Ange Postecoglou is underestimating Ruben Amorim with Man United Europa League final mind games

It didn't take Ange Postecoglou long to light the blue touch paper ahead of a Europa League final in Bilbao later this month that has more than just a trophy riding on it.

For Manchester United and Tottenham, this is about the silverware and the shekels. For the winner, there will be the riches and the lustre of a Champions League campaign next season. For the loser, there will be the ignominy of one of the worst seasons in their club's history, and if that is Postecoglou, probably a P45 to boot.

Ruben Amorim won't face that fate if the result doesn't go United's way on May 21 but you can be certain the Portuguese head coach is desperate for a trophy to add credence to his Old Trafford face-lift and significantly boost his budget in what is a key first summer window.

For Postecoglou, it feels like win or bust, and reading his comments after Tottenham silenced the doubters by winning with relative ease in Norway on Thursday, it feels like he is already trying to start the mind games ahead of an all-Premier League showdown.

The Aussie was asked about Amorim's comments that winning the Europa League wouldn't save United's season, but rather than acknowledge Spurs have underperformed in the Premier League, he came out swinging, deliberately misinterpreting those comments as he sought to paint the narrative that this final simply means more to Tottenham.

"Why do I care what Manchester United think? Ask the Manchester United manager why he says that. I've said all along this is important," said Postecoglou.

"What's happening right now is people are fearing that. That it actually might happen. And let's see if we can tear it down and diminish it somehow by saying it's been a poor season and we don't deserve this or that and