While Spurs‘ fans will celebrate long into the night at Bilbao and in North London, at the other end of the spectrum there will be despair in Manchester.
Heading into the Europa League final, the Sir Alex Ferguson quote “Lads, it’s Spurs” lingered around.
Ferguson’s pre-match message came to light through former United captain Roy Keane back in 2014. The legendary manager simply said those three words before a clash with Tottenham and Keane described it as “brilliant”.
Re-watch Tottenham v Man United in the UEFA Europa League Final with the full replay, mini match and highlights now streaming on demand on UEFA Europa League Final.
Casemiro and Ruben Amorim. Getty
Now the coin has flipped and it’s misery for United fans.
When asked about the speech, United legend Paul Scholes said on TNT Sports “it’s not quite, it’s Tottenham anymore”.
United manager Ruben Amorim has had the pressure valve turned right up on him since taking over from Erin ten Hag during the season.
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The club is currently 16th in the Premier League and there’s no silverware.
Perhaps unfairly, much of the blame has been placed on Amorim. In his defence, he’s yet to have a pre-season or summer transfer window where he can properly implement his style.
However, certain decisions during the final raised eyebrows.
Alejandro Garnacho didn’t start with Mason Mount preferred while no subs came into the game until the 71st minute.
Ruben Amorim during the Europa League final. Getty
Former Socceroo Craig Foster had concerns.
“If I was a United fan … I would be extremely concerned this morning because Spurs did give you the ball … Amorim has been there enough time to show (more) fluency in attack than what we saw this morning,” he said on Stan Sport.
“And also the Mount decision, Garnacho being left out, look what happened when he came on, all of a sudden he’s trying to bend those ones to the back post and he’s the one that looks dangerous.
“Further to that even in the last 30 minutes you didn’t see the urgency or belief that you would expect from Manchester United. Again that’s credit to Spurs, they couldn’t find a way through.”
Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United looks dejected at the end of the UEFA Europa League Final match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at San Mames Stadium on May 21, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto via Getty Images
Former United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich agreed.
“Some of the creative talents they had on the bench I was surprised that Ruben Amorim didn’t make changes. He didn’t make a change until the 71st minute, at half time if that was me I’d be making changes now,” he said.
Bosnich added the club faces serious issues as a whole, especially considering the riches from Champions League revenue won’t be forthcoming.
“They’re in debt, things are not good. It really is not good,” he said.
“I think Ruben Amorim will have to learn this the hard way, like Ange did, when he first came in he said ‘this is how I do it no matter what’, well he’s learnt after two years you do have to change especially when you’re playing at this level.”
Despite the calls for Amorim to change his ways, the manager isn’t open to altering his approach.
“I’m really confident in my job, and as you can see I will not change nothing in the way I do things,” he said in his press conference.
The Portuguese manager did however say if the board and fans don’t think he’s the right man, he will walk away “without any conversation about compensation”.
Speaking on TNT Sports, United legend Rio Ferdinand wants the club to exercise patience with Amorim.
“I think he needs to be afforded a window, you can’t invest in a manager and not give him the ability to shuffle the pack and get some players in that fit the profile of players he requires to implement his philosophy,” he said.
“I’ve said this before on numerous occasions, his way of playing compared to the past regime is very different with formation and in terms of what he wants them to do with the output … I think he needs more time, he hasn’t had a pre-season.
“There’s no doubt and I think he said it himself, it’s been a terrible season, it’s been a disaster of a season domestically and not winning this after putting all your eggs in this basket, this is a disaster as well.”
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