Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will look to maintain their leads in the first legs of their UEFA Europa League semi-finals.
United and Spurs each have one foot in the Europa League final. The Red Devils beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 away, while Tottenham beat Bodø/Glimt 3-1 at home. They will look to finish the job in their semi-final clashes on Thursday.
Can Europa League Save the Red Devils’ Season?
Manchester United (1.91) will head into their clash with Athletic (4.10) at Old Trafford on Thursday three goals to the good. They earned this lead because of a superb performance at San Mamés.
Casemiro scored in the 30th minute and then five minutes later, Dani Vivian was sent off. This made an already difficult situation almost impossible for the Spanish side.
Bruno Fernandes doubled United’s lead from the penalty spot in the 37th minute. In the 45th minute, he made it a brace. United held on for the rest of the game.
United are 15th in the Premier League – a long way off the top five. Their domestic season continues to go from bad to worse, and they lost their last Premier League game 4-3 to Brentford.
United needs to win the Europa League to reach the UEFA Champions League and secure important revenue. In that sense, their season is in an almost identical position to that of Tottenham. However, there can be only one Europa League winner, which makes this competition even more intriguing for soccer betting fans.
Tottenham Look to Set Up All-English Final
Tottenham have slightly more work to do to secure their place in the final than Manchester United do. Ange Postecoglou’s side went 3-0 up with Brennan Johnson scoring in the first minute, James Maddison in the 34th and Dom Solanke from the penalty spot in the 61st. However, Spurs allowed Bodø/Glimt back into the tie when Ulrik Saltnes scored in the 83rd minute. The final result at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was 3-1 to the hosts.
Tottenham drew 1-1 against West Ham United in their last Premier League match. Wilson Odobert’s opener for Spurs was cancelled out by Jarrod Bowen. Spurs sit 16th in the Premier League.
Spurs have had an even worse season than Manchester United, and Ange Postecoglou’s legacy may well depend on the way the Europa League season finishes. He has overseen positive soccer but failed to get results. However, Spurs have not won a trophy since 2008, and a success in the Europa League would be greatly appreciated by Spurs fans.
Conclusion
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have everything to play for. One game could define their entire season. United are strong favourites to reach the final. They were dominant in Spain and should finish the job at Old Trafford
Tottenham’s task is slightly harder. Bodø/Glimt are still alive in the tie. Spurs must stay focused and avoid late drama. They cannot afford another collapse.
Both teams are under pressure. Domestic form has been poor, and questions remain over their managers. The Europa League offers redemption. It also offers Champions League qualification. For United, it could be a lifeline. For Spurs, it could be history.
An all-English final is within reach. But no result is guaranteed in European soccer. Fans will be watching closely. This week will decide who goes to the final at San Mamés — and who is knocked out.
