CRISTIAN ROMERO v HARRY MAGUIRE
Harry Maguire and Cristian Romero have both faced criticism in recent years, but will have an enormous role to play in the Europa League final, especially from set-pieces.
Maguire has been maligned for much of his career at Old Trafford and while his dramatic extra-time winner against Lyon helped United get to Bilbao, he missed last season’s FA Cup final through injury and only played the final minutes of their 2023 Carabao Cup success.
England centre-back Maguire will be desperate to contribute in this Europa League final after he sat out their 2021 defeat to Villarreal, but that is also the case for World Cup-winner Romero. Heavily linked with a summer switch to Atletico Madrid, Argentina centre-back Romero has repeatedly expressed his desire to win a trophy at Spurs and been colossal in the knockout stages.
‘There was a handful of people at the airport… that really actually bugs me’: Grainne Walsh on Paris pain, pro temptation and frustration at boxing recognitionEuropa League final: Where to watch Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur for free
YVES BISSOUMA v BRUNO FERNANDES
Yves Bissouma scored the opener against Everton
Yves Bissouma will be tasked with closing down Manchester United captain and playmaker Bruno Fernandes(John Walton/PA)
The direct battle between the frustratingly inconsistent Yves Bissouma and United talisman Bruno Fernandes may go a long way to determining the winner at San Mames.
Bissouma played only 13 minutes of Spurs’ two-legged ties with AZ Alkmaar and Eintracht Frankfurt, but was called in from the cold against Bodo/Glimt to produce two of his best displays of a mixed campaign. He also dominated Fernandes in a 4-3 Carabao Cup win for Tottenham in December but is equally capable of an error in a key match.
Fernandes will shoulder the burden of United fans and has scored vital goals against Real Sociedad, Lyon and Athletic Bilbao. However, the Red Devils captain has lost four of his last five meetings with Tottenham and was sent off in a 3-0 defeat back in September.
DOMINIC SOLANKE v RASMUS HOJLUND
Rasmus Hojlund has only scored once for Manchester United in 2025
Rasmus Hojlund will hope to be among the goals in the Europa League final(Bradley Collyer/PA)
Rasmus Hojlund could have been consigned to a place on the bench if Joshua Zirkzee was fully fit, but the 10-goal forward will aim to deliver for United in Bilbao and finish a tough second campaign at the club on a high. With only three goals in 2025, the big-money signing for an initial £64million is hardly a man in form but did score in the semi-final against Athletic.
Solanke joined Spurs last August in a £65m transfer and while regular goals have not followed, the ex-Bournemouth striker has endeared himself to a new fanbase with his work rate and all-round game. An 11-match goal drought threatened to dissipate goodwill, but ice-cool spot-kicks against Frankfurt and Bodo have proved crucial.
With three Europa League knockout goals and an overall tally of 15 in all competitions, Solanke has the edge over Hojlund, but who will show up and tip the scales for their team in a make-or-break occasion?