🔊 Who will claim the English Europa League final? Teams that have stumbled domestically now have a unique chance to salvage their season. On May 21, at “San Mamés” in Bilbao, Tottenham and Manchester United will clash in the marquee match of Europe's second-tier club competition. A victory not only secures the trophy but also guarantees a spot in next season's Champions League. For the Red Devils, this marks their third Europa League final in a decade, while for Spurs, it's their first since 1984. Given the trophy drought for the Londoners, bookmakers see the nominal visitors as slight favorites.

Head-to-Head

📊 Over the course of 42 encounters, Manchester hold a two-to-one advantage in victories: 22 wins compared to London's 11. The remaining 9 matches ended in draws.

This season, the clubs have faced each other three times, with Tottenham emerging victorious on each occasion—in the Premier League (3-0; 1-0) and in the League Cup (4-3).

Tottenham Hotspur Team Overview

⚪ This trophy could be the only solace for the Spurs. Ange Postecoglou's side is wrapping up their Premier League campaign in a disappointing fashion, sitting in 17th place with one game to go. Although their gap from the relegation zone is substantial, and Tottenham have never faced a genuine threat of dropping down, fans have grown accustomed to seeing them as top-four contenders in recent years.

🏆 In the Europa League semi-final, the Spurs comfortably dispatched Norway's Bodø/Glimt. They secured a commanding victory at home (3-1), with goals from Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, and Dominic Solanke. In the return leg in Norway, the English side encountered little resistance, winning thanks to goals from Solanke and Pedro Porro (2-0).

📌 Between the Europa League semi-final and final, the team played two Premier League matches and lost both. First, they fell to Crystal Palace at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (0-2), and then they had a disappointing trip to Birmingham, where they suffered a defeat to Aston Villa by the same scoreline (0-2).

Manchester United Team Overview

🔴 The Red Devils are not faring much better. Since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure, the team has struggled for nearly two decades to reclaim their championship DNA, failing to win the Premier League during this period. Manchester United continue to regress, and this season they risk finishing in 16th place. The club is experiencing strange and contradictory processes, starting from the top management. Perhaps a European trophy, even if it's the second-tier one, could serve as a turning point.

🏆 Ruben Amorim's side reached the Europa League final after defeating Athletic Bilbao over two legs. The first match at San Mamés ended in a resounding 3-0 victory, with goals from Casemiro and a brace from Bruno Fernandes. In the return leg at Old Trafford, the Mancunians once again proved superior with a 4-1 win. Mason Mount scored twice, while Rasmus Højlund and Casemiro also found the net.

📌 After securing their place in the final, United played two Premier League matches and lost both. They first fell at home to West Ham (0-2) and then suffered a defeat away to Chelsea (0-1).

Latest news

Tottenham Hotspur

📣 Tottenham captain Son Heung-min shared his thoughts on the season and the upcoming final after their defeat to Aston Villa: “It's a very disappointing result and a really poor season. We can't hide from that fact. But ultimately, we have a chance to win a trophy — that's what we're all striving for. Wednesday will be the most important day of my life. We're excited — it's going to be great. Hopefully, we can make history.”

📝 Ange Postecoglou is expected to leave Tottenham regardless of the Europa League final outcome. Reports also suggest that Fabio Paratici is set to return to the club this summer as the sporting director. Paratici left the London club in 2023 due to a suspension related to financial misconduct and capital gain rule violations at Juventus, where he previously worked.

🔝 Dominic Solanke has been Tottenham's top performer in the Europa League this season in terms of goals and assists. The Englishman has scored 5 goals and provided 4 assists.

❌ The club is dealing with a significant number of injuries. Midfielder Pape Matar Sarr is doubtful for the final after experiencing back discomfort and being substituted in the 53rd minute against Aston Villa. Preliminary reports suggest the injury is minor. Also sidelined are James Maddison, Timo Werner, Lucas Bergvall, Dejan Kulusevski, and Radu Dragusin. It's reported that Bergvall is training individually to recover from an ankle injury in time for the final. Additionally, goalkeepers Antonin Kinsky and Fraser Forster, along with left-back Sergio Reguilon, will be unavailable, though these are considered non-critical losses.

Manchester United

📣 Ruben Amorim shared his thoughts ahead of the final: “We are very excited about the final. It's incredibly important for us, and we want to do something special for our fans. I'm thrilled, but at the same time, I understand my responsibility as a coach. I still feel some disappointment from the season, so I'm eager to help the team win the final. We need to give something back to the club, the fans, the staff, everyone.” Reports suggest that the Portuguese manager will remain in charge of Manchester United even if the club loses to Tottenham in the Europa League final.

🔝 A bright spot in the squad remains their captain, Bruno Fernandes. The midfielder ranks among the top scorers in the Europa League, with 7 goals and 4 assists to his name. The Portuguese star has amassed an impressive 19 goals and 17 assists across all competitions.

❌ Missing the final will be central defenders Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt, as well as forward Joshua Zirkzee. Leny Yoro has returned to training on the pitch, with last week's injury not considered serious. Diogo Dalot has begun individual sessions and continues working to recover in time for the match. Also in doubt for the game is veteran center-back Jonny Evans, who is dealing with muscle issues.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The Europa League final will be officiated by German referee Felix Zwayer. He has presided over four matches involving Manchester United, with the team securing two wins and two draws. Additionally, Zwayer has officiated two Tottenham matches, where the Spurs managed a draw and suffered a defeat. In his last ten games, the German referee has issued 46 yellow cards and two straight red cards, as well as awarding four penalties.

Interestingly, in the first head-to-head encounter between these teams this season, Manchester United players received five yellow cards and Bruno Fernandes was shown a straight red. Tottenham had three bookings in that match. In their second meeting, both teams received three yellow cards each. In the third clash, Spurs players were cautioned once, while United players received two warnings.

Considering the cumulative statistics and the intensity and significance of the match, there is a strong case to expect a game filled with fouls. Therefore, it might be worth considering a bet on total yellow cards over 4.5.

⚽️ Goal Predictions

This season, both teams have shown inconsistency in defense and are heading into the final with a notable list of injuries. Since both clubs are from the Premier League, let's focus on their stats from the English league. Tottenham have conceded in 12 consecutive Premier League matches—the last time they kept a clean sheet was against Manchester United. Meanwhile, United have conceded in their last six league matches.

Given the teams' similar form throughout the season, it's reasonable to predict that the trend of goals at both ends will continue in the final. Therefore, a bet on both teams to score (yes) deserves attention as much as any other option.

🚩 Corner Predictions

Let's revisit the head-to-head stats from this season. In their first match at Old Trafford, Manchester United earned 5 corners, while Tottenham only managed 3. In the English League Cup clash, Spurs again were limited to three corners, whereas the Red Devils secured 8. In their third meeting, the scenario shifted: Tottenham won 10 corners, while United had 5.

Given this dynamic, it makes sense to consider a bet on Manchester United's individual total corners over 4.5. Especially since Ruben Amorim's side has taken 54 corners in their last 10 matches—averaging 5.4 per game.

Who would have thought that the final of a European competition would feature two teams of comparable level, both languishing in the lower half of their domestic league standings and delivering nearly identical results? The gap between them in the English Premier League is just one point. Both sides head into this crucial match of the season with similar form: each has secured three wins, two draws, and five losses in their last ten games. Predicting the winner is incredibly challenging, as is anticipating the style of play. The final could either explode with goals or turn into a cautious tactical battle with few chances. Nonetheless, we believe both teams are likely to score, given their glaring defensive issues. Therefore, our main bet is both teams to score (yes).