Arya News - All eyes will be on Bilbao now as Manchester United and Tottenham switch focus from their disappointing domestic campaigns and try to win the Europa League.
Friday night"s defeats for United and Spurs continued their dismal run domestically.
Tottenham have now lost 25 games in all competitions this season, the most in a single campaign in their history, while 18 league defeats for Manchester United is their most since losing 20 in 1973-74 - the last season in which they were relegated from the top flight.
United have also gone eight league games without a win (D2 L6) for the first time since an 11-game stretch between December 1989 and February 1990.
Spurs, meanwhile, have won just one of their last 11 Premier League games (D2 L8) since beating bottom side Southampton 3-1 in April.
They"ve also conceded in each of their last 12 league games, their longest run without a clean sheet since 17 between August and December 2010.
Both sides, though, will look to their form in Europe before Wednesday"s showpiece - which has been in contrast to their domestic struggles.
They are unbeaten in their last five Europa League outings, winning four of those fixtures on their way to reaching the final.
Chelsea go fourth as Cucurella sinks Man Utd
Villa swat aside Spurs to move into top five
Contrasting approaches to preparations
Ruben Amorim chose to name a strong XI at Chelsea, including starting Players" Player of the Season Bruno Fernandes [Getty Images]
The team selections made by both United boss Ruben Amorim and Spurs counterpart Ange Postecoglou for Friday"s games provided some insight into their thinking for the Europa League final.
Postecoglou opted to rest several of his key players as Antonín Kinsky started in goal, with Guglielmo Vicario on the bench alongside Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, Richarlison and Pedro Porro.
Amorim, meanwhile, opted to bring back his regular starters, having rested some of them for the 2-0 home loss to West Ham on Sunday, 11 May.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana was not in the squad that day as Altay Bayindir started, but returned to face Chelsea.
Amorim suggested after the game he was prioritising his key players feeling competitive before the final rather than feeling rested.
"We have to prepare for each competition, with five days we can rest," he told BBC Sport.
"We have five days to prepare [for the Europa League final], two days to fully recover and then two days to prepare.
"Of course, we are excited to be in the final. Since day one the pressure has been there, but I live quite well with the pressure. When you have the final of any cup, we show up, so we are prepared for that."
Free-scoring Spurs against shot-shy Man Utd?
Son Heung-min has scored 11 goals for Spurs in all competitions this season [Getty Images]
Tottenham have had the measure of Manchester United this season, beating them home and away in the Premier League and also in the Carabao Cup.
They will also likely back themselves to score against the Red Devils, having hit 21 more league goals than them, despite sitting fourth from bottom with United a place above.
In fact, no team outside the top six has scored more than Tottenham"s 63 goals.
Keeping them out, however, has been an issue with 61 league goals conceded, while United have fared marginally better with 54.
Encouragement for Postecoglou will also come from a lively first-half display by Son Heung-min against Villa.
The forward is looking to return to peak fitness after being sidelined with a foot injury and went close to scoring before the break.
Son, 32, has lost his last two finals with Spurs and will no doubt be determined to end his trophy drought with the club after a decade.
"He is ready and available," Postecoglou said of Son. "He feels like he is getting back to some rhythm."
United, meanwhile, could only muster one shot on target against Chelsea with Rasmus Hojlund again struggling to make an impact in attack.
The forward has scored just three goals in his last 15 appearances in all competitions.
"They have a problem, they have no striker," former Manchester United captain Roy Keane told Sky Sports.
"Hojlund looked like a young boy from the academy. He is not good enough to be the main man. United are up against it all the time."
Injury issues have hampered both sides
Playing your strongest side brings with it the risk of an important player picking up an injury that would rule them out of the final.
Fortunately for Amorim i twas a risk that paid off as his team appeared to come through the Chelsea test unscathed.
Instead, it was Tottenham who have more concerns after Pape Sarr went off in the first half against Villa with a back issue, although Postecoglou said he was taken off as a precaution.
Spurs certainly don"t need their injury issues compounding, with key players like Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison already ruled out of the Europa League final.
While not solely to blame for their dreadfully poor domestic campaigns, injuries have certainly hampered both clubs.
According to data from PremierInjuries.com, Tottenham have had the third worst injury crisis in the Premier League, with United the fifth.
In total, Spurs had lost 1,414 days to injuries and suffered 38 separate injuries this season – both the third highest tallies in the league.
United, meanwhile, had lost 1,229 days to injury – the fifth most – with 30 separate injuries, which was the seventh highest figure.
However, Brighton are sat in the top 10 of the Premier League, despite having the worst injury issues so far this season.
According to the data the Seagulls are top with 1,862 days lost to 44 separate injuries - as of 15 May.
Having the edge - big-game experience or chance to make history?
But despite their poor domestic form and injury concerns, everything can go out of the window for a one-off cup final.
United are looking to win the Europa League for the second time in the last decade and their fifth major European trophy overall.
And Keane said: "You still have to fancy United.
"I think history carries a bit of weight. League form, there"s not much between them, both have been desperate, but United"s history in finals and more knowledge around the big games, that might edge it."
For ex-Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp there"s nothing between the two sides.
"This feels like a 50/50 game," he added. "This is a chance for Tottenham to change history and narrative.
"Ange will become the biggest decision of Daniel Levy"s life. The league form has been diabolical but a first trophy would make it really difficult to sack him.
"If they win a cup, it is hero status."
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