Manchester Evening News

Manchester United head into the half-time break 1-0 down against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final

Former Rangers striker Ally McCoist has pointed the finger towards Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Andre Onana after Tottenham Hotspur got a strange opening goal against Manchester United in the Europa League final.

United and Spurs were evenly matched for most of the first half in Bilbao with chances kept to a minimum for both sides. However, with just three minutes remaining in the first 45, Ange Postecoglou's side hit the front.

A cross from the left seemed to evade Maguire and find Johnson in the middle, who beat Shaw to the ball as it eventually ended up nestling in Onana's bottom corner. The goal will have completely changed the feeling in the United dressing room at half-time and McCoist believes the trio of Reds players could be at fault for conceding.

"It might have been a little bit scrappy," the TNT Sports pundit said immediately after the goal. "There is the delivery, he (Brennan Johnson) gets in behind and I think Maguire thinks the goalkeeper is coming but he doesn't.

"He doesn't think anyone is behind him but unfortunately for him he is wrong. Well it is scrappy isn't it, I think Shaw might even play it off him.

"It comes off Shaw there, does Johnson get a touch? Doesn't really matter does it?"

In the studio at the break, Rio Ferdinand also suggested that Patrick Dorgu could have done better for the opener. He felt the full-back did not do enough to inform Shaw that Johnson was breaking through to get on the delivery.

Either way, the final is now in Spurs' hands and United will need a big performance to get back in this. A reminder that the winner of tonight's final will qualify for next season's Champions League.

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Rio Ferdinand points blame at one Man United player for Tottenham goal - and it's not Luke Shaw

Tottenham Hotspur made the breakthrough against Manchester United in the Europa League final just before half-time.

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand criticised Patrick Dorgu for failing to communicate with Luke Shaw in the build up to Tottenham Hotspur drawing first blood in Wednesday night's Europa League final.

Spurs got their noses in front just a few minutes before half-time when Pape Matar Sarr's cross from the left was turned in by Brennan Johnson.

The Wales international turned the ball home from close range with the faintest of touches after the ball bounced off Shaw and headed towards the bottom corner of the goal.

Johnson made a darting run across Shaw to try and get to the ball first, and by the time the United defender had recognised his movement, the ball was in a position of danger.

However, Ferdinand took aim at Dorgu, who was the defender stationed furthest away from the ball at the time of Sarr's cross, for failing to warn Shaw of Johnson's darting run, suggesting a lack of experience let the Dane down.

Ferdinand told TNT Sports: "Dorgu, at no point in this, does he speak to Luke Shaw. I think you always need that help.

"Maybe it's an experience thing. He doesn't let him know. By the time he sees the white shirt flash across him, it's too late and the ball ends up in the back of the net.

"I always say the defender the furthest away is your talker and your eyes and ears. He has to signal the other players.

"He has to shout, scream, push, whatever, and let them know players are running across them, and he didn't do that and they got punished."

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What Tottenham players did before kick-off to make 'statement' to Manchester United

Tottenham Hotspur's players walked past Man United's pre-match huddle and into the Reds' half to try and rally their supporters.

Tottenham Hotspur's players did their best to rally their supporters ahead of kick-off against Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao by making a 'statement' seconds before kick-off.

After the coin toss had seen United's and Spurs' players switch sides, with United attacking towards their fans in the first half and Spurs doing likewise, Ange Postecoglou's players applauded their fans from inside United's half.

Spurs' players broke from their huddle and ventured into the United half while Ruben Amorim's players were still in their own huddle.

They each looked towards the end of the ground in which their supporters were housed and applauded, almost in a show of unity.

The Londoners, this evening, are looking to win their first trophy since 2008 and a first in Europe since 1984, meaning the occasion is arguably bigger for them than it is for United.

Their pre-match actions caught the attention of of TNT Sports co-commentator Ally McCoist, who described the actions of Tottenham's players as a "statement".

McCoist said: "I think it is a bit of a statement, to be honest. They have walked past the United players, straight to their own fans, doing their get together right in front of their own fans.

"It feels like a bit of a statement."

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Man United will be eyeing their first European trophy since 2017 when they face Tottenham Hotspur in Wednesday night's Europa League final.

Leny Yoro has been named in Manchester United's starting line-up for tonight's Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur at the San Mames Stadium.

Yoro was originally a doubt for the final after being forced off with a foot injury in United's 2-0 defeat to West Ham United at Old Trafford just over a week ago.

However, he trained at Carrington yesterday morning and was later included in United's 26-man travelling squad, suggesting he would be involved in the matchday squad in some capacity.

He looks set to start on the right of United's back-three, joining forces with Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw. Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu have been selected to fill the two wing-back positions.

Elsewhere, Mason Mount has been awarded his first Europa League start since United's 3-2 win over Bodo/Glimt at Old Trafford back in November.

His inclusion in the starting XI has come at the expense of Alejandro Garnacho, who will start on the bench. Mount, along with Amad, will support Rasmus Hojlund up front.

Elsewhere, captain Bruno Fernandes will operate from midfield, tasked with operating alongside Casemiro. Manuel Ugarte has had to settle for a place on the bench.

Diogo Dalot and Joshua Zirkzee, who have both returned from injury, will also start on the bench.

United starting XI: Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Mazraoui, Fernandes, Casemiro, Dorgu; Amad, Mount; Hojlund.

United substitutes: Bayindir, Dalot, Evans, Heaven, Lindelof, Amass, Ugarte, Eriksen, Collyer, Mainoo, Garnacho, Zirkzee.

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Manchester United's 2024/25 season will be defined by what happens in Bilbao on Wednesday evening when they take on Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.

United's season will not be rescued by winning the second-tier European trophy but when we look back on this season in ten year's time, the result of this final will be remembered, not the torment of the Premier League. A spot in the next edition of the Champions League will be a huge achievement for Ruben Amorim considering the struggles he has had to navigate in just a short space of time.

The main issue has been the squad he has inherited. This team was underperforming in the system it was built for - it was only going to get worse with an unfamiliar new tactic.

Despite that, this squad has managed to rally on numerous occasions in the Europa League and it now stands on the edge of glory. Throughout this European campaign, it is fair to suggest that United have benefited from the element of surprise.

Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad were not ready for the onslaught they received at the hands of United while the Lyon outcome remains a mystery to all those who witnessed it. Against Spurs, that surprise factor is mostly eradicated.

This will be the fourth meeting between these two clubs this campaign and Tottenham have had United's number in all of the three previous fixtures. But while Spurs may feel they know what to expect from the Reds, Amorim is able to call on a secret weapon that nobody expected to be available to him - Joshua Zirkzee.

The Dutchman has had a tumultuous season for United and at times it seemed like the club was a step too far for him. However, he has dug deep since the turn of the year and suddenly became a player who Amorim could rely upon in big games.

He scored against Real Sociedad and Lyon in the Europa League and has improved enormously now he is utilised in the No.10 role. Zirkzee's injury away at Newcastle looked to have ended his campaign altogether and yet, a miraculous recovery has made him an option for Amorim tonight.

If he was to pop up with an important goal to cap off the season, it would be the perfect turnaround for the Dutchman and should provide him with huge confidence heading into the 2025/26 campaign. On December 30 he was at his lowest ebb after being jeered off the pitch.

Recent weeks have seen Zirkzee linked with a summer move away from the club but, in Bilbao, he could save his Old Trafford career.

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What channel is Man United vs Tottenham on - how to watch, live stream details, kick-off time

Manchester United will take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final on Wednesday night.

Manchester United are a few hours away from, potentially, lifting Europa League silverware against Tottenham with one eye on the Champions League reward that would come with such success.

United beat Ajax to win the same competition in 2017 under Jose Mourinho with goals coming from Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan - and they will be aiming to replicate that success this time around.

It's been an underwhelming domestic season for both clubs, but lifting the trophy would secure a place in next season's Champions League.

Heading into the clash, United remain the only unbeaten team in the competition - although Spurs have won all three meetings between the sides this season.

Here, we take a closer look at how you can follow tonight's action;

What time does Man United vs Tottenham kick-off?

The game at the San Mames Stadium will kick-off at 8pm on Wednesday, May 21.

Is Man United vs Tottenham being shown live on TV?

Yes, tonight's match has been selected for live broadcast in the UK - being shown on both TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. Discovery+ customers will also be able to stream the game via the Discovery+ website and app.

Radio commentary of the game will be available on talkSPORT and BBC Radio Five Live.

The Manchester Evening News will also be in attendance in Bilbao to bring you all the build-up, action and post-match reaction. Our match live blog is available, here.

How can I watch the Europa League final overseas?

If you are in the USA, the match will be available to watch on Paramount+ and fuboTV, while in Canada it will be broadcast on DAZN Canada.

Over in Australia, it will air on Stan Sport, while Sport TV 5 holds the rights in Portugal. In Brazil, the match will be shown on Band.

You can find all the information for other countries, here.

How can I watch Man United vs Tottenham highlights?

The match highlights will be available on the TNT Sports website, as well as United's YouTube channel.

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Tottenham and Man United go head-to-head in the Europa League final this evening, so we simulated the clash to predict the final score.

Manchester United have the chance to save their season this evening when they take on Tottenham in the Europa League final.

After an awful Premier League campaign that sees United enter the final weekend of the season in 16th place, Ruben Amorim's side have the chance to win a trophy and guarantee a spot in the Champions League with a win against Spurs tonight.

A 7-1 win over Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals saw Amorim's side book their spot in the final, while Spurs beat Bodo/Glimt to make it an all-English final. United have failed to beat Spurs in their last six meetings, with Ange Postecoglou's side winning 1-0 and 3-0 in the Premier League this season while also beating United 4-3 in the Carabao Cup.

So, could United win the Europa League in Bilbao tonight? Let's take a look...

We simulated Tottenham vs Man United to get a score prediction

To complete this simulation, we used EA FC 25 and updated the squads with the latest injuries and suspensions.

We predict that Spurs could line up in a 4-4-2 formation, with their starting XI as follows: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Johnson, Bentancur, Bissouma, Son; Solanke, Richarlison.

We predict that United could line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with their starting XI as follows: Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Amad, Fernandes; Hojlund.

Just three minutes in, United were handed the worst start possible in Bilbao, with Rodrigo Bentancur rising highest at the front post to flick a corner past Andre Onana and put Spurs a goal ahead early on. The early strike seemed to hand the Lilywhites a big confidence boost, and 28 minutes in they grabbed themselves a second, with United yet to get going.

A long ball forward from Micky van de Ven picked out Richarlison on the left, and after cutting inside, the Brazilian threaded a wonderful pass through the United defence for Brennan Johnson to chase. The winger pulled away from Luke Shaw to meet the ball, and a devastating finish on his right foot saw the winger drill his shot into the top corner to make it 2-0.

Amorim's side should've pulled a goal back before the break when an error at the back saw Cristian Romero gift possession to Rasmus Hojlund, but one-on-one, the striker showed no conviction as he fired his shot straight at Guglielmo Vicario. Spurs dominated the first 20 minutes of the second half as they looked to put the game out of sight, but one big chance at the other end allowed Amorim's side to find a way back into the game.

Substitute Mason Mount earned United a corner when he tried his luck with a shot from distance, but great reflexes from the 'keeper saw his shot parried over the crossbar and behind. Harry Maguire forced Vicario into another save from the resulting set-piece with a header from deep in the box, but Shaw was the quickest to react as he prodded home the rebound to halve the deficit.

As the game went on, United started to become more desperate in attack, and Amorim's side had another glorious chance to draw level in the 88th minute when Amad broke through the Spurs defence and into the box, but Vicario made another incredible save to deny the forward.

The Spurs goalkeeper had the game of his life, and he was the difference as United fell to defeat in the Europa League final.

EA FC 25 predicted final score: Tottenham 2-1 Man United

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Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur face off in the Europa League final on Wednesday evening

Manchester United will don a slightly altered strip for the upcoming Europa League final, where they face fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao on Wednesday evening.

Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou are set to lock horns in a bid for silverware after challenging seasons, with the additional prize of a Champions League spot next term also at stake. Both teams have set foot in Spain in anticipation of Wednesday night's clash.

Yet, when United step onto the San Mames pitch, their players will be wearing black shorts in lieu of the usual white, paired with their iconic red shirts and black socks.

This change has been necessitated by Spurs' longstanding European tradition. The club from North London has donned an all-white getup in Europe since 1961, a custom established by then-manager Bill Nicholson.

As the 'home' team for the finale, Tottenham's kit preference holds sway over that of United's. Spurs' choice to wear all-white dates back over 60 years, initiated by Nicholson to aid player visibility in poorly lit stadiums, reports the Mirror.

The tradition commenced during an away match against Polish team Gornik. "We just turned up in the dressing room for the game and there was the all-white kit," recollected former Spurs winger Cliff Jones.

"No-one said anything; nothing was said to us. We just focused on the game coming up."

Ricky George, who was an apprentice at the time, reflected: "The all-white kit was for visibility. It was Bill Nick's way of looking for those marginal gains. Those nights at White Hart Lane, under the lights, were just very special.

"We loved playing in all-white," Jones commented. "I honestly cannot say for certain it made any difference in making us see each other better under the floodlights, but we did love playing in it. European nights we felt fresher, the air was different."

United's choice to tweak their kit isn't unprecedented this season; they donned black shorts for their away fixture against Real Sociedad in March, a match that concluded with a 1-1 draw following strikes from Joshua Zirkzee and Mikel Oyarzabal.

Yet, they reverted to their classic white shorts for the return leg at Old Trafford, where the Red Devils triumphed 4-1, buoyed by a Bruno Fernandes hat-trick. Regardless of their attire, United are eager to claim victory in the final and secure their spot in next season's Champions League.

Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.

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Roy Keane makes sharp U-turn in Man United vs Tottenham Europa League final prediction

The latest Manchester United news as Ruben Amorim's side take on Tottenham in the final in Bilbao, Spain, on Wednesday night.

Both Roy Keane and Jamie Redknapp have made their predictions for the Europa League final as Manchester United gear up to face United in a crucial match.

Both teams have had a poor season in the Premier League with United sitting in 16th and Spurs in 17th place in the table. But the two sides have the chance to be playing Champions League football next season.

The winning team won’t only lift European silverware this season but will have the chance to play in the prime European competition in the 2025/26 campaign.

Speaking on Sky Sports on Friday night following United’s loss against Chelsea, Keane has backed his former club to edge the contest, and has picked out who could be the difference maker.

“You still have to fancy United. I still think someone like Bruno [Fernandes] will produce, the history of Manchester United…” he said.

When asked by presenter David Jones what history has to do with the game, he added: “I think it carries a little bit of weight. If you look at our league performance there's not a lot between them, they've both been desperate.

“I just think, come the crunch, come the final, United's history in finals and even winning a few cups in the last few years you'd like to think they have a bit more knowledge around the big game more than Spurs. I'm not confident and saying Man United are going to win I just think that might edge it for them and I just think somebody like Bruno can produce that bit of magic.”

Keane’s prediction that Fernandes could be the match-winner is somewhat of a U-turn following his criticism of the United captain so far this season. The former midfielder has questioned Fernandes’ leadership on more than one occasion.

Fellow pundit Jamie Redknapp was less willing to make a prediction for the game. He did however speak about Tottenham and the chance to win their first silverware in several years.

“I would say if Kulu [Dejan Kuluveski] was playing then for sure. He's a massive blow for them [Tottenham],” he said.

“I wouldn't say there's a great deal between them. It feels like a 50-50 game to me this one. You can turn around and say you can have more players getting in one team or the other.

“I feel, for Tottenham, this is a chance to change the narrative, change the history of the club. If they win a cup this year it will end up being - we will forget about that league position, it will be irrelevant, because all of the celebration will be off the back of that.”

When asked by Keane who would win the game, and tournament, Redknapp said: “I haven't got a clue. Be honest, how can you call this game?

Keane then reiterated his thoughts, saying: “I think United will edge it.” To which Redknapp replied: “I wouldn't back Man United after watching them tonight.”

Both pundits were then asked which manager edges it. “Again, there's not much in it. There's not much in it,” Keane said.

Redknapp then added: I've listened Ruben this last six or eight weeks having a go at his team, I dread to think what he'll say if they lose this one.”

Again reiterating his prediction, Kenane says: “I think Bruno will produce something. I just think Bruno will turn up.” To which Redknapp added: “Oh alright you go United, I'll go Tottenham then.”

United should make huge Hojlund call this evening

United have some genuine dilemmas. Yoro's availability is significant and Noussair Mazraoui merits a start. It should be a point of principle not to start Luke Shaw when he has lined up four times within three weeks on the eve of a final. Ideally, United would not play Rasmus Hojlund. We know he will start but he shouldn't. United won a trophy last season because Hojlund was taken out of the team for the FA Cup final and Bruno Fernandes would be an upgrade. You can play Fernandes anywhere and he will have an impact. United need to balance pragmatism with proactivism and not have the starting XI overloaded with defensive players.

Samuel Luckhurst's United XI:

United and Tottenham fans clash in San Sebastian

United and Spurs clashed last night in San Sebastian, 48 miles away from Bilbao, on the eve of the Europa League final.

Spanish publication El Diario Vasco report the disturbances began around 9:20pm.

Their report read:

According to witness accounts and videos shared by residents, the incidents began with shouts and insults between groups of fans. The situation quickly escalated when one of the individuals punched another, causing the other to fall to the ground. Several fans subsequently began throwing objects taken from terrace tables, overturning one and using it as a weapon against another group. Drinking glasses and trash cans were also thrown, creating chaos and danger for passersby and local businesses.

We will have more updates on this story as and when we get them.

Gary Neville: United don't deserve a parade if they win Europa League

Gary Neville does not believe Manchester United deserve a parade if they win the Europa League.

Speaking to the Stick to Football podcast, former United defender Neville 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.”

Last night's press conference couldn't have gone better for United

If it was strategic of Manchester United to allow Tottenham Hotspur to hold their pre-match duties first, it had the desired effect.

Ange Postecoglou rounded on a reporter who suggested he could be remembered as a "clown". He dismissed concerns over his future, urging another reporter not to lose any sleep over it. He also reminded his audience he had lifted a trophy and exited stage left at his previous clubs.

Sub-editors could design their back-page splashes hours before deadline. United's timekeeping for press conferences on the continent can be tardy but even if they were late Ruben Amorim was never going to be as quotable as his opposite number.

Postecoglou entered the endgame some time ago. Sources have said he has known for months that he will not be managing Tottenham next season.

Then there is Amorim, seemingly safe whatever the outcome in San Mames. Amorim is partial to a zinger but he was so relaxed that he joked Bruno Fernandes, sitting to his right, was after his job.

Read the full story, here.