Final offers United and Spurs lifelines after woeful campaigns

MANCHESTER United and Tottenham will aim to salvage disastrous domestic seasons in Wednesday's Europa League final, with the prize of a lucrative place in next season's Champions League as treasured as the trophy itself.

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Both clubs head to Bilbao for the final assailed by stinging criticism amid their worst seasons of the Premier League era.

United sit 16th and Tottenham are one point worse off in 17th, with just one league game remaining.

Only the struggles of the relegated trio—Ipswich, Leicester, and Southampton—have spared United and Tottenham from an embarrassing battle to avoid crashing into the Championship.

For the loser of the final, the hangover from this season threatens to be a long one, as the lack of European football will deal a monumental blow to their budgets going forward.

"It really does impact, I think, the next two or three years for both clubs," said former United captain Gary Neville.

"They need investment into their teams, and if they don't get this Champions League money, then there is going to be a lot less investment, which means they might not make the Champions League next season."

United have failed to qualify for Europe only once in the past 35 years.