Alan Shearer names ‘slight favourites’ to win the Europa League final and warns ‘disaster’ awaits losers
Alan Shearer has weighed in on who the favourites are in the Europa League final between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United and has explained why it would be a huge disaster for the club that ends up on the losing side.
It cannot be overstated just how high the stakes are for both sides heading into the final, with both managers desperate for silverware and both clubs needing Champions League football ahead of the summer transfer window.
Gary Neville has said that he has a sickly feeling ahead of the game, given what is at stake, but he remains confident that United will get the job done against Tottenham.
Roy Keane has backed his Man United to beat Spurs, insisting that the history associated with the two clubs gives the Red Devils the edge for glory in Bilbao.
Alan Shearer fancies Tottenham to win final but not by much
Being a neutral observer, Shearer admitted that it is a very difficult final to call, insisting that there are more shortcomings than positives for the two sides involved.
The Newcastle legend revealed that he is leaning towards a Tottenham victory, given that they have beaten Man United on three separate occasions already this season.
Shearer told Betfair when asked about the Europa League final: “This match is pretty impossible to predict when you look at how bad both teams have been. Spurs have done really well against Man United this season, so due to their record against them, I’d say Spurs may be slight favourites.
“There are more negatives than positives for both teams when you look at them. I really haven’t got a clue what to expect or what teams will turn up. It’s a bit of a flip of a coin.”
Spurs or Man Utd await a disaster if they lose Europa League final
Shearer is worried for whichever side ends up on the losing side at San Mames, admitting that the stakes could not be higher for both clubs and the two managers.
Given how far away Spurs and United are from challenging near the top end of the Premier League table, the pundit believes that Champions League qualification is a must for both sides.
Shearer added: “It’ll be a disaster for whoever doesn’t win. Given what’s at stake for both clubs, it could have an impact on the game. There’s so much relying on both teams, managers and both clubs’ short-term futures.
“There’s no exaggeration that both teams need an injection of five or six players to try and compete again, and that’s why the stakes of this game are enormous.”
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