Manchester United’s Premier League nightmare continued on Sunday with another defeat, this time at the hands of West Ham United.
Ruben Amorim’s side slumped to a 2-0 home loss in front of a restless Old Trafford crowd, extending their Premier League defeat tally to 17 matches this season.
Despite the chaos in the league, United’s focus is firmly fixed on the Europa League final – a fixture that now holds all the weight of their campaign.
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Thursday’s impressive 4-1 semi-final second-leg win over Athletic Club ensured Amorim’s men will battle Tottenham Hotspur in the final on 21 May in Bilbao.
Spurs, however, are dealing with troubles of their own after a 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace at home, continuing a parallel decline to that of United.
Amid the uncertainty in both camps, Tottenham suffered a potentially game-changing blow when influential playmaker Dejan Kulusevski limped off with a knee injury just 10 days before the final.
Dejan Kulusevski, who tormented United at Old Trafford earlier this season, was taken off early in the second half and appeared in discomfort as he made his way down the tunnel.
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has since attempted to ease fears, suggesting Kulusevski’s injury is “more of a knock than anything else,” adding: “The medical team are not too concerned.”
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Despite those reassurances, the injury will be monitored closely, and United fans will be hoping that the Swede is less than 100% fit should he feature in the final.
Tottenham are already set to be without James Maddison for the clash in Bilbao, making Kulusevski’s availability even more critical to Postecoglou’s plans.
There’s a decision to be made for Spurs: test Kulusevski’s sharpness with minutes against Aston Villa on Friday, or rest him completely ahead of the final.
United, meanwhile, will quietly welcome any disruptions to Spurs’ preparations as they aim to salvage their season with European glory.
Amorim’s rotated line-ups in recent league games show that all roads lead to Bilbao, with Champions League qualification the reward for victory.
The final promises to be unpredictable – two underwhelming giants chasing redemption on one last stage.
