Spurs injury crisis gives Man United edge for Europa League final

Ladbrokes examines Tottenham Hotspur's injury crisis and why it could give Manchester United the edge ahead of the Europa League final.

Both sides are having awful seasons domestically and sit 16th and 17th, but have a chance to salvage their campaign with a trophy and qualification for the Champions League.

We take a look at why an ill-timed injury crisis might be derailing Spurs' shot at a first piece of silverware since 2008, making Man Utd the slight favourites to lift the trophy in Bilbao.

Ange Postecoglou has frequently had to deal with injuries during his Spurs tenure, with some suggesting that his high-octane style of play could be a factor. Not having a full selection of players has undoubtedly contributed to Tottenham's league position.

It appeared that he would have most of his squad available for selection, with Dom Solanke and Heung Min-Son returning recently. Their luck didn't last as Lucas Bergvall, who has had a breakout year, suffered a season-ending ankle injury on May 2nd.

It got worse when talisman James Maddison picked up a knee injury in the semi-final second-leg against Bodo-Glimt, that will rule him out of the Europa League final.

Then came the news that Dejan Kulusevski would have to undergo knee surgery after injuring his patella against Crystal Palace. Postecoglou confirmed on Thursday that he would miss the final and be out for a number of months.

It is a cruel blow for the player and for Spurs, who will now be without two of their most creative talents for the club's biggest game since the Champions League final in 2019, which they lost to Liverpool.

There is still reason to be positive for Spurs, as Ange Postecoglou has a great record against the Red Devils since he arrived in England. He has won four of his five games, losing none.

However, Kulusevski and Maddison both played key roles in those wins. Three of them came this season. Kulusevski scored in Tottenham's wins at Old Trafford in September and in the Carabao Cup in December, before Maddison scored the only goal when the teams met in February.

With Bergvall also out, Spurs may have to rely on the midfield trio of Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur, who would bring plenty of energy but not much imagination.

Solanke and Son have only just returned to fitness as well, so it is far from ideal preparation for Tottenham. Former Spurs manager Martin Jol spoke exclusively to Ladbrokes about his old side's chances.

Man United have had their worst ever Premier League season, but Europe has been a rare source of joy for them this season. There was the thrilling comeback 5-4 comeback against Lyon in the quarter-finals, before dispatching Athletic Club with ease in the semi-finals.

In Bruno Fernandes, they have the competition's top scorer with 7, and a player capable of winning any match. Rasmus Hojlund also has 6 strikes as well despite his struggles in England.

The history is also in United's favour. Even with their poor form in recent years, they have still managed a decent trophy haul. Erik ten Hag won two trophies in his reign, while Jose Mourinho won the Europa League back in 2017.

The same can't be said for Spurs, whose trophy drought stretches back to 2008 and have missed numerous opportunities to break that spell since then. Records are there to be broken, but the cards are not falling in Tottenham's favour at the moment.

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