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Manchester United have previously found success in domestic and European cup competitions as a route to redemption when all else falters.

Former striker Brian McClair is hoping that will be the case again ahead of his struggling former club's Europa League final showdown with Tottenham Hotspur.

For McClair, comparisons between Ruben Amorim’s inconsistent Man United side and the team he was part of in the early 1990s are easily drawn.

'Manchester United's record in Europe has something to do with the club and its history'

“I can understand comparisons between this current Manchester United team and our 1991 Cup Winners’ Cup winning team with regard to not having the best domestic campaign and still reaching a European final,” McClair tells FourFourTwo, speaking on behalf of betting experts Gambling.com ahead of the Europa League final, reflecting on the iconic 1991 triumph over Barcelona in Rotterdam that helped kick-start the glory days under Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.

“It is very hard to really compare teams from different eras,” continues McClair. “We don’t have the same level of information, TV coverage or stats and things for bygone eras that we do now. But even still, some of those comparisons have to be considered fair.”

Indeed, United’s 1990/91 campaign was hardly vintage from a domestic standpoint. Ferguson’s side, reeling from a run of 11 league games without a win the previous season, finished sixth in the league, were knocked out of the FA Cup in the Fifth Round and lost the League Cup final against Sheffield Wednesday.

Yet, on the continent, they found salvation.

“You have to remember that British clubs were only just then allowed back into European competition after the ban [following the Heysel Stadium Disaster],” recalls McClair. “So it was a wonderful experience to be part of that, let alone winning the competition.”

That victory helped pave the way for the next two decades of domestic and continental success that followed. McClair believes that the same ‘big game’ resilience and late-game belief still lurk within the club’s DNA, despite recent league mediocrity.

“I think that has something to do with the club and its history. Of being really good in tight games, scoring late goals and having that belief that you can beat any team on your day,” he says.

That belief will be needed against Spurs. McClair believes the outcome of the Europa League final doesn’t just determine silverware, but could also shape the direction of United’s summer and beyond.

“There are two scenarios for Manchester United with regards to recruitment this summer,” says McClair. “One is no European football, which will happen if they don't win the game. And two is obviously with European football.

“It’s going to be a lot easier for Manchester United to bring in quality players with the added attraction of Champions League football, so the result of this game goes beyond silverware. It could have bigger ramifications for the winners and the losers.”

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United will go head-to-head in the Europa League final later this month with more than just the prestigious trophy on the line.

Ange Postecoglou's Spurs beat Bodo-Glimt 5-1 on aggregate while Ruben Amorim's United eased past Athletic Club with a 7-1 victory across the two legs.

That has teed up a meeting between the two Premier League clubs, with the winners not just getting to celebrate with the cup, but earning themselves a Champions League place for next season to take England's complement of clubs to six.

When is the Europa League final?

The Europa League final is set to be held on Wednesday, May 21 in a 8pm BST kick-off (9pm CEST).

The game therefore falls in between the last two games of the Premier League season for both sides.

Manchester United were already set to visit Chelsea the Friday before the game, prompting Tottenham to ask for their trip to Aston Villa to be moved to match - a request the Premier League granted.

Spurs will then host Brighton on the final day - the Sunday after the final - while Man United are at home to Villa.

Where is the Europa League final?

Bilbao's San Mames - home to Athletic Club - will host the final.

The much-admired stadium in the Basque Country was awarded the final in interesting circumstances: it was originally slated as one of the grounds to be used at Euro 2020, only to be replaced by Seville's Estadio de La Cartuja for covid-related reasons.

As a consolation, it was announced that San Mames would host both the 2024 Women's Champions League final and this year's Europa League final.

Why can't the Europa League final just be moved to England?

The host stadium for each of UEFA's competitions is decided years in advance following a year-long bidding process and does not change bar some unforeseen catastrophe - regardless which sides make it to the final.

In this instance, Bilbao was awarded the final in 2021 after the Euro 2020 withdrawal.

It was announced in 2024 that next year's Europa League final will be held at Besiktas Stadium in Istanbul and the 2027 Europa League final will be hosted by Frankfurt's Waldstadion.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero is reportedly set to leave the club this summer.

Romero, 27, is trying to help the Lilywhites salvage their season with a huge Europa League semi-final second leg against Bodo/Glimt approaching this week. Ange Postecoglou's side currently leads 3-0 heading into Thursday's clash in Norway.

But Romero's future seems to be causing some discussion as we approach the summer transfer window, with the former Atalanta man recently insisting he would love to play in La Liga.

Cristian Romero set to leave Tottenham Hotspur after four years

At just 27, Romero is a good age for a central defender and has shown some flashes of brilliance during his time in north London thus far. He is currently recognised by FourFourTwo in our list of the best centre-backs in the world.

But with Tottenham's Premier League campaign this season dismal to say the very least, Postecoglou could soon be on his way out of the club, and Romero's future could also be a heavily debated topic.

Spanish journalist Ruben Uria has said on his Twitch stream that Romero has given his agreement to a five-year deal at Atletico Madrid, with publication AS claiming that the defender will push for a move at the end of the season.

Atleti are currently 3rd in La Liga, so the lure of Champions League football could be a nice dangling carrot for Romero. Transfermarkt value the Argentine defender at €55m (£46.7m).

The report says Tottenham are holding out for close to £58m for the former Atalanta man, who could link up with his international team-mate Julian Alvarez, after he left Manchester City for Spain last summer.

Atletico Madrid are expected to start formal negotiations with Tottenham in the coming days but Spurs will not begin talks until after their vital Europa League campaign has drawn to a close.

In FourFourTwo's view, Romero would be a huge coup for Atletico this summer, but Tottenham will not want the centre-back to leave for cheap. We expect Daniel Levy to drive a hard bargain, given he is under contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until 2027.

It took a brave man to antagonise the likes of Billy Bremner and company at Leeds United in the 1970s.

But former Rangers midfielder Alfie Conn was not your run-of-the-mill player and when he arrived at Tottenham in 1974, it soon became clear that Spurs had someone special in their ranks.

His full debut in January 1975 couldn’t have gone better. Away to Newcastle and needing a win, Spurs were 4-0 up by half-time and ended up winning 5-2, Conn scoring a hat-trick. “My dad and grandad came down from Glasgow and I went back up with them afterwards,” he recalls to FourFourTwo.

The day Alfie Conn antagonised Leeds United

“We all had a few drinks on the train trip back. When the ticket inspector came round, my grandad said we were celebrating my hat-trick and then ended up taking over his duties!”

Conn soon established himself as a fans’ favourite, taking over the King of White Hart Lane honour from Alan Gilzean. “I couldn’t believe it the first time I heard it – that sort of thing makes your chest stick out,” he says. “I got on great with the fans. I still think of Tottenham as my club.”

But a run of eight defeats from nine during the run-in meant that Spurs needed to win their final game of the season to survive. That game was against reigning champions Leeds United, who had just seen off Barcelona to reach the final of the European Cup and had almost signed Conn as a teenager.

Jimmy Armfield’s men will have wished they did, as Conn pulled the strings and was the architect of three Spurs goals that put the hosts in control of the match.

Then he sat on the ball to taunt Bremner, Hunter & Co. What was going through his mind?

“Nothing!” he chuckles. “I don’t know why I did that. But as soon as I looked round and saw big Pat Jennings shaking his head, I thought, ‘What have I done?’

“The Leeds players suddenly turned it on. It was a relegation battle for us and I could have been the villain rather than the hero. Luckily we won 4-2 [Conn scored the fourth] and stayed up.

“I thought I’d better apologise to the Leeds players,” he adds. And how was that received?

“I don’t know – I popped my head around the dressing room door, said, ‘Sorry, lads’ and got out as quickly as I could!”

‘What’s It All About? The Alfie Conn Story’ by Jeff Holmes is available now

Tottenham Hotspur are moving to appoint a key decision-maker at the top of the club.

No, this will not be Ange Postecoglou’s replacement, but the recruit could have a big say on the Australian head coach’s future in the coming weeks and months.

It looks like a summer of change is afoot for Spurs, on the pitch, in the dugout and in the boardroom.

Tottenham to appoint Milan-linked chief

It’s been a difficult season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, to put it extremely lightly. Were it not for the vast underperformance of the three promoted teams, Postecoglou’s 16th-placed side could genuinely have been fearing relegation.

As a result, Spurs chief Daniel Levy is looking to shake things up, but that might start with appointing a familiar face to a more permanent role.

According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sera, Tottenham are closing in on reappointing football executive Fabio Paratici.

The Italian was previously Spurs’ managing director of football, but was forced to leave that role in April 2023 after he was suspended by FIFA following a financial investigation into his time with Juventus.

That ban ends this July, and following a meeting at Lake Como thought to be leading to his hiring by AC Milan, Corriere dello Sport revealed the two parties couldn’t come to an agreement, and he’s now more likely to pitch up in north London.

Paratici carried on as an external consultant with Tottenham following the issue of his ban, so with that set to expire this summer, Levy is believed to be moving to make the Italian’s role more concrete.

In FourFourTwo’s opinion, it can sometimes be difficult to assess the precise impact of individual executives, even more so when they don’t have a defined role within a club, as has been the case with Paratici in recent months.

But BBC Sport reveal the Italian was key in deals for the likes of Dejan Kulusevski, one of the rare bright sparks of Spurs’ season this term.

That experience of conducting high-level negotiations will be crucial in a summer that will surely see Spurs look to strengthen, and potentially recruit to the demands of a new head coach, depending on Postecoglou’s fate.

Tottenham have named their price for Pedro Porro should any clubs wish for his signature this summer.

Porro has been one of the mainstays in the Spurs team this season, playing 46 games in all competitions, scoring three goals and assisting eight times from right-back.

His performances over the past few seasons have caught the eye of several sides and the club have now revealed what it will take to allow him to leave north London this summer.

Tottenham set Pedro Porro price as they brace for a summer bid

Porro had previously spent time with Manchester City, where he failed to make a first team appearance, spending time on loan at Real Valladolid and Sporting Lisbon, before making a permanent move to Portugal in July 2022.

He joined Tottenham just six months later in the January of 2023 and has since played 100 times for them.

Football Insider are reporting that Spurs however will drive a hard bargain and will not be forced to sell their right back, and will be willing to charge upwards of £50 million according to the, a fee that would represent a £10 million profit on the Spaniard.

While FourFourTwo understands that there is no immediate interest in the defender, Manchester City, one of Porro's previous clubs, will be in the market for a right-back with Kyle Walker almost certain to move on this summer.

It's been suggested that Man City have kept an eye on the full-back for some time, with there being a suggestion he could move to Manchester in the winter, however a move never materialised.

Tottenham will not be short of options should Porro leave, with Djed Spence impressing in the latter half of the season, and Archie Gray a valid option at full-back, if required.

A move for Porro may not be the worst thing for both parties involved. Spurs have suffered one of their worst seasons in recent history, and a squad reset looks like it is needed, and cutting losses now may be more beneficial than two or three years down the line.

For Porro, after experiencing European football for the past few seasons, the allure of playing in European competition may prove to much, with there being no guarantee Tottenham will immediately return next season.

Watch Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur today in a game that could well see Liverpool officially crowned Premier League champions.

Liverpool only need one point to be confirmed as the winners of the 2024/2025 Premier League. The trophy ceremony would have to wait until their final home game against Crystal Palace in May, but avoiding defeat against Spurs would seal Liverpool's 20th top-division league title.

It's almost impossible to see Arne Slot's men not winning the league from here, so it's more a case of when rather than if, but they'd dearly love to seal the deal at Anfield on what would be a momentous day, even without the trophy in hand.

The visitors are Spurs, who are simply praying for a miserable season to end. Ange Postecoglou's side are still in the hunt for the Europa League crown but sitting 16th in the Premier League it has been a league campaign to forget.

If you want to watch this one unfold, then follow along as our handy guide brings you all the details on how to watch Liverpool vs Spurs online and on TV, wherever you are in the world.

How to watch Liverpool vs Spurs in the UK

Fans in the UK can watch Liverpool vs Spurs on TV on Sky Sports Main Event today.

Coverage starts at 4pm following the conclusion of Bournemouth vs Manchester United.

You can get Sky Sports on your TV with one of Sky's various packages, and while existing Sky customers can stream using Sky Go, Now TV is the streaming partner for those looking for less of a commitment. You can get all 12 Sky Sports channels through Now TV, which is currently £26 a month for your first six month.

Watch Liverpool vs Spurs in the US

In the US, fans can watch Liverpool vs Spurs on Peacock today, with kick-off at 11.30am EDT.

Peacock is the NBC-owned streaming platform that carries around half of all Premier League games each week. Subscriptions start from $7.99 a month.

Watch Liverpool vs Spurs from anywhere

What if you're away from home when Liverpool vs Spurs is on, and find access to your usual streaming service geo-blocked? The solution is a VPN, a piece of software that sets your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

Assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, you can use a VPN to unblock the streaming services you're subscribed to, with a host of privacy and protection benefits on top – that sounds like a result.

FourFourTwo’s colleagues TechRadar are experts in this field, and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider on the market.

Watch Liverpool vs Spurs streams globally

► How to watch Premier League live streams from anywhere in the world in 2024/25

Can I watch Liverpool vs Spurs in Canada?

Liverpool vs Spurs is being shown on Fubo in Canada, with the broadcaster having access to every single Premier League match. Prices start from $24.99 a month, with savings for longer-term plans.

Can I watch Liverpool vs Spurs in Australia?

Fans in Australia can watch Liverpool vs Spurs on Optus Sport, along with every other Premier League fixture throughout the 2024/2025 season.

Optus Sport subscriptions cost $24.99 a month, or $229 for a year. That will also get you a live stream for every single Premier League game.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou looks set to leave the club at the end of the season, regardless of whether he wins the Europa League or not.

For the first time since 2007/08, Tottenham are set to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League, with Postecoglou now under increasing pressure from chairman Daniel Levy. But while 2008 was also the year Spurs last won a trophy, Postecoglou could be sacked even if he achieves success in the Europa League.

A number of names have been linked to replace the Australian manager, with Niko Kovac from Borussia Dortmund and even Scott Parker mentioned as his successors. Whether such a situation will occur remains to be seen, but the Telegraph highlights the club's lack of faith in Postecoglou as the season has worn on.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou to remain in the Premier League?

Postecoglou's managerial career will be far from over if he does get sacked from Tottenham, however. Having previously experienced success with Celtic, in Japan and in Australia, the 59-year-old certainly won't be short of suitors.

Indeed, reports have already started linking him with potential Premier League jobs, as he targets redemption in England's top flight.

According to the Daily Express, Postecoglou has emerged as a target for Leeds United, who might replace Daniel Farke ahead of their return to the Premier League in 2025/26.

Though Farke has achieved Leeds' promotion with two games to spare, the Daily Mail suggests that the club's hierarchy are already looking at alternatives as they target survival next term. All three teams promoted from the Championship last season are set to make an immediate return for the second year in a row, but Leeds, should they get their recruitment right, are well placed to not suffer that same fate.

As a result, they want a manager who is more established in the English top flight, with Postecoglou fitting that bill. With his football similar to Marcelo Bielsa's, Leeds fans would certainly enjoy watching the high-octane style at Elland Road once again.

The aforementioned report also indicates Jose Mourinho is among the five-man shortlist, with Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen touted as the most-likely option considering their previous interest in him.

In FourFourTwo's view, it seems unlikely that Leeds would want Postecoglou, and equally as unlike that the Aussie would want to become their next manager. Other top jobs will soon become available in Europe, while there's too much risk attached with the Leeds job.

Mourinho, meanwhile, could provide box-office entertainment week after week.

Tottenham Hotspur are facing a race against time regarding the fitness of club captain Son Heung-min.

Son, recognised by FourFourTwo in our list of the best left wingers in the world, has netted just 11 goals this season for the Lilywhites, a lowly tally when compared to his previous returns at the club.

But it is, once again, continuing injury problems that have tormented the 32-year-old Asian star, especially given manager Ange Postecoglou hasn't seen the best of his skipper for nearly all of the 2024/25 campaign.

Is Son Heung-min injured for the weekend?

We all know the capabilties the former Bayer Leverkusen man can produce on his day, bet even he may agree that a tally of just 11 goals isn't good enough given Spurs' current position in the Premier League table.

But with a crucial Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt to come, fans are starting to wonder whether Sonny will be ready for the crucial run-in or not. So, what is the latest news?

Son hasn't played for Spurs since their 1-1 draw with Frankfurt in Europe on April 10. Postecoglou confirmed his captain had suffered a setback and his return is still somewhat unknown.

"Sonny got a knock on his foot, so we're being a bit cautious with him," said the Tottenham boss on April 17. "There was no point in him travelling."

“He's been dealing with a foot problem for a while, so now is as good a time as any to give him the right time to get over it," added Postecoglou just last week.

"He'll definitely miss Monday. It's got to the point where not only was it not improving, but it was deteriorating.'

"He was in contact with the boys," added the Spurs boss. "We discussed whether he should come along but I felt that to have the best chance of Sonny being available for the semis, we left him behind," Postecoglou said.

"He was in the group chats, that's what they call them don't they? I just saw him this morning, I caught him in the corridor and he's delighted."

It remains to be seen when Son will return to the pitch, especially given their Premier League clash with Liverpool on Sunday.

Postecoglou may choose to rest the South Korean, with their Europa League semi-final first leg clash with Bodo/Glimt scheduled just a few days later on May 1.

Tottenham are lining up a move for a manager in the Bundesliga as they seek a replacement for Ange Postecoglou.

Recent reports have suggested that, regardless of if Tottenham win the Europa League this season, Postecoglou will depart this summer as they face their first bottom-half Premier League finish since 2008. Spurs are up against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-finals, with either Manchester United or Athletic Bilbao awaiting them in the final if they progress.

The Australian manager has come under increasing pressure as the season has progressed, and chairman Daniel Levy is set to wield his unruly axe once more once the season is over.

Tottenham want a new manager to replace Ange Postecoglou

Plenty of managers have since been linked with the Tottenham manager's role as a result, with the likes of Scott Parker touted as potential options for the hot seat.

There is one manager with plenty of European experience who is admired in north London, however, with the Premier League described as a "personal career dream".

According to Bild, Tottenham have already enquired about the possibility of taking Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovac, despite the 53-year-old only having been appointed at the Westfalenstadion in January.

Kovac has managed to turn things around at Dortmund in the short time he has been in charge there, helping them challenge for Champions League football after a poor start to the season. This has helped raise the Croatian's reputation at Tottenham, with the report suggesting that they're keeping a close eye on him for the remainder of the season.

Having only signed an 18-month contract, Kovac could certainly be available if Tottenham come calling in the summer, too. With experience of winning trophies during his time at Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt, Spurs could also benefit from Kovac's mentality.

Indeed, the report adds that Kovac's aggressive playing philosophy is well-suited for the Premier League. He has history coming up against Spurs, too, having won 7-2 there in the Champions League with his Bayern Munich side in 2019.

In FourFourTwo's view, it seems harsh to sack Postecoglou if he does deliver the Europa League trophy at the end of the season, but Kovac is certainly a top-level manager who they should look at if they want a change of voice at the club.

Realistically, though, Kovac will likely only succeed if he is backed in the transfer market.