It was definitely not a match for the ages, but that mattered little as Tottenham Hotspur won their first piece of silverware in 17 years, as they beat Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday evening.
In a tense and tactical trophy decider in Bilbao, a quite forgettable goalmouth scurry resulted in the match-winning goal which ultimately decided the contest.
The manner in which Spurs won though, does not matter at all. That elusive first trophy after so many years is finally a reality. Not only is it a welcome relief for Spurs to have finally won something, earning a place in the UEFA Champions League next season, is possibly the bigger prize.
There will still be calls for Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou’s head after the dust settles on their victory though, but hopefully this title could help to some extent in the Greek keeping his job and the London side putting an otherwise poor season behind them.
Manchester United’s Premier League Struggles: A Season to Forget
In contrast, as one of just six clubs to have never been relegated from the Premier League since its inception in 1992, United came worryingly close to the drop this season.
Under Ruben Amorim, United find themselves in 16th position on the league table, above only the three relegated teams – Leicester City, Ipswich Town, Southampton – and Spurs.
While Amorim has pledged patience as he works on a long-term plan for success for the club, it’s a far cry from the days under Alex Ferguson when United were the dominant force in English football.
On Wednesday though, there was a chance to salvage something from a season to forget. Now it’s just firmly a season to forget for United.
@Michael_Sherman
Sport
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