Man United have perfect preparation plan for Europa League final - thanks to a manager they sacked

The secret to success in Spain for Manchester United and Tottenham this week might be finding a way to raise their game beyond the levels they have shown this season.

Granted, both have displayed unexpected resolve and quality to progress to the Europa League final. United's comeback against Lyon and the destruction of Athletic Bilbao were impressive. Tottenham's away wins at Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt, when everyone expected them to stumble, were very un-Tottenham.

But domestically, week to week, this has been a season of generational rubbish. They will almost certainly finish 16th and 17th in the Premier League, propped up only by the relegated trio. Between them, they have lost 39 of 74 league assignments, and that tally will surely rise at the weekend.

For one of these clubs, the Europa League trophy will make an appearance this week and the domestic disquiet will be forgotten. For the other, they will fall at the final hurdle in a bid to, if not save their season, then at least salvage something from it.

Tottenham might be seen to have the upper hand, having beaten United on three occasions this season, two of them with Ruben Amorim in the dugout. But then, United have the trophy-winning experience.

How much that counts for is up for debate. Football clubs are inanimate objects after all, but just over a year ago, United were coming to the end of their worst season in years but found a way to save their best for last. Go through the wreckage of that 2023/24 season under Erik ten Hag, and it's the FA Cup final performance at Wembley that stands out by a mile.

The contrast from the humiliating way they won the semi-final, throwing away a three-goal lead against Coventry City, surviving an unbearably tight VAR