Alan Shearer Europa League Final Prediction: Joy for Spurs and disaster for Man Utd

• Shearer thinks Spurs' record gives them edge over Utd

• Find out how he expects high stakes final to unfold

• Who makes Alan's Spurs/Man Utd combined XI?

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Both Manchester United and Spurs have been terrible

It all comes down to Wednesday night for Manchester United and Spurs, and because of the format change, which means that Champions League teams no longer fall into the Europa League, I think the standard of the competition probably hasn't been as high as it has been.  

Having said that, it's not the fault of Tottenham or Man United. It's also not their fault that the winner of the Europa League gets into the Champions League. I know Arsene Wenger wasn't convinced, but that's the rules and you have to adhere to it.  

When you look at the bigger picture for whoever wins it, they'll have the trophy and will be in the Champions League. That changes things massively going forward for whoever wins and for whoever loses. It's an incredible game and the enormity of the positives and negatives is huge.  

When you consider how terrible both teams have been in the Premier League, it's incredible.  

Europa League final has disastrous ramifications for losers 

Both clubs need to win as badly as each other. You can't stress the importance of it for both clubs. The ramifications for not winning are disastrous, they really are.  

On the other hand, it should change everything going forward for whoever wins it. 

Final is difficult to predict but Spurs just edge it 

Spurs have done really well against United this season so, for that reason, I'd say Spurs should be slight favourites.  

This match is pretty impossible to predict when you look at how bad both teams have been. Spurs have done really well against United this season, so due to their record against them I'd say Spurs should 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 and 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.  

Alan Shearer's Europa League final prediction

Just because of their record over the last five or six games against them, and particularly this season, I'll go for a Spurs win. It wouldn't surprise me if the game goes all the way to penalties, but I'll go for Spurs to win in normal time.  

Alan Shearer's Spurs v Man Utd combined XI... 

Vicario

Destiny Udogie 

Harry Maguire

Micky van de Ven

Noussair Mazraoui

Casemiro

Kobbie Mainoo

Bruno Fernandes

Brennan Johnson

Dejan Kulusevski

Son 

Now read Europa League Final: Spurs and United shape up for the season's biggest game