7 big-name pundits left embarrassed after Tottenham’s Europa League triumph
Tottenham Hostpur have won their first major trophy in 17 years after beating Manchester United in the Europa League final and they’ve proven plenty of pundits wrong the process.
While Ange Postecoglou’s side have fallen below expectations in the Premier League this season, they’ve managed to defy the odds in Europe.
Plenty of the mainstream pundits were backing against Spurs heading into Wednesday night and here are seven of them who have been left with egg on their face.
Gary Neville
Unsurprisingly, Neville was backing his former side prior to kick-off.
Despite the Red Devill’s struggles in the Premier League, Neville still seemed pretty confident that they would get the better of Spurs in the final.
“I think United will win on Wednesday night,” Neville said on Sky Sports.
“Winning the Europa League would be the silver lining around a very dark cloud. To win a trophy should never be disrespected.
“It would be a brilliant achievement to win three trophies in three years in an era when United have been really poor. But to be where they are in the league is incredible. However, I think United will win.
“I think they’ve players in there that will feel that occasion. Bruno [Fernandes], Casemiro – want it, need it in their lives. I agree with the belief. I do feel confident in United just getting through this game.”
It’s safe to say that those comments haven’t aged very well.
Jamie Carragher
While Carragher was definitely rooting for Spurs to win the final, he didn’t give Postecoglou’s men much of a chance prior to kick-off.
“I think United will win. Spurs have injury problems as they have had all season,” Carragher said.
“I just think United have an ability to still win games. They beat Man City in the FA Cup final last season. The club have still got that feeling, the supporters going there.
“I think the United supporters will be going there expecting something.
“I think if Tottenham went in front United could still win, but if United go in front I couldn’t see where Tottenham will find something to go and win the game.”
Luckily for Tottenham, they never fell behind in the game.
Paul Scholes
Scholes predicted that the absences of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski would be too much for Spurs to handle.
“It is more likely that a mistake rather than a bit of quality will decide the game, but with these two teams, anything can happen,” Scholes said.
“I think without Maddison and Kulusevski, Spurs are forced to be more defensive. Those two are the best players and make the team tick and play good football.
“They both played a part and scored in Spurs’ three wins over United this season. They make a huge difference to this Spurs team and without them, they are massively weaker.
“It’s so hard to call this game. I think with Spurs missing those two key players and United having more experience in finals and winning trophies, I just favour United to get over the line.”
Micah Richards
In fairness to Richards, he did predict the game to end 1-0. Unfortunately, he didn’t call the correct winner.
“I think a lot of people have laughed off Casemiro or laughed at him for a while now,” Richards said on the Rest is Football podcast.
“But I think in these competitions, sometimes it goes down to set pieces. So I’m going to say Bruno [Fernandes] assist for a Casemiro goal, one-nil.”
Roy Keane
“You still have to fancy United, someone like Bruno can produce, the history of Manchester United still carries a little bit of weight,” Keane said prior to kick off.
“There’s not much between them [in the league] but come the crunch, come the final, United’s history in finals, them winning cups the last few years, you’d like to think they would have a bit more knowledge around the game than Spurs.
“That might edge it for them, and I think Bruno can produce that bit of magic.”
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Ian Wright
Being the Arsenal fan that he is, Wright probably didn’t get much joy from watching Spurs lift the Europa League.
Prior to kick off, the former Arsenal marksman was backing United to get the better of Tottenham.
“I think Man Utd. As long as you’ve got Bruno Fernandes in your team, playing against that kind of opposition, you have to fancy Manchester United,” Wright told Premier League Productions.
Danny Murphy
Like Wright, Murphy was also expecting Fernandes to be the difference between the sides.
“I think Man Utd have the only player in both the sides who’s reliable in big games and can create magic, Bruno Fernandes,” Murphy told BBC Sport.
“I think he’s been a shining light and I think he’ll make the difference.”