For both Manchester United and Tottenham, this competition provides a route to saving their seasons, where they sit 14th and 16th respectively in the Premier League. Manchester United's trophy drought may not be as long as the 17-year drought that Ange Postecoglou is looking to bring to an end,

However, there is no chance that a Manchester United-Tottenham final could be moved to an English venue, with Bilbao’s San Mames stadium awarded the rights to host the Europa League final way back in 2021, the same year that Uefa decided the Basque city would host the 2024 Women’s Champions League final.

The rescue act is on for Manchester United and Tottenham. Big wins for both teams in the first legs of the Europa League semifinals on Thursday kept alive their hopes of lifting a major trophy and qualifying for the Champions League.