Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur face off on Wednesday in a UEFA Europa League final that will rescue the victor's season.
United and Spurs sit 16th and 17th in the Premier League table respectively -- the two clubs have managed just one win between them outside of continental competition since the start of April, but in the Europa League they have been going great guns.
Ange Postecoglou's Spurs side finished fourth in the competition's league phase, a place behind United. In the knockouts, they narrowly beat AZ Alkmaar and Eintracht Frankfurt, before easing past Bodo/Glimt to reach the final in Bilbao. Spurs have won this tournament twice -- under it's previous moniker of the UEFA Cup -- in 1971 and 1984,.
They will be hoping to become the second English club to win Europe's second-tier competition three times, after Liverpool. Will Postecoglou deliver on his promise of "always winning a trophy" in his second season?
United took a more adventurous route to the final, beating Real Sociedad before pulling off a spectacular comeback against Lyon and then comprehensively beating an Athletic Club side who'd been dreaming of a home European final. United curiously remain the only unbeaten side across European competition this season.
Ruben Amorim, despite his horror start to life at Old Trafford, is now a game away from becoming just the third manager in United history to win a trophy in their first season (after José Mourinho and Erik Ten Hag). Can he do it?
A win here is not only about silverware, but a chance to play in the Champions League next season, and neither side can afford to miss out on such a lucrative prize.
Here's all you need to know about the big game:
How to watch:
The match will be available on TNT Sports 1 in the UK, Paramount+ in the United States, the Sony Sports Network in India and Stan Sport in Australia. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.
Key Details:
Date: Wednesday, May 22 at 8 p.m. BST (3 p.m. ET; 12.30 a.m. IST and 5 a.m. AEST on Thursday morning)
Venue: Estadio de San Mamés, Bilbao
Referee: Felix Zwayer
VAR: Bastian Dankert
Team news:
Tottenham Hotspur
Dejan Kulusevski, M/F, knee, OUT for the season
Radu Dragusin, D, knee, OUT for the season
James Maddison, M, knee, OUT for the season
Lucas Bergvall, M, ankle, OUT, estimated return late May
Dane Scarlett, F, hernia, OUT for the season
Manchester United
Jonny Evans, D, undisclosed, DOUBT
Tom Heaton, GK, muscle, DOUBT
Matthijs de Ligt, D, ankle, OUT for the season
Lisandro Martínez, D, knee, OUT for the season
Diogo Dalot, D, calf, DOUBT
Expected Lineups:
Tottenham Hotspur
GK Guglielmo Vicario
RB Pedro Porro | CB Cristian Romero | CB Micky van de Ven | LB Destiny Udogie
CM Pape Sarr | CM Rodrigo Bentancur | CM Yves Bissouma
RW Brennan Johnson | CF Dominic Solanke | LW Son Heung Min
Manchester United
GK:André Onana
CB: Leny Yoro | CB: Harry Maguire | CB: Luke Shaw
RWB: Noussair Mazraoui | CM: Casemiro | CM: Manuel Ugarte | LWB: Patrick Dorgu
AM: Alejandro Garnacho | AM: Bruno Fernandes
CF: Rasmus Højlund
Stats:
Only five times previously has there been all-English final in major European competitions. This will be Spurs' third such final after the 1971-72 UEFA Cup final (beat Wolves 3-2 on aggregate) and the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League final (lost 2-0 to Liverpool).
This is the second time Spurs and United are meeting in a major European competition. They faced off in the 1963-64 Cup Winners' Cup where United won 4-3 on aggregate.
Wednesday will mark United's ninth major European final -- only Liverpool have reached more (15) amongst English clubs.
In more current stats, United have not beaten Spurs in any of their last six meetings (D2, L4) and have lost all of the three times they faced Spurs this season.
Latest news and analysis:
- Spurs vs. Man Utd: Which Europa League finalist has been worse?
This season's UEFA Europa League -- which features two of the Premier League's biggest clubs, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur -- is a curious fixture.
- Man United, Amorim's turbulent run-up to Europa League final
The pressure is on at Manchester United. Wednesday's Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao, Spain, will be a £100 million lottery for Ruben Amorim and his players.
- Europa League final win should save Ange Postecoglou, says club icon
The last time Tottenham Hotspur won a European trophy it proved to be manager Keith Burkinshaw's last game in charge and as the club arrive in Bilbao for Wednesday's Europa League final against Manchester United, history could be repeating itself.
- Son Heung-Min says Europa League final will be 'biggest day of my life'
"Wednesday will be the biggest day of my life. It will be great. We will be excited, and I hope we can make history," Son said.