‘He’s still with me’: Ange Postecoglou recalls late dad after historic Europa League win

A huge thanks to Vince Rugari for leading the blog through all the chaos of this match, it’s been a pleasure to step in and handle things post game.

We will have more coverage to come from Vince in the coming hours, so please keep an eye out on ourwebsites.

Bye for now and have a lovely day.

Cristian Romero

A serial winner with his country Argentina, Romero was one of the few Tottenham players with some real trophy pedigree on his side. He had to cut out a dangerous Dorgu cross and, starting as captain for the night, was first to argue the case of his team-mates with the referee and the opposition. 8

Micky van de Ven

Got Vicario off the hook with an incredible acrobatic clearance to stop Hojlund’s header crossing the line. The Dutchman had been wrapped in cotton wool since the semi-final victory over Bodo/Glimt, with Ange Postecoglou keeping him fit for the final. That move was justified, as nothing and nobody could get past Van de Ven. 9

Destiny Udogie

Perhaps the hardest task of the Tottenham players by trying to keep Diallo quiet. The Manchester United winger danced his way around Udogie on more than one occasion in the first half, but Tottenham’s left-back broke up the pitch effectively when he had the chance. 6

Yves Bissouma

The midfielder stayed down after being fouled by Mazraoui. No free-kick was given and he did not need treatment. That summed up an all-action display from Bissouma, who, along with Bentancur, did his best to keep Fernandes quiet. 7

Rodrigo Bentancur

This has been a strange season for the Uruguayan following a lengthy suspension and injuries. But he has been an important presence in the latter stages of the Europa League. In Bilbao he battled hard for every ball and tried to break up United’s attacks. 7

Pape Sarr

With Maddison and Kulusevski both out injured, Sarr was given the role as Tottenham’s advanced midfielder. Postecoglou’s team lacked some craft without their most creative players, but Sarr made a vital contribution with the cross from which Spurs opened the scoring. 7

Brennan Johnson

It is normally Johnson at the back stick for Tottenham, but this time the forward made his presence felt at the front post. He was adjudged to have got the slightest of touches to help the ball over the line after Sarr’s cross had hit Shaw. Johnson will go down in the history books as Tottenham’s first goalscorer in a final since Jonathan Woodgate in 2008. 8

Richarlison

This was Potescoglou’s big decision. Tottenham have been statistically better with Richarlison in the team this season, but it was still a surprise that he went with the Brazilian over club captain Son Heung-min. The Brazilian was a physical presence for Postecoglou’s team and turned his way into space a couple of times. 6

Dominic Solanke

Held the ball up well as Tottenham maintained their Europa League tactic of going long when they needed to. The striker passed up a great chance when he failed to control a pass from Bissouma that would have put him through on goal. 6

Substitutes

Son Heung-min (for Richarlison 67), Kevin Danso (Johnson 78), Archie Gray (Sarr 89), Djed Spence (Udogie 89). Subs not used: Austin (g), Whiteman (g), Gray, Davies, Scarlett, Tel, Moore, Odobert, Ajayi.

The Telegraph, London

“I knew I had a massive challenge in front of me ... this year we had the added stress of the injury situation.

“I’ve just had this laser focus, I still believed we could win something this year. We went deep into the Carabao Cup and, once we were knocked out of that, my focus became Europe.

“That has cost us in the league and that is down to me. But I just had a feeling inside me that this was achievable this year, and I’m thankful it all worked out.”

“We have to see. This moment, I’m not going to be here defending myself. I have nothing to show to the fans and say, ‘I’m going to improve because of this...’” he said.

“So in this moment, it’s a little bit of faith. Let’s see. I’m always open. If the board and the fans feel that I’m not the right guy, I will go the next day. But I’m really confident about my job.”

The 40-year-old Amorim, who took over in November after the firing of Erik ten Hag, has led United to 16th in the Premier League, where it has a club-record 18 defeats in a single campaign since the Premier League began in 1992.

The team’s last hope of playing in a European competition next season was to win today.

“We have two plans for the market and we have to understand it is tough for a club like ours not to be in the Champions League,” Amorim said.

“But we have to use the other side. We have more time to think and to work hard during the week and to be better in the Premier League, that will be our focus.”

Amorim said he felt his team played better than Tottenham and deserved the victory on Wednesday.

“We didn’t perform perfectly today, but we were better than the opponent,” he said. “In the second half, we tried everything with the central defenders, with players wide, the process going in the box. There are some days I have said we were really poor, but I think today was not that day. We were not perfect though and we have a lot to improve.”

AP

“But you know, I said it’s not a criticism. I understand why it would be difficult for a club like this to buy into one person’s vision.

“I remember when, even when I signed, the club really, even Daniel [Levy] sort of said, you know, we went after winners. It didn’t work. And now we’ve got Ange and, mate, I’m a winner. I’ve been a serial winner my whole career. It’s what I’ve done more than anything else.

“I know people talk about my football, which I’m very proud of, but I know people dismiss my achievements, because they didn’t happen to happen on this side of the world, but for me, they’re all hard-earned.

“And all I’ve done my whole career is win things, and I understand, obviously, the way things have gone in the league, you know, people are rightly to be concerned about, I said, I don’t think there’s a true reflection of where we’re at.

“But whatever happens, my self-belief in what I do doesn’t waver, and I’ll continue to kind of push on to do what I do.”