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Europa League: Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United
Kickoff Time: 2025-05-22 03:00(HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
In the Premier League last weekend, Tottenham Hotspur lost 0-2 away to Aston Villa. Currently, Tottenham ranks 17th in the Premier League with 11 wins, five draws, and 21 losses. However, the league ranking has become irrelevant for the team. Interestingly, Tottenham’s attacking power ranks sixth in the Premier League, behind Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Brentford, tying with Chelsea. It is well-known that Tottenham coach Ange Postecoglou’s tactical approach is very aggressive, with the greatest characteristic being strong high-pressure defense, and “strong offense and weak defense” has become Tottenham’s hallmark. Notably, Son Heung-min returned in the last match, his breakthrough and cross abilities on the flanks being a major weapon in Tottenham’s offensive arsenal, while Dominic Solanke who is in the middle, will receive more support.
For Manchester United, the Red Devils lost 0-1 away to Chelsea in last weekend’s Premier League match. After this game, Manchester United set an embarrassing record of losing 18 league games for the first time in their Premier League history. However, the league has become insignificant for United as well. The upcoming Europa League final is the most crucial match of the season for them. This season, Manchester United’s attack has been criticized all along. Alejandro Garnacho is one of United’s few explosive players, but Rasmus Hojlund remains unproductive. The Danish forward, who was highly anticipated, seems to be lost in United’s offensive system, reflecting the team’s overall creative drought. Lacking aggression in attack and conceding goals due to defensive mistakes, Ruben Amorim’s tactical vulnerability is clearly exposed.
Both teams this season are virtually in similar situations in the Premier League, with overall performance and league rankings being quite close. However, historically, Tottenham holds a clear advantage in head-to-head records. In their last five encounters, Tottenham recorded four wins and one draw, with the United’s victory over Tottenham dating back to October 2022. Taking everything into account, it seems reasonable to expect Tottenham, who have the edge in historical matches, to remain undefeated within regular time in this match.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Last 5 Games: LLWDW
25-05-17 Aston Villa 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
25-05-11 Tottenham Hotspur 0-2 Crystal Palace
25-05-09 Bodoe/Glimt 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
25-05-04 West Ham United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
25-05-02 Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Bodoe/Glimt
Manchester United’s Last 5 Games: LLWLW
25-05-17 Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United
25-05-11 Manchester United 0-2 West Ham United
25-05-09 Manchester United 4-1 Athletic Club
25-05-04 Brentford 4-3 Manchester United
25-05-02 Athletic Club 0-3 Manchester United
Head To Head Record:
25-02-17 Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Manchester United
24-12-20 Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 Manchester United
24-09-29 Manchester United 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur
24-01-15 Manchester United 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
23-08-20 Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Manchester United
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur to win or Draw