Whilst no lead in football is ever safe, Manchester United will welcome a talented Bilbao side to Old Trafford this week safe in the knowledge that they hold a 3-0 advantage from their brilliant first leg performance out in Spain.
With one foot in the Europa League final and a return to Bilbao looking to be on the cards, let’s take a look at what Manchester United need to do in order win the 2025 Europa League.
Not take Bilbao for granted
Whilst it’s highly unlikely that any of the Manchester United coaching staff or players will believe that Europa League semifinal is a done deal, Utd can’t afford to take their foot off the pedal and they need to ensure that the deal gets done at Old Trafford.
Knowing that scoring the first goal of the second leg is likely to dampen any hopes that Bilbao have of progressing, Utd need to be feverish with their press and concentrated in defence.
Utd have one foot already in the final, but they need to ensure they avoid a Lyon–like catastrophe and get the job done in a professional manner. If Bilbao can score the first goal, the pressure will be well and truly on.
Continue to rotate in the league
The best thing that any Utd fan can do at the moment is ensure that they don’t look at the table as it doesn’t make for pretty reading.
Utd’s thrilling 4-3 defeat to Brentford last weekend has left the team facing the real prospect that they could finish the league in 17th place. Rightly, Ruben Amorim has already publicly stated that the Europa League is the priority, but the prospect of Utd’s lowest ever Premier League finish is still a hard one for fans to get their heads around.
Ultimately, a win in the Europa League would almost write off Utd’s desperate season. A win in Bilbao on May 21st would see United claim one of European football’s biggest prizes and more importantly a place in next season’s Champions League.
With that in mind the transfer rumour mill is already in overdrive. Matheus Cunha, Viktor Gyokeres and Bryan Mbeumo are just three of the names that have been linked to a switch to Old Trafford this summer and there will be plenty more to add to that list.
Champions League football would significantly boost who Utd can attract this summer and if it can be secured, the temporary pain in the Premier League will all be worth it.
Hope the injuries and poor form continue to stack up for Tottenham
The best sports betting apps are currently struggling to separate Manchester United and Tottenham in the overall Europa League betting.
Whilst United are on the verge of knocking out Bilbao in their semifinal, the same can be said of Tottenham who will travel to Norway with a 3-1 advantage over Bodo Glimt.
Anything can happen with Tottenham and whilst it’s no guarantee that they will see out the job in Norway, it is likely that this year’s Europa League final will be an all-English affair.
Despite Utd enjoying a much better head-to–head history over Spurs, you actually have to go back to 2022 for Utd’s last win over the Lilywhites, and worryingly Utd have lost all three of their matches against Tottenham this season.
Whilst fingers are being pointed at Utd’s form in the league, the same can be said of Spurs who are also on course for their worst ever Premier League finish.
In a season where they have been plagued by injuries, those injuries have returned and if Tottenham do reach the final they will be without both Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison.
When it comes to European history between the two clubs, it isn’t fair to compare the two. United have been there and done it, whilst Spurs have been, Spursy.
If the two were to meet in the final, every Utd fan and player will believe they can edge out their Premier League rivals, and pundits like Jamie Carragher simply don’t see Tottenham being able to overcome a club like Utd on the grandest of European stages.
Whilst all that is true, Tottenham have some great players and they also won’t fear this current United squad. If the all English affair were to happen, it would make sense to keep an eye on the injury situation over at Tottenham as any more injuries to key men could well hand the advantage and initiative to Ruben Amorim’s men ahead of their Bilbao blockbuster.
