Wes Brown thinks Man Utd would have preferred not to face Tottenham in Europa League final

Wednesday's Europa League final will be the sixth time two English clubs have squard off in a European final, with Tottenham Hotspur facing Manchester United in Spain.

However, former Red Devils defender Wes Brown believes his old club would have preferred to see a club from outside the Premier League in the final.

"In the Premier League, obviously, we've been very poor [this season]. It's as simple as that," Brown told DAZN News, thanks to Best Betting Sites. "But in this cup, we've not only shown that we can play well, but we can come back and get back into a game and, really energise the fans into sort of the old ways, you know… that winning mentality. Regardless of what the score is, we can get back into it. 

"The good thing is that it is away, and we've already played at Bilbao as well. They know the stadium a little bit. The problem you've got is you're now playing a Premier League team. It's been good against the European teams. The way they play is a little bit different. They've worked that out. It's just whether now this is going to be the same or it's going to turn into an English Premier League game."

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Spurs have been a major thorn in Man United's side this season, winning all three meetings between the clubs so far. The one-sided nature of the results belies the clubs' standing in the Premier League this season, with United in 16th place and Tottenham in 17th ahead of the final matchday this weekend.

The familiarity between the sides and Tottenham's dominance over Man United are factors that Brown said his former side will need to overcome.

"All you can say is that you watch all the games you played against them this season, you look at their strong points and you basically will know the players off by heart," he said. "You know what they've got. It's not like sometimes in European game where yes, you do your homework, you know who you're up against, but you're not necessarily playing against these players every week. 

"They'll have the benefit of knowing they beat us this season. But I think both teams understand that it's not been a brilliant season in the Premier League. And I'm guessing both teams will say, if we play well on the night, we'll win because both teams have been as bad as each other in that sense."

The opportunity to salvage a lost season by winning a European trophy is a massive carrot for both sides, but the secondary prize of earning a Champions League berth also looms large.

Brown believes both sides will be fully aware of the stakes at hand on Wednesday.

"The bonuses of winning this match are massive, and both teams will understand that but at the same time, sort of put that at the back of their minds because being able to finish the season they’ve both had with a Champions League place is the biggest bonus you can think of. It’s like a ‘get out of jail free’ card," he said. "So the pressure will be immense for both teams and who puts that at the back of their minds most will be important.

"Just forget about the pressure and play the game. It’s going to be interesting."

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