Man Utd vs Tottenham – Europa League final LIVE RESULT: Scrappy Johnson goal hands Spurs first trophy in 17 years
TOTTENHAM have defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final in Bilbao!
Spurs may have endured a woeful season in the league - but they've ended it with Champions League qualification after winning the final.
Brennan Johnson bundled the ball home to score the only goal of the game as Tottenham fans went wild in the San Mames Stadium.
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Follow ALL the action from the Europa League final with our live blog below...
Lads, it's Tottenham
One of Fergie's most famous team talks saw him rally United from 3-0 down at White Hart Lane at half-time to win 5-3.
Legend has it that Fergie simply walked into the dressing room and said: 'Lads, it's Tottenham', which was enough to inspires his players to an incredible turnaround.
Paul Scholes was asked about the team talk but told TNT Sports: "I think it's a bit derogatory to speak about such a great football club like that.
"We knew… probably most of the time we had the beating of Tottenham.
"We were always confident against them.
"I know a lot has been made of 'It's only Tottenham, lads' but it isn't, you still have to play against a very good football team."
More from Maddison
He added: "As soon as we found out my season as over one of the first things the manager said to me was, 'Be upset, have your moment to be sad and then get around the group as quickly as possible'.
"He knows I am one of the older players now, they respect me and I can help the group."
'It is sad'
James Maddison appeared as a special guest on TNT Sports in the build-up to kick-off.
The England star said: "Of course it is difficult.
"You can feel the atmosphere around the game already.
"These are the games you want to be in involved, in the big European nights.
"I'm devastated not to be involved. We've had a good European campaign and to get to the final and not be part of it is sad.
"But the last in the last few days especially, you have to put that aside and be there for the lads and help them prepare for it."
View from SunSport's Dave Courtnadge in Bilbao
The street parties are starting to become seat parties as fans flock into the San Mames stands.
Spurs probably edging the Europa Song Contest at the moment with those in white on right my right drowning out the Euro pop blaring out from the stadium speakers.
Perhaps the United fans are worried about creasing the flags that have been put on every seat in their section.
Maybe they were a present from Sir Jim for making all that effort to get here.
Maybe they weren't...
Fergie time
Sir Alex Ferguson is in the house tonight.
But this could be the final time we see him in an official capacity for Manchester United.
The club's greatest manager is now 83 and has decided to step down from his multi-million pound role as an ambassador.
Fergie first arrived at Old Trafford in 1986 and 27 years later - 2013 - having won 13 league titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups, the Cup Winners' Cup, Club World Cup and two Champions Leagues.
Not a bad spell.
Son OUT
The other big bit of team news is that Ange Postecoglou has taken the massive decision to DROP Son Heung-min to the bench.
Son had missed a month but played 30 minutes in the defeat to Crystal Palace and then started against Aston Villa last week.
But Ange clearly does not think he did enough in those appearances to earn a starting spot here.
Huge call!
Yoro IN
Well, well, well - a massive decision by each manager as the team news is confirmed.
The first is that Leny Yoro has beaten his injury to be fit to start at the San Mames.
The French defender missed the Chelsea defeat last Friday after pulling up in the 2-0 loss to West Ham a few days earlier.
Credit: PA Team news!
The team news has been confirmed...
And Lenny Yoro IS starting after that earlier leak.
Man Utd: Onana, Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro, Shaw, Dorgu, Casemiro, Bruno, Mount, Amad, Hojlund.
Tottenham: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Bissouma, Bentancur, Sarr, Johnson, Solanke, Richarlison.
Filling up nicely
Both sets of players have arrived and have been on the pitch, soaking up the atmosphere.
Thousands of fans are also now in the ground.
Just over an hour to go here!
Prem struggles
It's not hard to imagine just how bad United and Spurs have been in the Premier League this season, with the two clubs languishing in 15th and 16th in the division.
It has been a stark difference in Europe where the two managers have masterminded brilliant campaigns to reach this stage.
The stats are pretty stark...
Ruben Amorim in the Premier League
- Games - 26
- Wins - 6
- Win% - 23.1%
Ruben Amorim in the Europa League
- EL Games - 10
- EL Wins - 8
- EL Win% - 80%
Ange Postecoglou in the Premier League
- Games - 37
- Wins - 11
- Win% - 29.7%
Ange Postecoglou Amorim in the Europa League
- EL Games - 14
- EL Wins - 9
- EL Win% - 64.3%
'All the best'
Spurs legend Harry Kane will not be at the Europa League final tonight.
But the England skipper sent a classy message to his former club earlier this week.
"It's been a tough season for Tottenham in the league, but they have the chance to make it one of the best seasons in recent history.
"I still have a lot of friends there in the players and the staff, I know how much it would mean to them, how much it would mean to the fans. It's going to be tough.
"United have experience in the bigger games. But Tottenham have shown they can compete at any level, and they deserve to be in the final.
"I'll be keeping an eye on it for sure and wish them all the best."
Kane was tonight named the Bundesliga Player of the Year after scoring 26 goals en route to Bayern winning back the league title.
He became the first player to be named top scorer in both of his first two seasons in the German top flight.
Credit: PA All English Affair
This is the sixth all-English European final - and both of tonight's sides have featured in at least one before...
Here's how they went:
1972 Uefa Cup
Wolves 1 Spurs 2 (Molineux)
Spurs 1 Wolves 1 (White Hart Lane)
(Spurs win 3-2 on agg)2008 Champions League (Moscow)
Chelsea 1 Man Utd 1 (aet, Man Utd win 6-5 on pens)
2019 Europa League (Baku)
Chelsea 4 Arsenal 1
2019 Champions League (Madrid)
Liverpool 2 Spurs 0
2021 Champions league (Porto)
Chelsea 1 Man City 0
SPEAKING TOO SOON?
Tottenham have already begun preparation for a potential trophy parade should they win the Europa League tonight.
A full itinerary has been sent out to those who could be affected by a route that winds through north London this Friday, should they be successful.
A letter sent to those living in the local area read: "Dear Neighbour, we hope this finds you well.
"As you may be aware, Tottenham Hotspur will face Manchester United in the Uefa Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday 21st May.
"We should like to make residents, schools and businesses aware that, if we are successful and bring the trophy home to Tottenham, our first team squad will take part in an open-top bus victory parade through the local area on Friday 23rd May, as is customary.
"Should the historic celebratory event go ahead, residents, please take note of the following information:
"The parade will begin at Edmonton Green at 3pm and proceed south down Fore Street and the High Road past the stadium before turning left at Lansdowne Road, along Willoughby Lane and Northumberland Park, finishing at approximately 4.30pm.
"Our players will present the trophy to crowds gathered from a staging area outside the Stadium on the High Road at approximately 5pm."
Fans making their way in
We're just under two hours till the game finally gets underway.
Fans from both sides are now piling into San Mames Stadium to soak up the atmosphere.
Credit: Reuters 
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 
Credit: Reuters 
Credit: Getty Tottenham predicted XI
No Dejan Kulusevski is a huge miss for Tottenham, with no ready-made replacement available to Ange Postecoglou due to James Maddison's injury.
The Aussie may opt to play Richarlison up top alongside Dominic Solanke with Son and Brennan Johnson on the flanks.
But we expect Wilson Odobert to play behind Solanke in the No10 role.
Early team news leaked
And it's a big one - Leny Yoro is set to START for Manchester United tonight.
The French defender went off injured in the Premier League defeat to West Ham just 10 days ago.
Few had predicted he would be back in time but the 19-year-old has got the nod for the final.
Credit: Getty View from Bilbao
From SunSport's Dave Courtnadge at San Mames
Three hours to go in Bilbao and fans are starting to make their way to the stadium.
Of course, many are still making the most of the chance to have a drink, with no booze (alcohol-free, but that doesn't count) allowed in the stadium.
Despite all the Donkey Derby taunts of "El Crapico" slurs, fans here cannot wait for kick off.
This game means a lot to those who have made the often exhausting and usually expensive journey here, and the doubts about the abysmal form of both teams so far this season will mean nothing when it kicks off at 9pm here.
The majority have no idea what's going to happen, and anyone who makes a prediction does so with little conviction.
It's been a fantastic atmosphere so far with fans holding separate parties either side of this welcoming Basque city.
And when fans have mixed, it's all been good fun as far as I've seen in the two days I've been here.
But now the atmosphere is about to ramp up a notch as those 30,000 or so supporters with tickets head into the stadium dubbed "the Cathedral".
For those without tickets the parties will continue on the streets.
And for those who win, that party will be something like they've probably never seen before.
Edging closer to kick-off
Credit: Getty 
Credit: Getty 
Credit: Getty Man Utd predicted XI
Leny Yoro was named in United's squad for the final, and should he be fit enough, we expect him to slot in for Victor Lindelof on the right side of the back three.
Ruben Amorim has a decision to make on who will join Bruno Fernandes in the Red Devils' front three, with Joshua Zirzkee back available and Rasmus Hojlund struggling for form.
Amad looks set to get the nod ahead of Alejandro Garnacho, but Amorim could opt to play both wingers and drop Fernandes into the midfield two in place of either Casemiro or Ugarte.
Road to Bilbao
Man Utd have probably had the trickier of routes to the final, beating Real Sociedad and Lyon before knocking out final hosts Athletic Bilbao in the semis.
Spurs recorded narrow victories over AZ Alkmaar and Frankfurt in the last 16 and quarter-finals, respectively.
But Ange Postecoglou's men booked their spot in the final in style with a 5-1 aggregate win over Bodo/Glimt in the semis.
Triple boost for Amorim
Manchester United were handed a triple boost with the returns of Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirzee.
The trio were included in the Red Devils' matchday squad for tonight's Europa League final yesterday.
On the availability of the stars, Ruben Amorim said: "They recovered quite well, they pushed, of course we have to respect the feeling of the player, we pushed a little bit because they wanted to be part of the team.
"It's a very good sign. They are limited in the minutes (they can play) but they can help us to win the game."
Credit: GETTY
No invite for Ten Hag
Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has reportedly not been invited to tonight's Europa League final.
The Dutchman led the Red Devils to the Europa League after winning the 2023/24 FA Cup.
Ten Hag was also in charge of three matches during United's league phase campaign, before he was sacked and replaced by Ruben Amorim last November.
It remains to be seen if Ten Hag, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Marcus Rashford will receive a medal for their involvement in the early part of the Europa League.
Unlike Ten Hag, Louis van Gaal was invited to the 2017 Europa League final, despite his sacking on the back of winning the FA Cup in 2016.
Credit: Getty Devil in detail
The position of Bruno Fernandes against a depleted Tottenham midfield is the key to Manchester United winning the Europa League.
Amorim has a conundrum - whether to play his skipper in one of the No10 positions or deeper in his midfield two.
United must trust Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte in the final so Fernandes can be used in a free role further up the pitch.
When he has played as one of the No10s, he is expected to run in-behind and stretch defences.
But this does not suit his game and, against Micky van de Ven, is a waste of time.
Amorim must ditch that and let his most complete player have freedom, drifting out the structure to give Spurs a headache.
Locals getting amongst it
Credit: Getty 
Credit: Getty The big six
SIX Premier League teams will be able to qualify for next season's Champions League!
UEFA awards the two leagues with the best set of collective results in European competitions with an extra Champions League spot.
And Arsenal's 3-0 quarter-final win over 15-time champions Real Madrid in April confirmed that the Premier League would get one of these spots.
Meaning that finishing fifth in the Prem would earn you a place in next year's Champions League.
But five qualification spots became six a couple of weeks back as Manchester United and Tottenham set up their Europa League final showdown in Bilbao.
This ensures that an English team will win the Europa League and therefore claim a place in Europe's premier competition next season.
