Gary Neville is confident Manchester United will triumph over Tottenham in the Europa League final despite their poor season amid the club’s knack for winning trophies.
Both clubs are in desperate need of a Europa League win after disastrous domestic runs, and Tottenham’s manager, Postecoglou, is under serious pressure to secure the victory for his future.
While a win might not ensure Postecoglou’s job, losing would likely see him out the door. Whereas a loss for Rúben Amorim might not be as destructive, it will also apply pressure to the Portuguese manager’s turbulent start so far.
Manchester United have had their worst ever top-flight Premier League finish in history as they have accumulated just 39 points and sit in an unsatisfactory 16th place, while Tottenham sit one point and one place below United in 17th.
Additionally, the winner earns a spot in the Champions League, and the accompanying financial benefits are significant for both teams as they prepare for the summer transfer market.
Neville’s confident thoughts on Europa League final
Neville admitted to feeling nervous ahead of the crucial final in Bilbao, acknowledging the high stakes involved. Nevertheless, the pundit expects United to triumph, pointing out that they have a track record of winning trophies, even in difficult seasons.
In his comments to BBC Sport about the upcoming final, Neville explained that he is confident United can win the game—a prediction United fans will want to hear.
“Roy Keane called it a great game the other day. That’s his view. I see things differently – I was a right-back,” Neville stated. You know the only thing you can do is lose your team the game. Unless you are Trent Alexander-Arnold, you are unlikely to win your team a game as a right-back.
“It is a huge game. The consequences are massive. I have a sickly feeling in my stomach about this game as a United fan, purely because of what is at stake.
“But I am confident. Manchester United have an uncanny knack, even in difficult times and bad times – and this has been a really bad season – of picking up trophies.
“That is not a bad habit to have as a football club. They still get to finals and do things even though the league form has been awful – and it has been a terrible season.”
Does history have a part to play in the mentality of the fixture?
Tottenham lifted their last trophy in 2008, when they defeated Chelsea at Wembley in the League Cup final. Their last final was the 2018/19 Champions League final against Liverpool, which they lost 2-0.
You could argue that Spurs have had some of the greatest Premier League managers in recent years, such as Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino, and Jose Mourinho, yet they have still failed to lift a trophy in 17 years.
United, on the other hand, has ultimately struggled since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure and endured some of the worst years in recent history, but it has still managed to lift silverware on a consistent basis. Remarkably, United have lifted five titles since Ferguson left.
This winning mentality, despite not being in the greatest years of the club’s recent history, may play a part in the fixture. Tottenham players may have the mentality that even when they’ve had their strongest line-ups in recent years, things haven’t gone their way, and this mentality effect enshrined in each club’s DNA could prove vital on May 21st.
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