Manchester United and Tottenham have both been poor this season.
The Red Devils have suffered 18 defeats this season, the most defeats they have suffered in a single Premier League season in history, as they sit 16th in the table.
| Position | Team | Played MP |
Won W |
Drawn D |
Lost L |
For GF |
Against GA |
Diff GD |
Points Pts |
| 16 |  |
37 | 10 | 9 | 18 | 42 | 54 | -12 | 39 |
| 17 |  |
37 | 11 | 5 | 21 | 63 | 61 | 2 | 38 |
| 18 |  |
37 | 6 | 7 | 24 | 33 | 78 | -45 | 25 |
On the other hand, Spurs, who have been just as poor, currently sit 17th, with 21 defeats in the league this season with Ange Postecoglou making a new Spurs record.
The Europa League final holds a huge significance for both Spurs and United. It is their final chance to salvage their season, as a win would not only win them a trophy but also guarantee a place in next season’s Champions League.
And now former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has made his prediction ahead of the final.
Rio Ferdinand gives his verdict on the Europa League final
Despite the struggles domestically, both clubs have done surprisingly well to reach the Europa League final.
Ruben Amorim remains unbeaten in the competition, winning 8 and drawing 2 while Ange Postecoglou has remained unbeaten at home in the competition.
But given their incredible inconsistency, Rio Ferdinand has found it difficult to predict which way the game will go. Speaking on Optus Sport Ferdinand said: “I have to be honest, I can’t call a Man United result — they’re so inconsistent or they have consistently been bad in the Premier League.
“But the fact they are playing against Spurs, another consistently bad team in the Premier League, but they have players who can win a match.
“It makes it such a hard game to call, I think Man United haven’t done enough this season for me to go convincingly ‘right, they will win this game’ — at any point I’ve not felt like that, other than maybe against Leicester.
“So to call this game will be difficult, I think it’s a huge opportunity for both clubs, but for Manchester United I think the manager has been very open about putting all of his eggs in one basket.”
Tottenham could be considered favourites to beat Manchester United
Ruben Amorim is convinced Spurs will not change the way they play, which he believes makes them predictable, something he sees as an advantage for Manchester United heading into the final.
However, the two sides have met thrice this season, with Tottenham getting the better of United all three times, and twice under Ruben Amorim.
Spurs secured a comfortable 3-0 win at Old Trafford early on in the season, followed by a 1-0 victory at home in February. They also eliminated United from the League Cup in a dramatic 4-3 thriller.
Tottenham can also draw confidence from a season that has seen surprise winners lift silverware.
Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City to claim the FA Cup, the first major trophy in their history, while Newcastle edged out Liverpool in the League Cup final, securing their first major honour in 70 years.
With Tottenham currently on a trophy drought themselves, having not won a major trophy since 2008, perhaps this could finally be the season they end their wait.
