Paul Scholes thinks Tottenham are the 'favourites' to win the Europa League but reveals why he is backing Man United... although he feels Ruben Amorim is playing a 'risky' game

Paul Scholes believes Tottenham Hotspur volition beryllium considered the favourites going into the Europa League final, but inactive expects Manchester United to travel retired connected top.

Spurs person beaten United 3 times this season, including a 3-0 triumph astatine Old Trafford successful the Premier League successful September and a melodramatic 4–3 location triumph successful the Carabao Cup in December.

In fact, United person not beaten Spurs successful immoderate of their past six meetings, but Scholes is banking connected European acquisition to marque the quality successful Bilbao.

Writing successful his TNT Sports column, the erstwhile England midfielder said: 'When you look astatine the caller matches betwixt the 2 teams, past you'll astir apt person to marque Tottenham the flimsy favourites.

'But Manchester United are utilized to being successful finals. Even successful caller atrocious periods, they're inactive reaching finals and winning trophies and I deliberation that acquisition is big.'

Despite his backing for United, Scholes admitted helium enjoys watching Ange Postecoglou's Spurs squad and expects them to play the amended shot connected the night.

'Tottenham volition astir apt beryllium the champion squad connected the night,' helium added. 'But I conscionable deliberation United volition person capable to win.'

United are narrowly favoured by UK bookmakers, though Spurs' beardown signifier successful Europe, including knockout wins implicit AZ Alkmaar, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt, has made them superior contenders.

Both clubs person rotated heavy successful caller weeks to sphere their apical players for Europe, efficaciously penning disconnected their woeful Premier League campaigns.

United started the play 15th successful the table, 1 constituent and 1 spot supra Spurs. The Red Devils thrashed Athletic Bilbao 7-1 implicit 2 legs successful their Europa League semi-final but failed to bushed Brentford, Bournemouth, Wolves, Newcastle, Man City and Nottingham Forest successful their past six home outings. 

Scholes, who scored 155 goals successful 718 appearances for United betwixt 1994 and 2013 and won 25 trophies, feels uneasy with however Ruben Amorim has seemingly thrown successful the towel successful the Premier League.

The Portuguese manager has been successful complaint since November and the Europa League last volition beryllium his 41st lucifer successful the United dugout. A triumph would spot United suffice for adjacent season's Champions League.

'United should beryllium capable to play successful 2 oregon 3 competitions astatine erstwhile without sacrificing something, and they've intelligibly sacrificed the league,' Scholes said.

'I deliberation it's rather risky sacrificing the Premier League for the involvement of Champions League shot adjacent year.'

But Scholes inactive believes Amorim has semipermanent imaginable and tin instrumentality inspiration from Mikel Arteta's travel astatine Arsenal.

Arsenal finished eighth successful each of Arteta's archetypal 2 seasons arsenic manager but they person since placed fifth, 2nd and second.

The Gunners look apt to decorativeness 2nd again this term, but European occurrence is nary longer connected the paper aft Arteta's men exited the Champions League astatine the hands of Paris Saint-Germain connected Wednesday night. 

Scholes said: 'I would swap United's play this twelvemonth for Arsenal's run adjacent if they spell connected and triumph the Europa League. All time long.

'It wouldn't beryllium a atrocious illustration for Amorim to take. He tin person a look astatine Arsenal and conscionable survey what Arteta has done implicit caller years. It mightiness beryllium the starting artifact for United.'

Scholes besides urged the nine to bash everything imaginable to support clasp of skipper Bruno Fernandes, who has been linked with a imaginable determination to Saudi Arabia.

'Bruno has to enactment due to the fact that he's the champion player,' helium said. 'He's progressive successful astir everything United bash well. It's rather wide they request to support him and physique a squad astir him.'