Sport

Europa League success can’t hide how bad the finalists have been

No Europa League final will have been played with as much desperation as the one set to take place between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur later this month. Their meeting in Bilbao will offer a form of salvation for two teams who have floundered domestically this season. Continental redemption is at stake.

Victory in the Basque Country will send Spurs or United into next season’s Champions League. It would help them attract better players in the summer transfer window. Plus, of course, any European trophy is to be savoured. Tottenham haven’t lifted silverware since 2008. Their trophy drought could come to an end.

Despite all this, Europa League success mustn’t mask the reality of the season suffered by both clubs. Tottenham Hotspur have lost 20 times in the Premier League this season while Manchester United have the same points tally (39) that Blackpool were relegated with. Their underperformance is unprecedented.

Ruben Amorim attempted to explain Manchester United’s dreadful form after Sunday’s home defeat to West Ham, focusing on the culture within the club. The Portuguese coach inherited a mess from his predecessor Erik ten Hag, but there has been no sign of improvement in the Premier League.

“For me the biggest concern is that feeling that ‘it’s OK’, and ‘we cannot change our position so much so it’s OK’,” Amorim said following the 2-0 loss. “That is the biggest problem in our club in this moment because we are losing the feeling of we are a massive club and it’s the end of the world to lose a game at home. I think that is the biggest concern in our club.”

Ange Postecoglou has made similar remarks about the culture within Tottenham Hotspur. Unlike Amorim, however, he has to take ownership of the mess Spurs are in with the Australian manager nearing the end of his second season in charge. Europa League glory might not be enough to save Postecoglou from the sack.

Perhaps most damning for Postecoglou is that Spurs aren’t playing Ange-ball anymore. The intensity and energy that had been a hallmark of the North London side under the Australian is long gone. Instead, Tottenham have produced a series of listless performances that reflect the apathy around the club right now. Do the players truly believe in their manager like they used to?

Injuries were a factor in Spurs’ dreadful form earlier in the season, but Postecoglou has had the bulk of his squad back for the last two months and things haven’t improved. In fact, they’ve got worse. Tottenham have lost four of their last five games, suffering losses to Wolves, Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Crystal Palace.

The rising quality of the Premier League’s middle class has made it harder for the biggest clubs to get by on the basis of their larger budgets. The likes of Bournemouth, Brentford and Brighton have established themselves as some of the sharpest, shrewdest clubs in the division. All three are miles ahead of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at present.

Winning the Europa League would only count for so much when Spurs and United insist on making the same mistakes over and over again. It would qualify either club for the Champions League, but this could expose how far off this level they are. Would either Manchester United or Tottenham be able to handle the fixture congestion?

This summer presents both clubs with the opportunity to strengthen and improve. Transfer speculation is already linking Spurs and United with potential targets who would fill gaps in their respective squads. The failure of this season can’t be ignored, though. It is a better gauge of where they are than any run in the Europa League.