Are we heading for an all-England Europa League final?

Arsenal are the most wobbly piece of our prediction of an all-England Europa League final, but that pressure-penalty from Nicolas Pepe changed the tie massively. Over in Rome, Manchester United are four to the good, but you just never know in football, do you?

We predicted that the Champions League would give us an all-England final, but will recent history repeat itself by having an English quartet in both competition finals as we did in 2019?

Back then Chelsea won the Europa League final against Arsenal while Liverpool won their sixth Champions League trophy against Tottenham, but who will triumph in the 2021 editions?

Pepe’s penalty the lifeline for Arsenal

That was a rotten semi-final performance by anyone’s standard. Arsenal only managed two shots on target in Spain, with one of those coming from the penalty spot. They were flat, unambitious and well, basically, very Arsenal.

Somehow however they are still alive in the tie. That penalty can literally save their season, and that’s a good summary of just how poor they have been. An unacceptable league position, yet they can still qualify for the Champions League should they go all the way in the Europa League. 

They bounced back against 10-men Newcastle with a 2-0 away victory, but it is only Newcastle, and they only had 10 men… so it is hard to call that progress in any way, shape or form.

The good news is that club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang is back from illness after struggling with Malaria and he was kon the score sheet against Newcastle. 

It’s funny how a returning player can boost a team. He might be the missing piece of the puzzle, but you can’t underestimate Villareal… not with Europa League specialist Unai Emery in charge. Would he like revenge? Sure he would, who wouldn’t? 

While at Sevilla he won an unprecedented three Europa League titles in a tow, but he struggled in the Premier League. Well, he’s back where he belongs now, so watch out Arsenal, this one might come down to a case of bitter revenge.

We’re not calling this one, but you can see the odds here:

• Arsenal to go through: 5/4 or 2.25
• Villareal to go through: 13/20 or 1.65

United can’t possibly mess this one up, can they?

If ever a performance typified a club this season it was last week’s demolition of Rome by Manchester United. A terrible first half, yet again from United, balanced out by a brilliant second half, yet again from United. They just keep doing it. Scoring 5 goals in the second half takes some doing as Roma had no answer to their speed, desire and brilliance in the final third.

It was a night of class as Pogba, Cavani and Bruno Fernandes all shined and that’s exactly what this club is built on doing: attacking. It was some hiding and no one is expecting Roma to get anything out of this tie… they might escape with some pride if they win the second leg, but they won’t manage to overturn the 6-2 first leg result. United have both feet in the final and even managed to get some rest as the Liverpool clash was postponed due to protests at Old Trafford. United’s focus is now Europe and whoever they face in the final needs to beware: United are hungry. 

Manchester United are 1/2 or 1.5 to win the Europa League 

 

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