39 total losses in the league combined with 21 and 18 losses. The two giants clash over the last remaining escape ticket in the worst situation.

On the 17th (Korea time), Tottenham lost 0-2 to Aston Villa in an away match 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. Meanwhile, Aston Villa climbed to 5th place in the league with 66 points (19 wins, 9 draws, 9 losses), surpassing Manchester City, who played one less game, and lit a green light for securing a Champions League qualification for next season.

Tottenham has gone six league matches without a win (1 draw, 5 losses) and recorded its 21st loss of the season, setting a new record for the most losses since the inception of the Premier League. In this match, Son Heung-min returned to the starting lineup after about a month. After missing seven games due to a foot injury since the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals against Eintracht Frankfurt on Nov. 11, he came on as a substitute in a short stint against Crystal Palace on Nov. 11 before starting in this match against Villa. His return match ended after 74 minutes, during which he mainly moved actively on the left side until he was substituted.

Manager Ange Postecoglou predicted Son Heung-min's appearance before the match, stating, "It's time to increase his playing time," emphasizing his return to the starting lineup. Indeed, Son injected energy into the team with early sprints into the penalty box, curling shots in the box, and sharp crosses from the flanks. In the 15th minute of the first half, his curling shot went over the goal, and in the 39th minute, he created a sharp cross with a quick counterattack.

The overall completeness of the team was far lacking. Excluding Son Heung-min, many starters were either benched or excluded from the roster, leading to extensive use of rotation members, and a different counterattacking tactic was implemented compared to before. After an early offensive, Tottenham gradually fell under Villa's pressure, ultimately collapsing as they conceded goals in quick succession from Konsa in the 59th minute and Kamara in the 73rd minute.

Son Heung-min retreated to the bench in the 74th minute alongside Sergio Reguilón, and while Rodrigo Bentancur and Dominic Solanke were substituted in, it was insufficient to turn the flow around. In the 87th minute, Brennan Johnson and Richarlison entered in place of Mikey Moore and Wilson Odober, but a consolation goal never materialized.

Through this match, Son Heung-min recorded his 453rd appearance for Tottenham, ranking sixth in the club's history for the most appearances, yet he could not turn the team's atmosphere around. In the 74 minutes played, he recorded 1 shot, an 88% pass success rate (21/24), 3 touches in the opposing box, 0% success in dribbling (0/1), and 3 passes in the attacking area. Additionally, he attempted 6 duels but failed to win any.

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 loss marked a third consecutive defeat for United, remaining at 39 points (11 wins, 6 draws, 18 losses) in 16th place, unable to secure a victory in the last eight matches. Meanwhile, Chelsea rose to 4th place with 66 points, igniting the competition for Champions League qualification.

Manchester United also set a record for the most losses by the club in a single Premier League season with 18 losses. The poor performance of United is evident in the numbers. Losses against 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. In the last eight league matches, they have 3 draws and 5 losses without a win.

The lack of offensive power is severe. Once again failing to score, Manchester United recorded its 15th match without a goal this season. This is the second-highest figure in the league, following relegated Leicester City (16 matches). It wouldn't be surprising to label this a record of a "goal-less machine." The offensive power was lacking once again.

Even more shocking was that unlike Tottenham, United deployed most of its starters. Major resources such as Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, and Casemiro started, but their performance was disappointing. They lost both stamina and atmosphere. It became, quite literally, the worst match.

Now Manchester United and Tottenham must put everything on the line for a single trophy, the Europa League final. The final, to be held on the 22nd in Bilbao, Spain, is the last hope of the season. However, the two teams' approaches were distinctly different. Tottenham opted for rotation, while United used most of its starters.

Combined, Tottenham has 21 losses in the league, and Manchester United has 18 losses, marking the most losses in a single Premier League season in their club's history for both teams. In fact, aside from the Europa final, the realistic prospect of climbing to the upper ranks has been frustrated, leading to a drop in motivation; yet both teams are symptomatic of the worst slump.

The result of this match is likely to have a significant impact on both teams. The team that lifts the Europa trophy can not only advance to the next season's UEFA Champions League (UCL) but also has a greater chance of retaining its coaches for the next season. It's worth watching to see which team will seize the last hope in the worst situation and which will fall to the brink.

[OSEN]