Manchester United v Tottenham Europa League Final

Tottenham will face Manchester United in the Europa League final as they cruised past Bodo/Glimt to stay in the hunt for a first European title in 41 years.

Ange Postecoglou’s men navigated a tricky semi-final second leg in Norway to reach their sixth European final – and first since the 2019 Champions League final.

Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro struck in the second half to seal a 5-1 aggregate success and confirm an all-English showdown with United in Bilbao on 21 May.

Spurs’ trophy drought stretches to a League Cup triumph in 2008, but further back to 1984 in Europe when they won the Uefa Cup.

Postecoglou’s bold statement in September that he always wins silverware in his second season at a club had been met with mockery at times this term, with Tottenham 16th in the Premier League.

Yet they are now one game away from ending their barren spell to prove the Australian right, despite their abject domestic season.

Mason Mount ended 20 months of torment with a brilliant second half double as Manchester United booked an all-English Europa League final with Tottenham in Bilbao on 21 May.

On an anxious, nervy, mistake-ridden night at Old Trafford, fingernails were starting to get chewed at the sight of the home side making it so hard for themselves despite starting the second-leg of their semi-final with Athletic Bilbao holding a three-goal advantage.

But Mount chose exactly the right time to step up.

Beset by a succession of injuries that have limited the England man to just 10 Premier League starts since his £55m move from Chelsea in 2023, Mount had only been on the pitch 10 minutes when he turned onto Leny Yoro’s short pass inside the Bilbao penalty area.

Mount’s strike was true and arrowed into the far corner.

It was his third United goal but it was by far the most important and ended lingering fears the visitors might become the first side in 134 attempts in Uefa competitions to overturn a three-goal first leg deficit away from home.

But there was more to come.

After Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund had steered United into a winning lead, Mount pounced on a loose ball 45 yards out and floated a superb shot into an empty net.

The goal capped a memorable Old Trafford night and maintained United’s unbeaten record in the competition.

The final outcome was harsh on the Spanish visitors, who were the better side for long periods and led at half-time thanks to Mikel Jauregizar’s magnificent 30-yard effort.

That did not matter to the home fans at the final whistle as they will now get a shot at salvaging their season against the Premier League’s other great underachievers.

BBC