Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has admitted that there is one huge “concern” for Ruben Amorim’s men for the Europa League final against Tottenham.
Ruben Amorim is now within touching distance of lifting his first piece of major silverware as Manchester United manager after arriving at Old Trafford in 2024.
United knocked La Liga side Athletic Club out of the Europa League semi-finals and the Red Devils have set up an all-English showdown with Tottenham in the final.
The Red Devils need to lift the Europa League trophy on 21st May if United want to secure their return to Europe for the 2025-26 campaign under Amorim.
The 2024-25 Europa League trophy would offer United a route back to the Champions League for next season after a disastrous domestic campaign.
United languish in 16th place in the Premier League table and the Red Devils will end the 2024-25 season with their worst finish in Premier League history.
Tottenham, much like United, have had a woeful season in the Premier League and Spurs are one point behind the Red Devils in 17th place in the table.
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Ange Postecoglou’s men also need to lift the Europa League trophy if Spurs want to punch their ticket back to the Champions League for next season.
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Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images
Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images
Rio Ferdinand highlights a ‘worry’ that he spotted in Man Utd in the Premier League ahead of the Europa League final vs Tottenham
The Red Devils suffered their 18th Premier League defeat of the current campaign last Friday after Chelsea defeated Manchester United 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.
United only have one Premier League fixture remaining in their shambolic season and Ruben Amorim’s men have lost four of their last five league matches.
Amorim’s side will face Tottenham in the 2025 Europa League final on Wednesday evening in Spain ahead of playing Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Speaking to talkSPORT ahead of the final, Rio Ferdinand admitted that he has found United’s lack of physicality in the Premier League to be a major worry for him.
“The worrying thing, for me, from a Man United perspective, is that,” he said.
“I’ve always said it, I’ve said it on my podcast for the last couple of months, physically, we can’t keep up with any team in the Premier League.
“If they go man to man and go toe-to-toe with us, we’re at a disadvantage because our profile of our players at Man United are not players that can run as hard and as fast, and as long, and they’re not as powerful as other teams.
“That’s a big thing in the Premier League. In the Europa, we’re overpowering every team.”
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Rio Ferdinand spotted Ruben Amorim’s Man Utd side struggle against one team in the 2024-25 Europa League run
United met Rangers in the league phase of the Europa League earlier in the season and the Red Devils clinched a late 2-1 win over the Scottish side at Old Trafford.
Ferdinand said that United’s win over Rangers in January was where the Red Devils faced a team in Europe that were “akin” to the physicality of the Premier League.
“There’s only one team I’ve watched us play against in the Europa League that we struggled against and thought, ‘Ooh, that was a bit too close for comfort,” he continued.
“Rangers, who are more akin to a Premier League side, physically.
“So that’s the concern for me in the final playing against a Premier League team, who have beaten us three times, that physically can, minimum, match us.”
United and Tottenham’s Europa League final clash will be played at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao and kick-off for the match is slated for 8pm UK time.