The UEFA Europa League final, scheduled for Wednesday, is the first of several European club showpieces set to unfold over the coming fortnight. This particular matchup holds a unique character, bringing together England`s 16th and 17th-ranked teams – Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively – both aiming to secure a significant trophy that could help mitigate the disappointments of their domestic campaigns.
This will be the fourth and concluding meeting between these two sides this season. The prior encounters have distinctly favored Spurs, who have claimed three victories and hold an 8-3 aggregate advantage. However, the circumstances surrounding Wednesday`s game are different from their previous clashes. The inherent unpredictability of a one-off final adds a significant factor. Furthermore, both managers, Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim, may be forced to make team selections from potentially depleted squads, introducing an additional layer of tactical challenge.
Tottenham are confirmed to be without key attacking players such as James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. On the Manchester United side, the extent to which Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro can participate on Wednesday remains uncertain. The combination of these potential absences on both teams is highly likely to influence the final outcome and raises considerable questions about which side holds the critical advantages in specific areas of the pitch.
Ahead of the Europa League final, here is a positional comparison of how Spurs and United stack up against one another.
Match Details
- Date: Wednesday, May 21
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: San Mames Stadium — Bilbao, Spain
- TV: CBS Sports Network
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Tottenham Hotspur +190; Draw +220; Manchester United +140
Goalkeeper: Tottenham Hotspur
Neither Spurs` Guglielmo Vicario nor United`s Andre Onana have enjoyed a standout season, though much of this can be attributed to their respective teams` defensive fragilities, an issue extending beyond just the goalkeepers. Reflecting the overall underwhelming performance of both clubs, statistics show that Vicario and Onana had comparable outputs this campaign, with a limited number of clean sheets and saves. Nevertheless, the slight advantage leans towards Vicario. He performed marginally better than Onana in several metrics, including expected goals against per game (1.3 for Vicario across all competitions, 1.4 for Onana) and save percentage (68.3% for Vicario, 67% for Onana). Additionally, Onana has demonstrated a propensity for errors at times, notably leading to his temporary dropping by Amorim between the semifinal legs against Lyon.
Defenders: Tottenham Hotspur
The assessment in this category largely hinges on injury statuses. For Spurs, the good news is that their key defenders are expected to be fit. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are fundamental to Tottenham`s defensive structure, so much so that the team`s mid-season dip coincided significantly with their respective lengthy injury layoffs. The central defensive pairing has only featured together in 18 games this season, yet the impact is clear: with Romero and van de Ven, Tottenham concede an average of 1.17 goals per game with 1.07 expected goals against. Without them, these figures worsen to 1.47 goals conceded and 1.64 expected goals against per game. When combined with capable wingbacks like Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie, Tottenham`s back line offers a strong foundation for the final.
In contrast, Manchester United face considerable challenges defensively. Matthijs de Ligt, arguably their top defender, has been dealing with injuries in recent weeks, leaving his availability for Wednesday uncertain. The same applies to Leny Yoro. This situation potentially leaves United relying on a less assured defensive combination, which includes players like Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof, raising confidence concerns. While Patrick Dorgu is a promising addition at left wingback, he is still developing and hasn`t yet reached his full potential in his initial months at the club.
Midfielders: Manchester United
The midfield battle encapsulates the story of both Europa League finalists this season. Spurs arrive in Bilbao facing personnel shortages in this crucial area, while the Red Devils, though having more options, have struggled for consistent effectiveness. Tottenham will miss James Maddison, arguably their most vital creative and passing outlet, along with Dejan Kulusevski, who had a quietly productive season, and the promising young talent Lucas Bergvall. Postecoglou will likely have to rely on more defensively-minded players like Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur, while also potentially sweating on the fitness of Pape Matar Sarr. The manager may need to find innovative roles for players like Wilson Odobert and Mikey Moore, as seen in their recent loss to Aston Villa, making his midfield selection a significant question mark for the final.
By default, Manchester United might hold a slight edge in midfield numbers, if not always quality. Their central midfield has been a persistent issue, with Casemiro seemingly past his prime despite continued minutes and Manuel Ugarte often overburdened trying to cover ground. However, Bruno Fernandes has consistently stepped up to carry the team, sometimes even openly calling for his teammates to improve their contributions. While it remains to be seen how quickly others can meet his standard, Fernandes is likely prepared to shoulder the creative and driving responsibility himself on Wednesday, regardless of his teammates` form.
Forwards: Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham`s season has been somewhat paradoxical, largely because their attacking output has remained relatively strong. They rank sixth in the Premier League for goals scored and are within the top half for shots, shots on target, and expected goals. Their goals have also been distributed among several players, with five individuals reaching double figures across all competitions this season. This list includes Maddison and Kulusevski, who will miss the final, but Brennan Johnson has surprisingly led the scoring charts with 17 goals. Dominic Solanke has also contributed a respectable 15 in his first season at the club, while captain Son Heung-min has had a quietly effective campaign with 11 goals and 11 assists.
This contrasts sharply with Manchester United`s attacking struggles. They rank 16th in the Premier League for goals and are in the bottom half for most attacking metrics. United`s failure to sign a consistently impactful goalscorer is evident here, particularly as only three players other than Bruno Fernandes have reached 10-plus goals: Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund, and Amad Diallo. While these players are capable of producing moments of brilliance and have delivered in significant games this season, there are also enough instances where they have not met expectations, raising concerns about their collective ability to fire United to victory on Wednesday.
Dominic Ashworth