches it brings.

For United, it'd be the latest trophy secured despite a string of below-par seasons and for Spurs it ends a long wait for a big trophy.

For both, it completely transforms their summer plans by banking a £100m Champions League bonus for earning their spot in amongst Europe's elite next season.

United are actually the only side to remain unbeaten in Europe this season having won nine and drawn five of their 14 ties on the continent.

A far cry from the 18 league defeats from 37 played. Though even that is less than the 21 suffered by Spurs.

Both sides were beaten on Friday night by Champions League chasing sides, though United did field a strong XI while Spurs opted to rest most of their key men.

Spurs do go into the final without James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski but Son Heung-min has been getting minutes into his legs in the last two outings and his return is a big boost.

Tottenham are unbeaten in the last SIX games against Manchester United in all competitive competitions - winning four of those, including the last three.

Tottenham vs Man Utd latest odds

Tottenham at 9/5 with William Hill - CLAIM HERE

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To lift the trophy

Spurs - 10/11

Man Utd - 4/5

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Tottenham vs Man Utd betting predictions and tips

Yellow warning

Noussair Mazraoui went 15 starts without a booking in the Man Utd defence.

But it's now two yellows in his last three games as a long season and continued presence potentially begins to take its toll.

Spurs' wing backs and wingers are clearly their best avenue of attack and that puts further pressure on the United back line.

Mazraoui was also booked in cup game between the teams at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier in season.

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Porring it on

Speaking of Spurs full backs, Pedro Porro has stepped up in an attacking sense in recent weeks and will be a key outlet for Ange Postecoglou's men.

For a right back, he has two goals and two assists in his last six appearances before being rested on Friday night.

Can add to either of those stats here against a United side who've conceded seven times in last four games.

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OLIVER GLASNER and Xavi top the betting to become the next Tottenham Hotspur manager.

Bookmakers talkSPORT BET can't split the pair as the 4/1 joint-favourites to replace Ange Postecoglou - irrespective of how tonight's Europa League final pans out.

Tottenham's run to the final has been terrific, though a far cry from the domestic woes.

Only the three, poor relegated sides sit below them in the Premier League table ahead of the final day.

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They've lost more Premier League games (21) so far than they have had wins and draws (11, 5) COMBINED.

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Though it's also right to point out their injury record has been astonishing at times, with players forced to play out of position in what has been a hectic schedule.

Postecoglou has had to fight his corner for much of the second half of this season, though even if winning in Bilbao tonight, it would appear the writing is on the wall that he won't be here next season.

Who are the favourites for the Spurs job?

The talkSPORT BET betting markets have Oliver Glasner and Xavi (4/1) at the top of the next Spurs manager market.

Glasner's stock couldn't be higher after leading Crystal Palace to their first ever major trophy at Wembley this season.

While Xavi has remained out of work since getting the bullet as Barcelona boss at the tail-end of last season.

Scott Parker (5/1) is understood to be highly thought of in the Spurs hierarchy having guided Burnley back to the Premier League for next year and he's just ahead of Brentford boss Thomas Frank (6/1), who is destined for a really top job soon.

Frank is the same price as Francesco Farioli, who recently left Ajax after a complete collapse in the Eredivisie left them as runners-up to PSV despite holding a huge advantage in the closing weeks.

Mauricio Pochettino is 8/1 to make his return to Tottenham, just ahead of Andoni Iraola, Kieran McKenna and Roberto De Zerbi all at 10/1.

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GARY NEVILLE and other top pundits have shared their predictions for the Europa League final.

Manchester United and Tottenham do battle in Bilbao with the Red Devils the bookies' favourites to win.

Thousands of fans have descended on the city centre including pundits and club legends, who have shared their thoughts ahead of kick-off.

The likes of Neville, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes have been critical of their former side United for the majority of the season, though Spurs have also been slated after losing 21 league games this term.

Here is what pundits have had to say ahead of the final.

Gary Neville

Neville has tipped the Red Devils to bring the trophy back to Manchester.

He said: "I think United will win on Wednesday night.

"Winning the Europa League would be the silver lining around a very dark cloud. To win a trophy should never be disrespected.

"It would be a brilliant achievement to win three trophies in three years in an era when United have been really poor. But to be where they are in the league is incredible. However, I think United will win.

"I think they’ve players in there that will feel that occasion. Bruno [Fernandes], Casemiro - want it, need it in their lives. I agree with the belief. I do feel confident in United just getting through this game."

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Roy Keane

Keane echoed Neville's sentiment, suggesting United's pedigree should see them over the line.

The pundit said: "You still have to fancy United, someone like Bruno can produce, the history of Manchester United still carries a little bit of weight.

"There’s not much between them [in the league] but come the crunch, come the final, United’s history in finals, them winning cups the last few years, you’d like to think they would have a bit more knowledge around the game than Spurs.

"That might edge it for them, and I think Bruno can produce that bit of magic."

Alan Shearer

Shearer is more optimistic about Spurs' chances despite labelling Ange Postecoglou's side "rancid" and "rotten".

The legendary striker added: "My prediction is going to be 2-2 or 3-3 after extra-time and Spurs to win on penalties."

Gary Lineker

Former Tottenham star Lineker agreed with his colleague Shearer that there will be goals.

However he found it difficult to predict a winner.

In response to Shearer's comment, he replied: “Oh, he’s gone full on there, sounds like a World Cup final. I’m going to have to go for Spurs, I couldn’t not."

Shearer responded: "After 90 minutes?”

Lineker said: "Well, I’ve got this feeling that it’s the teams that have not won for ages this year.

"And I think they’re going to, I don’t know about 90 minutes or, I think it could easily go to extra-time."

Micah Richards

The final member of the Rest is Football podcast, Richards, has offered a different view to Shearer and Lineker.

He tipped a 1-0 United win, adding: "I think a lot of people have laughed off Casemiro or laughed at him for a while now.

"But I think in these competitions, sometimes it goes down to set pieces. So I’m going to say Bruno [Fernandes] assist for a Casemiro goal, one-nil."

Jamie Carragher

Carragher is another who can't look past United's stature and their knack of winning trophies - even in recent years as performances have dipped.

He said on Sky Sports: "I think United will win. Spurs have injury problems as they have had all season.

"I just think United have an ability to still win games. They beat Man City in the FA Cup final last season. The club have still got that feeling, the supporters going there.

"I think the United supporters will be going there expecting something.

"I think if Tottenham went in front United could still win, but if United go in front I couldn't see where Tottenham will find something to go and win the game."

Man Utd vs Spurs - Europa League final: LIVE BLOG for Bilbao clash

Paul Scholes

Another United legend who backs his former side to get over the line, Scholes points out Spurs' weakness with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski absent through injury.

"There are players like Fernandes, Amad, Garnacho, Son, Solanke and Johnson who are capable of match-winning moments.

"It is more likely that a mistake rather than a bit of quality will decide the game, but with these two teams, anything can happen.

"I think without Maddison and Kulusevski, Spurs are forced to be more defensive. Those two are the best players and make the team tick and play good football.

"They both played a part and scored in Spurs’ three wins over United this season. They make a huge difference to this Spurs team and without them, they are massively weaker.

"It’s so hard to call this game. I think with Spurs missing those two key players and United having more experience in finals and winning trophies, I just favour United to get over the line."

Rio Ferdinand

Ferdinand shared concerns over United's physicality, arguing it has been a problem in the Prem this campaign.

He suggests it would be foolish to write off Tottenham, saying: "I have to be honest, I can’t call a Man United result.

"They’re so inconsistent or they have consistently been bad in the Premier League. But the fact that they are playing against Spurs, another consistently bad team in the Premier League. But they have players who can win a match. It makes it such a hard game to call.

"I don’t think the fans can be too surprised (if Spurs win).

"They beat us three times already this season, so it’s not going to be a surprise if they beat us a fourth time. I think it’s only going to be stupid people that are going, 'Oh my god, I can’t believe this'."

Joe Cole

The former England star has appeared as a pundit covering the Europa League for several years so knows a thing or two about the competition.

Cole said ahead of the final: "I always like both teams to score when Tottenham are playing so I’ll be going with that again here. Can you bet on both teams to lose? No? Are we sure? How do we go about this game?

"I’m happy to go either way, but I’m going to put my neck on the line and go for Spurs in the 90 minutes – only because I’ve got some mates travelling all around the world in 80 days to get there so I want Spurs to win for them!"

Teddy Sheringham

Tottenham and United legend Sheringham is expecting it to rain goals in Bilbao because he has no faith in the defences of either side.

He declared: "I could see there being a lot of goals in the game, because neither team can defend, and neither of them want to play defensively. I see a very high-scoring, open game. I’m going to predict a 4-3 win, but I don’t know which team will edge it.

"I think either way, it’s going to be goals galore and it will be end-to-end stuff. If I was looking at this from United's point of view, then I would be looking at the weaknesses in the Tottenham defence, but as I said, United’s back four is hardly a tight ship.

"If it goes to penalties. I think the pressure will be massively on Manchester United. A shootout could really affect them mentally, with all the implications of the result."

BILBAO is bursting at the seams as thousands of boozed-up Brits bring the party to fever pitch with just hours to go until Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur face off in the Europa League final.

The all-English showdown is set to kick off imminently, and fans have turned the Basque city into a sea of red and white, with pints flying and chants echoing through the streets.

Up to 70,000 footie fans have flocked from the UK to sunny Bilbao where spirits are at an all-time high - despite some taking a 32-hour ferry ride to get there.

Now, the pint-soaked plazas and narrow cobbled lanes of the buzzing Basque capital have been transformed into a raucous festival of football, with shirtless fans belting out terrace anthems and flares lighting up the skies.

The stakes couldn’t be higher — for Spurs, it’s a shot at ending their 16-year trophy drought and silencing years of ridicule.

For United, battered by a bruising domestic campaign, this final is a last-ditch lifeline to salvage pride and bag a golden ticket back into the Champions League.

With banners flying, beers clinking, and nerves jangling, both sets of fans know this night could rewrite their season — or deepen the misery.

Bilbao bars have been flooded with Brit fans chanting and drinking ahead of the anticipated final tonight.

Both sets of supporters have been pictured marching through the streets, chanting songs with drinks in hand as they gear up for the Europa League final.

Some fans partied too hard, with a fuming Bilbao citizen seen swinging a stick at a rowdy United fan after flags were plastered on his balcony - with another Devils fan dancing on a balcony completely naked.

But despite the largely peaceful scenes, violence briefly flared between supporters in San Sebastian, around 60 miles from Bilbao, as drunk yobs exchanged punches in a side street.

Chairs, glasses and a metal table were thrown in shameful scenes after drunk opposing fans hit out.

An ugly fight also took place between two groups of supporters at a bar in the port city of Santander an hour’s drive west of Bilbao.

Footage of the punch-up at the Siboney Cafe showed a group of young Manchester United supporters goading two Spurs fans believed to be a father and son.

One stuck his middle finger up at the pair as he walked by them, leading to a brief orgy of violence.

The same group of Man United fans were also blamed for another fight shortly afterwards in a nearby bar called Tribeca.

Images show one Spurs fan playing the trumpet for gargantuan crowds, while Man United supporters hold up their beers to cheers.

Footage taken by The Sun showed fans filling the streets, with around 70,000 fans thought to have flocked to Spain - despite the stadium being at 53,000-capacity.

Some have braved an epic 32-hour-plus ferry ride which set sail at 10pm on Sunday evening and didn't arrive until this morning.

With flights to Spain rocketing over £1,000 after the Prem teams sealed their final spots, many took advantage of the cheaper sea-route option, which set them back £260 for a cabin.

The sky-high air prices are due to just six direct flights from Britain to the Basque region’s industrial port city each day.

And with only 65 hotels in Spain’s tenth largest city, accommodation has been fully-booked for weeks.

Each club has millions of fans across the globe, but since there are just 14,000 tickets allocated to each team, bagging a seat to the showpiece event has been a tricky task.

On Sunday night, precious tickets to the big game were selling on the black market for up to £10,000.

EasyJet was charging £1,823 to fly from Gatwick to Bilbao on Wednesday morning and return on Thursday morning, while the cheapest hotels for Wednesday night cost around £1,200.

But for those fans who managed to snap up the golden tickets, footage has shown them enjoying themselves.

Despite dismal Premier League seasons - United finishing 16th in the table and Spurs in 17th, perilously close to the relegation zone - die-hard supporters were emptying their bank accounts and flocking to Bilbao.

Aside from European glory, the victorious team qualifies for next season’s cash-riddled Champions League, worth a cool £100m to the club lifting the prized trophy.

The travel chaos endured by thousands of footie fans has mirrored the 1987 American road trip comedy movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles starring Steve Martin and John Candy.

Spurs fan John Affleck of Enfield, Herts., was today enjoying local delicacy pintxos - snacks on a slice of bread resembling an open sandwich - washed down with Sangria.

He told The Sun: “I flew to Madrid then got the train down. There are no hotel rooms so I'm bunking up with a pal on his hotel floor.

"The trip will cost me more than £5,000. I'm broke, but I really don't care. We just need to win."

Frank Johns, a Red Devils season ticket holder, jetted out yesterday from Heathrow via Schiphol in Amsterdam.

He said: "It has been a pitiful season but none of that will matter if we lift the trophy."

Under-fire Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou face the chop if they don’t prevail in the final - cruelly dubbed "El Crapico" by rival fans and pundits.

Amorim masterminded Manchester United’s 7-1 semi-final demolition of ten-man Athletic Bilbao.

And Postecoglou guided his Tottenham team to a 5-1 triumph over Norwegians Bodo/Glimt in the other to set up the all-English final.

Tottenham were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final, while Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in the Europa League final in the same year.

United beat Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final and Spurs KO’d Wolves to win the 1972 Uefa Cup.

Tottenham have already beaten the Manchester outfit on three occasions this season - twice in the league and once in the Carabao Cup.

They are looking to end a trophy drought that dates back to 2008 and has hung over the club - to the delight of opposing fans.

United meanwhile have continued to be dire in the Prem with Amorim claiming his side are "not ready" to be competitive domestically and in the Champions League.

THIS is the shocking moment a brawl erupts between Manchester United and Tottenham fans as punches get thrown ahead of the Europa League final.

Up to 70,000 Man Utd and Tottenham fans have flooded the streets of sunny Bilbao in good spirits and with drinks flowing.

But in nearby San Sebastian, the mood took a dark turn with footage surfacing on X of a fight between the two sets of supporters.

In the shocking video, a large group of football hooligans are seen brawling as they throw objects and punches at each other.

Residents alerted authorities at around 9.20pm after they witnessed violent behaviour on Fermín Calbetón Street.

Witnesses say the fight broke out when two large groups of supporters began shouting and hurling insults,

It quickly escalated into a full-blown brawl, with both Man Utd and Spurs fans grabbing whatever they could to throw at each other.

One hooligan overturned a terrace table and used it as a weapon against the other group.

Drinks and bins were also hurled, creating a chaotic scene that posed a serious risk to local businesses and passersby.

Several local police patrols rushed to the scene after reports of the brawl and quickly restored order.

No arrests have been made so far, but officers have stayed in the area to keep the situation under control.

An ambulance was also dispatched, with several people treated at the scene.

However, after further assessment, staff determined no one needed to be taken to the hospital.

It comes as tens of thousands of Brits landed in Bilbao ahead of the highly anticipated final.

Some are braving an epic 32-hour-plus ferry ride which set sail at 10pm on Sunday evening and won't arrive until 8am on Tuesday morning.

With flights to Spain rocketing over £1,000 after the Prem teams sealed their final spots, many took advantage of the cheaper sea-route option, which set them back £260 for a cabin.

The sky-high air prices are due to just six direct flights from Britain to the Basque region’s industrial port city each day.

And with only 65 hotels in Spain’s tenth largest city, accommodation has been fully booked for weeks.

Each club has millions of fans across the globe, but since there are just 14,000 tickets allocated to each team, bagging a seat to the showpiece event has been a tricky task.

Last night, precious tickets to the big game were selling on the black market for up to £10,000.

EasyJet was charging £1,823 to fly from Gatwick to Bilbao on Wednesday morning and return on Thursday morning, while the cheapest hotels for Wednesday night cost around £1,200.

But for those fans who managed to snap up the golden tickets, footage has shown them enjoying themselves.

A Bilbao bar was flooded with Brit fans chanting and drinking ahead of the anticipated final.

Spurs fans were also seen welcoming the team bus as it arrived in the city one day before the clash.

Footage taken by The Sun showed fans arriving to fill the streets of Bilbao about 40 hours before kick-off.

Both sets of supporters have been pictured marching through the streets, chanting songs with beers in hand as they gear up for the Europa League final.

MANCHESTER UNITED will be without Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez for tomorrow night's Europa League final.

Ruben Amorim's squad for the blockbuster Bilbao clash has been confirmed with De Ligt and Martinez the only two senior players missing out on a place on the plane.

Man Utd vs Spurs - Europa League final: Kick-off time, TV channel and live stream info for Bilbao clash

De Ligt had been facing a late fitness battle to return in time for the final having picked up a knock against Brentford earlier this month.

The central defender was not thought to have suffered a serious injury, but after sitting out clashes with Athletic Club, West Ham and Chelsea, he will now be forced to miss the final too.

Meanwhile Martinez was always going to miss the European clash after a ruptured ACL injury against Crystal Palace in February.

Despite the defensive blow to Amorim's side ahead of the all-English clash, they appear to have been handed a major boost up top.

That's because Joshua Zirkzee has been named in the travelling squad, despite Amorim previously claiming the Dutch striker was out for the season.

The Portuguese manager previously said of the forward: "He’s not going to play more this season. Let’s prepare him for the next one.

"It’s tough, especially in this moment. I think he’s improving in all aspects of the game, so it’s hard for any player to stop."

Diogo Dalot and Leny Yoro, who had both been considered doubts too, have also been named in the travelling squad.

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Full-back Dalot has beennursing a calf issue since the 1-0 loss to Wolves at Old Trafford on April 20.

Meanwhile Yoro suffered an injury in United's2-0 home defeat toWest Ham on May 11.

Young striker Chido Obi will also miss out on the trip due to being ineligible under Uefa rules following his switch from Arsenal in October.

Opponents Tottenham will be without a number of big hitters through injury too.

Ange Postecoglou will be unable to call on James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, with both creative outlets ruled out with knee injuries.

While Lucas Bergvall is thought to be a major doubt with an ankle ligament issue.

MANCHESTER UNITED will wear their red home shirts with black shorts and black socks for tomorrow's Europa League final.

The Red Devils have only worn the red, black, black combination once this season.

Ordinarily Ruben Amorim's side would wear red shirts with white shorts and black socks.

But with Tottenham having been drawn as the home team for the Europa League final, their home kit takes precedence.

In the Premier League, Ange Postecoglou's men wear white shirts with navy shorts and white socks.

For European games, however, Spurs wear all-white due to a 64-year-old tradition.

Rules dictate that clubs cannot wear the same colour shirts, shorts or socks.

So with Tottenham set to wear white shorts, Man Utd will switch to black.

The Red Devils have worn their red, black, black combination once this season.

That came in the 1-1 Europa League draw with Real Sociedad in March.

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Man Utd vs Spurs - Europa League final: Kick-off time, TV channel and live stream info for Bilbao clash

Joshua Zirkzee gave United a 57th minute lead on that occasion, with Mikel Oyarzabal levelling 13 minutes later.

Man Utd's goalkeeper will wear green in Bilbao, while Tottenham's will be in yellow.

Spurs' all-white tradition dates back to 1961.

Having become the first English side of the 20th century to win the league and FA Cup double, Bill Nicholson's side entered the European Cup for the first time.

The popular story suggests that Tottenham changed to all-white in order to emulate the famous Real Madrid side of the time.

But in reality, Nicholson, ever the innovator, made the change for practical reasons - deciding that an all-white kit would help visibility under the dodgy floodlights of the time.

The change has served Spurs well over the years, with the Lilywhites having won two Uefa Cups and a Uefa Cup Winners' Cup.

Man Utd vs Spurs - Europa League final: Kick-off time, TV channel and live stream info for Bilbao clash

EXCITED Brits have been flocking to Spain ahead of tomorrow’s glittering Tottenham versus Manchester United Europa League final.

Up to 70,000 fans have made the extraordinary exodus from the UK - with many already indulging in tasty cervezas in sunny Bilbao.

With just six daily direct flights from Britain to the Basque region’s industrial port city, supporters have been forced to create their own imaginative itineraries.

And with only 65 hotels in Spain’s tenth largest city, accommodation was fully booked weeks ago.

Each club has millions of fans across the globe, but since there are just 14,000 tickets allocated to each team, bagging a seat to the showpiece event has been a tricky task.

Last night, precious tickets to the big game were selling on the black market for up to £10,000.

EasyJet was charging £1,823 to fly from Gatwick to Bilbao on Wednesday morning and return on Thursday morning, while the cheapest hotels for Wednesday night cost around £1,200.

But for those fans who managed to snap up the golden tickets, footage has shown them enjoying themselves.

A Bilbao bar was flooded with Brit fans chanting and drinking ahead of the anticipated final.

Spurs fans were also seen welcoming the team bus as it arrived in the city one day before the clash.

Footage taken by The Sun showed fans arriving to fill the streets of Bilbao about 40 hours before kick-off.

Despite dismal Premier League seasons - United finishing 16th in the table and Spurs in 17th, perilously close to the relegation zone - die-hard supporters were emptying their bank accounts and flocking to Bilbao.

Aside from European glory, the victorious team qualifies for next season’s cash-riddled Champions League, worth a cool £100m to the club lifting the prized trophy.

The travel chaos endured by thousands of footie fans has mirrored the 1987 American road trip comedy movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles starring Steve Martin and John Candy.

Spurs fan John Affleck of Enfield, Herts., was today enjoying local delicacy pintxos - snacks on a slice of bread resembling an open sandwich - washed down with Sangria.

He told The Sun: “I flew to Madrid then got the train down. There are no hotel rooms so I'm bunking up with a pal on his hotel floor.

"The trip will cost me more than £5,000. I'm broke, but I really don't care. We just need to win."

Frank Johns, a Red Devils season ticket holder, jetted out yesterday from Heathrow via Schiphol in Amsterdam.

He said: "It has been a pitiful season but none of that will matter if we lift the trophy."

Under-fire Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou face the chop if they don’t prevail in the final - cruelly dubbed "El Crapico" by rival fans and pundits.

Amorim masterminded Manchester United’s 7-1 semi-final demolition of ten-man Athletic Bilbao.

Man Utd vs Spurs - Europa League final: Kick-off time, TV channel and live stream info for Bilbao clash

And Postecoglou guided his Tottenham team to a 5-1 triumph over Norwegians Bodo/Glimt in the other to set up the all-English final.

A row over the winning side’s qualification to the Champions League, and the mega money windfall it brings in TV and advertising revenues, has been stoked by Arsene Wenger - ex-boss of Spurs’ rivals Arsenal.

The dour Frenchman believes neither the Red Devils or Spurs should be allowed to compete in the top tier European trophy.

Uefa changed its rules in 2014 to allow the winners of the Europa League to qualify for the Champions League - but Wenger believes this is "not right".

The ex-Gunners boss said: “No. They should qualify automatically for the Europa League but not necessarily for the Champions League.”

Since the rebranding of the Europa League, Uefa's second biggest continental club competition, in 2009-10, no team lower than 12th has reached the final or won it.

Sevilla, 12th in La Liga, lifted the trophy in 2023 while Fulham, who also finished 12th in the Prem in the 2009-10 campaign, lost the final to Atletico Madrid in 2010.

Wenger departed Arsenal in 2018 before being appointed FIFA's head of global football development a year later.

He has proposed a raft of controversial changes, including tweaks to the offside rule and a biennial World Cup.

The United-Spurs final is the fifth all-English European showpiece.

Tottenham were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final, while Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in the Europa League final in the same year.

United beat Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final and Spurs KO’d Wolves to win the 1972 Uefa Cup.

Tottenham have already beaten the Manchester outfit on three occasions this season - twice in the league and once in the Carabao Cup.

They are looking to end a trophy drought that dates back to 2008 and has hung over the club - to the delight of opposing fans.

United meanwhile have continued to be dire in the Prem with Amorim claiming his side are "not ready" to be competitive domestically and in the Champions League.

TOTTENHAM and Manchester United will meet in Bilbao on Wednesday for a Europa League date with destiny.

The Premier League strugglers both hold a golden opportunity to salvage their season by seizing glory in Spain.

Languishing 17th and 16th in the Prem respectively, Spurs and United have endured woeful league campaigns.

But several omens suggest that it could be a glorious end to a difficult season for either side.

TOTTENHAM

It's been well documented that Spurs have not won a trophy since lifting the League Cup in 2008.

Ange Postecoglou has come under fire for his side's awful league campaign.

But Juande Ramos and George Graham being Tottenham's most recent trophy-winning managers suggests that it's not necessarily their best or most popular bosses that can get them over the line.

Spurs can also take heart from seeing teams on far longer trophy droughts than them breaking their ducks.

In March, Newcastle upset the odds to beat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final - earning their first silverware since lifting the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969.

And just last week, Italian side Bologna won the Coppa Italia - beating AC Milan 1-0 in Rome to end a 51-year wait for a trophy.

Former Tottenham hero Harry Kane recently won the Bundesliga at the second time of asking, scoring 26 goals along the way to earning the first trophy of his career.

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Man Utd vs Spurs - Europa League final: Kick-off time, TV channel and live stream info for Bilbao clash

Most recently, Crystal Palace upset Manchester City in the FA Cup final to lift the first major silverware in their entire history.

It's been the season of fresh trophy winners - and Spurs will be hoping to join the party by earning their third Europa League triumph, having won its former iteration, the Uefa Cup, in 1971 and 1984.

MAN UTD

The Red Devils' mid-season managerial change is yet to bear fruit.

Erik ten Hag oversaw a dismal start to the campaign and was sacked following a 2-1 defeat to West Ham in October.

In came Ruben Amorim, but the 40-year-old has managed to mastermind just six victories in 26 Premier League matches at the helm.

Ahead of Wednesday night, however, United fans can cling to what happened the last time that they won the Europa League.

The Red Devils beat Ajax 2-0 in Stockholm eight years ago, courtesy of goals by Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

On that occasion they were managed by a Portuguese in Jose Mourinho, who had replaced a sacked FA Cup-winning Dutchman in Louis van Gaal.

Amorim is a Portuguese boss and replaced sacked Dutchman Ten Hag, who lifted the FA Cup last season...

In addition to this, United's rivals Manchester City last went trophyless in 2017.

United fans will be hoping that these omens can work in their favour come Wednesday night.

Man Utd vs Spurs - Europa League final: Kick-off time, TV channel and live stream info for Bilbao clash

IF ANGE POTSECOGLOU believes winning the Europa League could allow him to keep his Spurs job - he doesn’t know his Tottenham history.

It was in 1984 that Keith Burkinshaw won his third trophy as Tottenham chief, with Tony Parks’ shoot-out heroics seeing off Anderlecht to win the Uefa Cup.

Postecoglou’s modern-day Spurs are out to win the same trophy in Bilbao on Wednesday.

But like Yorkshireman Burkinshaw, Aussie Ange seems set for the exit door no matter what happens.

Although the current Spurs hierarchy have kept their counsel about Postecoglou, back 41 years ago, Burkinshaw’s imminent departure was known for weeks - much to the frustration of his squad.

Burkinshaw’s relationship with chairman Irving Scholar, always strained, had broken, irretrievably.

The manager believed it was his club, to manage as he saw fit.

Scholar believed otherwise.

The final, decisive breach came in March on the afternoon of the quarter-final second leg tie at Austria Vienna.

Burkinshaw subsequently explained: “About 4pm in the afternoon he came to my bedroom with the assistant chairman.

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“They said: 'You're not going to be allowed to run the club as you've been doing. We are going to bring in the players. We're going to decide how much they will get as wages.'

“And it went on and on. I said: 'Don't you think this is the wrong time to be coming in here, at 4pm when we've got a quarter final at quarter to eight....?'

“That started it all off. In the end I knew he'd been looking for another manager. I knew of it. And he'd made a proposal to one of them.”

That “another manager” was, in fact, Alex Ferguson, with Scholar under the impression that the then-Aberdeen boss wanted to come down to London.

Burkinshaw and Scholar agreed there was only one way to resolve their differences, with his players turning his imminent departure into a cause.

Graham Roberts, who skippered the side for the second leg in the absence of the suspended Steve Perryman, said: “We wanted to win it so much, not just for ourselves but also for Keith, because we all knew it was his last game at the club.

“But it was a Cup Final, in front of our own fans. You don't get the chance to do that very often in a career, if at all. It meant so much.”

Burkinshaw’s departure brought one of the most withering farewell comments in the history of the game.

Collared by waiting reporters as he walked away for the last time, he was ready to vent.

He explained: “I was really sick about it. And the way the club was run was being changed.

“Clubs were becoming Public Limited Companies. So they were being run as businesses rather than football clubs. So I said to one of the reporters, 'This used to be a football club here.'”