21 losses and 18 losses. These are the league records of the two teams facing off in the Europa League finals.

On the 17th (Korean time), Tottenham lost 0-2 in an away match against Aston Villa in the 37th round of the 2024-2025 season English Premier League (PL) held at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. With this defeat, Tottenham remained at 38 points (11 wins, 5 draws, 21 losses) and maintained 17th place. In contrast, Aston Villa accumulated 66 points (19 wins, 9 draws, 9 losses), surpassing Manchester City, who have played one game less, to climb to 5th place in the league, signaling a bright prospect for securing a spot in next season's Champions League.

Tottenham has gone six league matches without a win (1 draw, 5 losses) and suffered its 21st defeat of the season, setting a new record for the most losses in the club's Premier League history. Son Heung-min returned to the starting lineup for the first time in about a month. After missing seven matches due to a foot injury since the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinal against Eintracht Frankfurt on the 11th of last month, he played a short time as a substitute in the match against Crystal Palace on the 11th, and started in this match against Villa. His return match ended after 74 minutes, during which he was active mainly on the left flank.

Manager Ange Postecoglou hinted at Son Heung-min's participation before the match, stating that "it is time to increase his playing time," emphasizing his return to the starting lineup. Indeed, Son Heung-min brought energy to the game from the early stages, making sprints into the penalty box, attempting curling shots inside the box, and delivering sharp crosses from the flanks. In the 15th minute, a curling shot went over the goal and in the 39th minute he created a sharp cross during a quick counterattack.

The overall cohesion of the team was lacking significantly. Many starting players, excluding Son Heung-min, were benched or not listed, leading to heavy utilization of rotation members, and a different defensive counterattack tactic was implemented. After an offensive start, Tottenham was gradually pressured by Villa's pressing and ultimately fell apart, conceding the opening goal by Konsa in the 14th minute and a sealing goal by Kamara in the 28th minute.

Son Heung-min was substituted along with Sergio Reguilón in the 29th minute, and Rodrigo Bentancur and Dominic Solanke came on, but it was not enough to turn the tide. In the 42nd minute, Brennan Johnson and Richarlison replaced Maiky Moore and Wilson Odobert, but no consolation goal came.

Through this match, Son Heung-min recorded his 453rd appearance for Tottenham, ranking 6th in club history for most appearances, but he could not change the team’s momentum. In 74 minutes of play, he registered 1 shot, an 88% pass success rate (21/24), 3 touches in the opponent's box, 0% success in dribbling (0/1), and only made 3 passes in the attacking area. He attempted 6 duels but did not win a single one.

However, Manchester United was no different. On the same day, Manchester United lost 0-1 to Chelsea in an away match for the PL 37th round held at Stamford Bridge in London, England. This marked Manchester United's third consecutive league loss, leaving them with 39 points (11 wins, 6 draws, 18 losses) in 16th place, failing to win in their last eight matches. In contrast, Chelsea jumped to 4th with 66 points, igniting competition for Champions League qualification.

Manchester United also recorded its most losses in a single Premier League season with 18 defeats. The team's struggles are clear in the statistics. Nottingham Forest (0-1), Manchester City (0-0), Newcastle (1-4), Wolverhampton (0-1), Bournemouth (1-1), Brentford (3-4), West Ham (0-2), and now Chelsea. They have gone 8 league matches with 3 draws and 5 losses, without a victory.

The lack of offensive power is serious. Failing to score again in this match, Manchester United recorded 15 goalless matches in the league this season. This is the second most in the league, behind Leicester City, which has already been relegated (16 matches). It would not be surprising to be labeled as a "goalless machine." The attack was weak again today.

Even more shockingly, unlike Tottenham, Manchester United utilized most of its starters. Key resources such as Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, and Casemiro started, but the performance was disappointing. The team lost both its stamina and morale. It truly became the worst game.

Now, Manchester United and Tottenham must put everything on the line for a single trophy, the Europa League final. The final, set to take place in Bilbao, Spain, on the 22nd, is the last hope of the season. However, the responses from the two teams have diverged sharply. Tottenham relied on rotation, while Manchester United opted to field the majority of its starters.

Tottenham's Postecoglou gave most players a rest, except for Son Heung-min, who just returned from injury. This can be interpreted as a precaution after losing Dejan Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall to injuries. Conversely, Manchester United's Ruben Amorim chose to maintain condition by continuing to use many starters.

Jay Harris, a reporter for the global 'The Athletic,' noted, "With five days until the Europa final, the choices of both teams diverged completely. Tottenham gave all key players a rest and lost, while Manchester United fielded all key players and also lost. While there are reasons for these opposing approaches, it is noteworthy how they will impact the results in the final."

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