EUROPA League
UEFA Europa League final head-to-head record: Tottenham vs Manchester United
All you need to know about a fixture going back 126 years that Manchester United have dominated, though there is recent cause for optimism for Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham.
Manchester United and Tottenham will meet in UEFA competition for the first time when they face each other in the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League final, but the English sides are obviously no strangers on the domestic front.
The sides have played each other 204 times since their first meeting in 1899. The Red Devils have enjoyed much the better of the fixture over the years, but there is cause for recent optimism for Ange Postecoglou’s men.
Potted history: United dominance
The first meeting between the sides came in the FA Cup on 28 January 1899, back when United were known as Newton Heath. The teams drew 1-1 at Northumberland Park in north London, meaning a replay four days later when Willie Bryant hit the fixture’s first hat-trick in a losing cause as Tottenham won 5-3.
Spurs triumphed in just one of the next nine meetings, though, and over the course of 204 fixtures United have been dominant with 96 wins to Tottenham’s 57.
Between 2001 and 2009 the Red Devils went 26 matches unbeaten, sparked by a remarkable game that saw them overturn a 3-0 half-time deficit to win 5-3. Recently, though, Spurs have had the upper hand…
This season’s games
Man Utd 0-3 Spurs, 29/09/2024
Johnson 3, Kulusevski 47, Solanke 78
Tottenham were irrepressible at Old Trafford in their first league meeting of 2024/25, the hosts’ task made harder by Bruno Fernandes’ dismissal before the break.
Spurs 4-3 Man Utd, 19/12/2024
Solanke 15 54, Kulusevski 46, Son 88; Zirkzee 63, Amad 70, Evans 90+4
Postecoglou’s men again opened up a 3-0 lead in December’s League Cup quarter-final tie, but had to survive a United fightback in a game marked by goalkeeping errors.
Spurs 1-0 Man Utd, 16/02/2025
Maddison 13
James Maddison scored the winner on his return to action as Tottenham earned a narrow league win against injury-hit visitors as Ruben Amorim was left ruing missed chances.
Postecoglou vs Man Utd
Spurs are unbeaten in six games against United, with the last five under Postecoglou (W4 D1). They have won all three meetings so far this season.
The Australian has suffered defeat by the Red Devils, though – back in 2000, his South Melbourne side lost 2-0 to United in the FIFA Club World Cup, Quinton Fortune getting both the English side’s goals. That gives Postecoglou an overall record against United of P6 W4 D1 L1.
Amorim vs Tottenham
Ruben Amorim’s Sporting CP met Tottenham in the 2022/23 Champions League group stage, picking up four points across the two fixtures though it was Spurs who ultimately topped the section: the Portuguese side finished bottom.
United have lost two out of two since his arrival this season, meaning Amorim’s overall record against Spurs is P4 W1 D1 L2.
Previous final meeting
Given the sides’ proud record in domestic club competition (only Arsenal have won more FA Cups), it is perhaps surprising that United and Spurs have met in just one previous final.
That came in the 2008/09 League Cup, when Sir Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils won 4-1 on penalties following a goalless draw. A 21-year-old Jonny Evans started at centre-back for the victors; now 37, he is still in the United squad.
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Tottenham were preparing for their last European final when an all-English final last took place in this competition in 2019.
The result was a 4-1 Chelsea defeat of Arsenal. Spurs contested an all-English final of their own three days later, but dreams of a first Champions League title were dashed by a 2-0 loss to Liverpool.
But now, hopes of a happier return to a European showpiece and a first continental honour since 1984 are boosted by the fine form of Ange Postecoglou’s men against their final opponents – Spurs victorious through two Premier League meetings and an English League Cup quarter-final against Man Utd this season.
Unbeaten in the Europa League this season, Manchester United have mixed commanding performances and dramatic comebacks on their road to the Europa League final, but Ruben Amorim will not take solace in that fact if they cannot overcome Spurs.
“If we don’t win the final, it means nothing for us,” the Portuguese coach said after an emphatic semi-final victory over Athletic Club.
The Red Devils won this competition under his compatriot José Mourinho in 2017, but more will remember the 2021 final defeat to Villarreal – Bruno Fernandes captaining the side in Gdansk, while Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelöf started and Harry Maguire and Amad Diallo watched on from the bench.
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For the second time since the second-tier European Clubs’ cup competition changed to Europa League, this is the second all-English final.
From the campaign in the earlier stages and in the Premier League, the line-ups are predictable.
Tottenham: Vicario; Pedro Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma, Bentancur; Johnson, Solanke, Richarlison
Doubtful: Sarr (back)
Out: Bergvall (ankle), Kulusevski (knee), Maddison (knee)
- The left side of the Spurs attack is the main team selection dilemma. Son has only recently returned from a foot injury, meaning Richarlison or Mathys Tel are likely to get the nod – the Brazilian is favourite having started both legs of the semi-final. Dejan Kulusevski is the latest injury in central midfield and Pape Sarr, if his back injury is not serious, may well take the third spot in that area.
Man Utd: Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Maguire; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Diallo, Højlund, Fernandes
Doubtful: Dalot (calf), De Ligt (knee), Yoro (ankle), Zirkzee (hamstring)
Out: Martínez (knee)
- Defenders Leny Yoro and Diogo Dalot have shaken off injury issues, while Joshua Zirkzee is a surprise inclusion in the squad as he was thought to be out for the season. The biggest decisions for the United boss centre on forward players, though, with Mason Mount and Amad Diallo impressing in the second leg against Athletic Club.
Form guide
Tottenham
Form (all competitions, most recent first): LLWDW
Next game: Aston Villa 2-0 Tottenham, Premier League, 16/05
Man Utd
Form (all competitions, most recent first): LLWLW
Next game: Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd, Premier League, 16/05
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Athletic Bilbao wingers Nico and Inaki Williams will both miss the second leg of their Europa League semi-final at Manchester United on Thursday, the LaLiga club said.
Nico Williams was not included in Ernesto Valverde’s squad on Wednesday. The 22-year-old also missed Sunday’s LaLiga game against Real Sociedad, while his older brother Inaki was taken off in the 62nd minute of the 0-0 draw.
Oihan Sancet, Athletic’s top scorer this season with 17 goals, was also omitted from the squad for the game at Old Trafford with Bilbao trailing United 3-0 after the first leg.
-Reuters
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