Tottenham and Man United face off in the Europa League final on Wednesday night with both clubs' seasons on the line.
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Alan Shearer has given his honest opinion on who will win the Europa League final
Alan Shearer has given his honest opinion on who will win the Europa League final
(Image: Getty Images)
Alan Shearer has weighed in on the upcoming Europa League final, suggesting that it's a tough call but Tottenham might just have the upper hand against Manchester United.
The two struggling Premier League sides are set to clash in Bilbao on Wednesday night, with both their seasons hanging in the balance. Tottenham are teetering above the relegation zone in 17th place, while United are faring only slightly better in 16th.
Victory in the Europa League final offers more than just silverware; it secures a coveted spot in next season's Champions League, adding immense stakes to the encounter.
Manchester United's Ruben Amorim and Tottenham's Ange Postecoglou will be eager to showcase their managerial prowess, with Amorim aiming to cement his role at United and Postecoglou looking to quash the doubters by upholding his record of winning trophies in his second year.
Speaking to Betfair, Shearer acknowledged the unpredictability of the match given both teams' lacklustre performances this season. He said: "This match is pretty impossible to predict when you look at how bad both teams have been. Spurs have done really well against Man United this season, so due to their record against them I'd say Spurs may be slight favourites.", reports Football London.
He also highlighted the pressure on both clubs, noting: "There are more negatives than positives for both teams when you look at them. I really haven't got a clue what to expect or what teams will turn up. It's a bit of a flip of a coin and it'll be a disaster for whoever doesn't win.
"Given what's at stake for both clubs, it could have an impact on the game. There's so much relying on both teams, managers and both clubs' short-term futures.
"There's no exaggeration that both teams need an injection of five or six players to try and compete again and that's why the stakes of this game are enormous."
Ahead of their crucial clash, it's worth noting that Tottenham have dominated recent exchanges with Manchester United, accumulating an 8-3 aggregate scoreline against the Red Devils in their trio of matches this season. Spurs' record has been solid, having not tasted defeat to Man United since Antonio Conte oversaw proceedings back in October 2022.
Additionally, Tottenham successfully had their fixture against Aston Villa rescheduled from Sunday to Friday last weekend, mirroring Manchester United's match calendar with Chelsea, effectively levelling the playing field in terms of preparation time for the upcoming final.
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