Europa League final: Manchester United 0 Spurs 1 (Johnson 42)
Here is the match report. That’s all from me, good night.
Ange Postecoglou speaking to TNT Sports:
“I’ve always felt that knockout football is different to league football. It comes down to organisation, moments. You need to minimise moments. Having our full-strength defence back, I thought they’d be hard to break down.
“It wasn’t me boasting [about declaring he would win a trophy in his second season], it was me making a declaration. I had this thing inside me, us finishing 3rd wasn’t going to change this football club, only winning a trophy would change something. That was my ambition. I couldn’t expect anyone from the club to say it.
“I was prepared to wear it if it didn’t happen. I was comfortable with it.
“People take shots at the club, and I feel the club doesn’t defend itself as hard as it should. There’s no reason why they can’t believe that they can win again next year. That’s what the great clubs do.”
“Whatever happens, happens. We’re still building this team, we need to add some experience to it. My thought process is building a team for up to six years. That decision is not in my hands [about his future]. I don’t feel I’ve completed the job yet, I’m still building. We’ve won now, I want to build on it.”
Mary Hannigan’s TV view is here.
Not a classic, but a big moment for the London club and Ange Postecoglou, who said he always wins a trophy in his second season... for United, they were listless which summed up their dreadful season. Amorim will have a lot to answer for.
Brennan Johnson on TNT Sports: “This means so much, the fans get battered for not winning, we get battered. It’s always ‘a good team, but never get it done’. We got it done. I can’t describe the feeling of scoring.
“The relief is something I can never describe. Tottenham finishing 17th is not good enough, the fans have been so good, the fans coming here, I thought they had the edge on the fans. It got us through the game.
“I think if ever was time for a mic drop, it’s now (for Ange). I have to thank him so much.”
Hail Mary for United as Onana goes into the box. Danso clears it, falls to Casemiro to overhead kick it but hits the sidenetting. Some thought it was in, but it’s wide.
Full-time: Manchester United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Tottenham are Europa League champions!
90+7 mins: Last hurrah for United, Maguire falls down again in the box and looks for a penalty.
Then Shaw with the powerful header... and Vicario saves it! Brilliant save. Dramatic end. Dalot into the box, Fernandes into the box. Spurs keep putting bodies on the line.
90+5 mins: Garnacho crosses into the box, but poor, Bruno going into the deepest position as quarter-back, and gets one to Amad to puts in a great cross but Danso heads it brilliantly away. Spurs can’t get out of their box. But then Yoro takes a shot and hoofs it way over the bar. Spurs fans cheer loudly.
90+3 mins: Dalot throws one into the box to Maguire but is well handled by the defence and can’t get it on target. United’s main attacking option now.
Seven minutes of stoppage time.
88 mins: Maguire has gone up front as striker and falls down in the box after wrestling with Van de Ven, him and Romero with the verbals. Then they clash again in the air, yellow card for Maguire. Romero makes the most of it to waste time.
84 mins: Solanke holds the ball up well on the counter and plays in Son in behind but Mazraoui makes a good tackle.
Another counter after United give the ball away and Zirkzee is given a yellow for fouling Udogie. Dalot on for Mazraoui for the last few minutes.
81 mins: Spurs sitting back very deep, “parking the bus” as former Spurs and United manager Mourinho would do. It’s inviting a lot of pressure though, United probing.
78 mins: United have a penalty shout, but it’s outside the box. Looked like it might have been a free-kick just outside the box though, but the ref gives a goal kick. Defensive sub by Spurs, Danso on for Johnson.
75 mins: Garnacho on to try to cause havoc on the left wing and he cuts in and takes on Porro, takes a great low shot that is well saved by Vicario. Fine introduction by the two subs.
72 mins: Double substitution for United, Mount and Hojlund off, Zirkzee and Garnacho on for United. Great first touch by Zirkzee sets up Mazroaui to Bruno on his own in the box. Heads it well wide, should do a lot better.
Richarlison is down so Amorim giving some advice to his players, Casemiro in particular. Son Heung-min comes on for Richarlison. No subs yet for United.
69 mins: Then nearly a goal for United! Van de Ven with a stunning clearance off the line after a long ball by Casemiro, Vicario messes it up. Hojlund heads towards goal and going in and Van de Ven with a brilliant acrobatic clearance off the line. Like the equivalent of a goal that!
64 mins: Mount finally getting more involved, decent play in two attacks that fizzle out. End to end now, Dorgu finds Amad alone in the box, but he messes it up in his feet. Spurs counter and a great chance. Two on two, Udogie’s pass isn’t brilliant to Solanke but needs a much better touch and he’d be one on one with the keeper. Can’t control it and out of play.
58 mins: Lots of fouls by Spurs in this half, just breaking up the game again and again. Richarlison gets a deserved yellow after a few transgressions. Super free kic into the box by Bruno, just in between the forwards and keeper, Yoro gets a touch but it’s a good save by Vicario. Best chance in a while for United.
54 mins: Richarlison has had a good game so far up front for Spurs and wins another free. Spurs have been strong and aggressive, Bentancur another who has played well so far, while Van de Ven has been strong at the back.
51 mins: Yellow card for van der Ven but smashing into Hojlund in the air. Surely some subs needed for United soon, Spurs’s defence dominant against their attack so far.
48 mins: Cross into Hojlund by Amad is just behind him, not much he could do about it as it goes well wide.
Uefa have given the goal to Brennan Johnson after review, good for Luke Shaw. Second half under way.
45 mins: United respond with an attack that leads to a Bruno shot in the box, which is blocked well. But heading into half-time behind it seems.
Half-time: Manchester United 0 Spurs 1
A low enough quality affair was punctuated at the stroke of half-time with an own goal by Luke Shaw and Tottenham lead at the break. All to play for in the second half now, United will have to do it the hard way again if they want to win the trophy.
GOAL FOR SPURS! Brennan Johnson gives Tottenham the lead, or so it seemed.
42 mins: Sarr with a great low cross to the corridor of uncertainty, Johnson makes a nuisance of himself and hits it back off Shaw and rolls into the corner of the net, Onana can’t get to it. Possibly an own goal. Poor goal for United to concede, scrappy, but Sarr’s cross caused havoc.
40 mins: Nearly a costly mistake for Yoro under pressure as he wanted to get back to the keeper but wasn’t happening and under high press. A scrappy game so far. Only player trying to make thing happen is Amad, who tries to dribble past and takes a weak low shot.
36 mins: Yellow card for Amad, who has had a good game so far, but pulled on Udogie’s jersey, can’t have many complaints.
31 mins: More nervousness by the United defence, as Dorgu puts the ball out for a corner despite having time. Shaw not happy. Great play by Amad, who takes of a few players and puts in a low cross, but Johnson blocks it. The fact a forward is in that position tells a bit about how Spurs have been getting numbers behind the ball.
27 mins: A slightly nervy start to the game by both teams, not a surprise really given the stakes.
24 mins: Good long pass by Casemiro to Dorgu, who has been lively and a back post cross eventually falls to Amad who slips Bruno in but his shot is comfortably saved by Vicario. United growing into the game.
20 mins: Decent play by Spurs, Richarlison in for Sarr in the box, Shaw just gets it away though.
17 mins: Dorgu runs at Porro on the wing and falls over but no foul. United putting on pressure and then Maguire puts a great diagonal to Dorgu on the edge of the box who does really well to square the ball and Romero has to scramble to clear it out for a corner. Plenty of corners so far.
Then the best chance for United so far. Vicario flaps at it and it falls to Amad who shimmies for space and smashes it across the goal but just wide.
13 mins: Chances for Spurs. Johnson nips in from a Maguire pass and gets around the defender plays a low cross across the goal. Onana pushes it away well and then the shot is blocked. Another corner for Spurs.
Then indecisive defending by United, Casemiro kicks it off Mount and falls to Richarlison which Bruno blocks. United finally escape after Johnson fouls Dorgu in the air.
10 mins: Casemiro cleans up well after the ball fell to Richarlison charging towards the box. United have some possession but Spurs push up well and Johnson wins a throw in an attacking area.
Brilliant cross by Porro to the back post causes Onana concern and Mazroaui has to save the day with a crucial header, Richarlison was ready to pounce.
6 mins: Free kick for United is swung in by Shaw, Maguire wins a header at the back post and Udogie slices it out for a corner. Decent corner but doesn’t fall to anyone. Then a chance for United as Hojlund sneaks ahead of a hesitant Vicario and falls to Fernandes but he can’t find space to get it on target.
2 mins: Some early possession for Spurs and they try a long ball in behind to Brennan Johnson and Shaw kicks it out for a corner, looked to come off Johnson but it’s a break for Spurs. Porro delivers but free out as van de Ven fouls Maguire.
The players are coming out from the tunnel. Some atmosphere and spectacle. Kick-off is in a few minutes.
Some interesting team selections, particularly Richarlison starting instead of Son Heung-Min. Ballsy move by Ange. Amorim will play the usual 3-4-3 that is heavily reliant on Bruno Fernandes. Will Hojlund finally make an impact up front? Amad is back from injury and they will be looking for a big game from the ageing Casemiro, who is the ultimate big-game European player.
The Manchester United brain trust is in attendance, as is legendary manager Alex Ferguson
And our boy Rory is there too:
Big Ange was not happy with a journalist at the press conference yesterday, “I’m not a clown”. It is rumoured that it could be Postecoglou’s final game as Tottenham boss, regardless of tonight’s result.
Man United: Onana; Mazraoui (Dalot 85), Maguire, Yoro, Shaw, Dorgu (Mainoo 90); Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes (capt); Mount (Garnacho 71), Amad, Hojlund (Zirkzee 71)
Spurs: Vicario; Porro, Romero (capt), van de Ven, Udogie (Spence 90); Bissouma, Bentancur, Sarr (Gray 90); Johnson (Danso 78), Solanke, Richarlison (Son 67).
The teams are out: No Garnacho or Ugarte for United, no Maddison or Son for Spurs.
Jonathan Wilson on the Europa League final:
“That a final could comprise two such struggling teams is undeniably funny, but the game matters. For Tottenham, this could be a first trophy since 2008 and a first European trophy since 1984; for United, it could, inexplicably, be a third piece of silverware in successive seasons, and a seventh European trophy. Neither side will need reminding that their ostensibly more successful local rivals have won nothing this season."
Some images of the raucous build-up to the game, including former Spurs player Sandro playing the guitar for some reason...
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, from Bilbao. Kick-off is at 8pm. There is a lot at stake here, with not only a trophy, which would be Spurs’s first since 2008, but Champions League qualification for two teams that have really struggled in the Premier League. At 16th and 17th place in the league, it’s not the strongest teams they’ve had in their history, to put it mildly, but it makes the game all the more intriguing.
The starting line-ups will follow when they are available, but for now here are the travelling squads. Which include previously injured players Joshua Zirkzee and James Maddison.
Tottenham squad:
Guillermo Vicario, Antonin Kinsky, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, Callum Olusesi, Damola Ajayi, Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison, Mikey Moore, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, Son Heung-Min, Mathys Tel, Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, Dane Scarlett, Will Lankshear.
Manchester United squad:
Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Dermot Mee, Andre Onana; Harry Amass, Patrick Dorgu, Diogo Dalot, Jonny Evans, Tyler Fredricson, Ayden Heaven, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui, Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro; Casemiro, Toby Collyer, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte; Amad, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee
