Manchester United and Tottenham will meet in an all-English Europa League final on May 21 to salvage the season
Ruben Amorim’s United saw off Spanish side Athletic Bilbao 7-1 on aggregate in their semi-final to progress, while Spurs got the better of Norwegians Bodo/Glimt 5-1 on aggregate.
United are looking to win the Europa League for the second time in eight years, while Tottenham are bidding to end a 41-year wait for European success.
It is the sixth all-English final in any major European competition – with half of them involving Spurs.
It also means there are six English teams in next season’s Champions League.
Tottenham are looking to win a first trophy of any kind in 17 years and they will fancy themselves as favourites for the game in Bilbao, having beaten United three times already this season.
Spurs won 3-0 at Old Trafford and 1-0 at home in the Premier League and also triumphed 4-3 in the League Cup.
United last won the Europa League in 2016-17, when Jose Mourinho was manager. They lost the Europa League final 11-10 on penalties to Villarreal in 2021 when David de Gea missed his spot kick for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
Both team have struggled domestically this season as they sit 15th and 16th respectively in the Premier League.
However, a European trophy will ensure the campaign will ultimately be viewed as a successful one.
Spurs’ impressive record over United extends further back than just this season.
They have won four of the past six meetings in all competitions, with United last beating them 2-0 in the Premier League in October 2022.
The first Uefa Cup in 1971-72 was between Tottenham and Wolves in a two-legged final.
Spurs won the first leg 2-1 at Molineux, with Martin Chivers scoring twice, and drew 1-1 at White Hart Lane two weeks later.
It would take 36 years for the next all-English final, which was in the 2007-08 Champions League as Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties in Moscow.
A victory in the final would mean not just a place in the Champions League next season and the sizable financial injection that comes with it but a much-needed belief after a dreadful Premier League season
