Man Utd go in search of their first trophy under Solskjaer but will face a Villarreal side led by Unai Emery. Here's a preview of Wednesday's highly-anticipated final.

Preview

The UEFA Europa League final is upon us! Wednesday will see Villarreal and Man Utd battle it out in this highly-anticipated European showdown, with 3 p.m. ET being the kick-off time for this Stadion Energa Gdańsk clash. Will the Red Devils end their wait for a trophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or will Emery maintain his dominance in this tournament?

The Red Devils' 8-5 aggregate victory over Roma in the penultimate round not only saw Bruno Fernandes and Co. book their ticket to the final, but it also brought an end to their semi-final curse under Ole. Since taking over at Old Trafford, the Norwegian has led a turnaround at the club, bringing the team from the low point they were at when Jose Mourinho was sacked and turning them into the second-best team in England. Despite this, one thing has evaded Man United for quite some time and that is silverware.

The last title the 20-time Premier League champions won was in fact the UEFA Europa League, but that success came back in 2017 during Mourinho's tenure. Under Ole, the Red Devils have lost two Carabao Cup semi-final ties against Man City and crashed out at the penultimate stage of the FA Cup and Europa League last season.

Since reaching the UEL final, the Premier League giants have lost twice and drawn once in the final five games of the season. Key to this poor run of form is the injury to Harry Maguire, with the English center-back taking a knock to his ankle in the 3-1 victory over Aston Villa on May 9. The Three Lions ace has made the trip to Gdańsk, which is a huge boost, but it remains to be seen whether his fitness level will be up to par.

Facing Villarreal is never an easy task, but things are made all the more difficult by the presence of Unai Emery. The Spaniard is a master of the UEFA Europa League, having won this competition three times in a row during his spell at Sevilla before leading Arsenal to the final in his debut campaign. The former Gunners boss met his previous employers in the semi-finals and got revenge on the north London giants, securing a 2-1 victory to progress to the final.

A lot is on the line for the Yellow Submarine. Having finished seventh in La Liga after their 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid on the final day, Gerard Moreno and Co. are staring at an unwanted spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League. Victory over Man United would promote them to the UEFA Champions League, Europe's premier competition. However, they must beat Solskjaer's high-flying side first.

Team news

Villarreal: Chukwueze is a major doubt for the final, as is Tottenham loanee Juan Foyth, who enjoyed an excellent semi-final display against Arsenal only to pick up a hamstring issue. Etienne Capoue missed the 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium after being sent off in the first leg, but the midfielder is back and available to partner Dani Parejo.

Man United: Harry Maguire faces a race against time to be fit, which is a huge concern as the Red Devils' defense has struggled in recent weeks due to his absence. Mason Greenwood and Edinson Cavani enjoyed rest and should return, with Fred also set to start after overcoming a small knock. Phil Jones and Anthony Martial are sidelined.

Key stats

  • These two teams have met four times before, with every single encounter ending in a 0-0 draw.

  • Unai Emery looks to become the outright most successful manager in Europa League history as he is currently joint-top with Italian icon Giovanni Trapattoni on three wins each.

  • Villarreal have won 12 and drawn twice in 14 games in this season's UEL.

  • The Yellow Submarine have only failed to score once in their 14 Europa League matches this term.

  • Gerard Moreno has racked up six goals and four assists en route to the final.

  • Man United have played only eight Europa League games, having entered this tournament after crashing out of the UEFA Champions League group stage.

  • In those eight ties, the Red Devils scored first in seven fixtures and have failed to find the back of the net only once – the 0-0 draw at Real Sociedad.

Broadcast listings

 

Match details, result and original broadcast info

Villarreal P1 - 1 Manchester United

May 26, 2021 3:00pmStadion Energa Gdańsk (Gdańsk)

This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.

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