OSLO/LONDON: Manchester United and Tottenham will play out an all-English final of the Europa League in Bilbao on May 21.

Tottenham avoided any mishaps in the Arctic Circle with a composed 2-0 win at Norway’s Bodo/Glimt for a 5-1 aggregate victory. Manager Ange Postecoglou’s side never looked like relinquishing the lead they established last week in north London and goals by Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro midway through the second half snuffed out any hope of a Norwegian comeback.

Despite an awful Premier campaign, Tottenham now have the opportunity to win their first trophy since 2008 in only the fifth all-English European final.

Solanke, who also scored in the first leg, scrambled in a Cristian Romero header in the 63rd minute and Porro then deceived home keeper Nikita Haikin with a cross that looped in to spark celebrations from the few hundred away fans.

Bodo dominated possession in the first half but Ole Blomberg’s volley into the side netting was about the closest the hosts came to scoring on a disappointing night.

Postecoglou said: “We knew it was a difficult place to come, well aware of the record they have here, and the [plastic] pitch and all those kind of things, but we fully deserved on both legs to get through and we’re excited to be in the final.

“We’ve grown in maturity through this competition. You can see the lads are understanding exactly what’s required – and I thought that’s where we won the game.”

Manchester United booked their place in the final after a 4-1 semi-final thrashing of Athletic Bilbao, with Mason Mount scoring twice to give the hosts a 7-1 aggregate win and a chance for the struggling team to raise some silverware.

United, 15th in the Premier League, are now one win away from their first Europa League trophy since 2017 and a place in the Champions League next season.

United kicked off the night with a comfortable cushion thanks to their stunning 3-0 victory a week earlier in Bilbao.

But Mikel Jauregizar put Athletic on the score sheet in the 31st minute after a terrible clearance attempt by Harry Maguire landed at the Spaniard’s feet and he unleashed a blistering shot from outside the box into the top corner.

The goal made for some nervy moments in Old Trafford but the mood shifted dramatically when Mount, a second-half substitute, drew United level in the 72nd minute. Casemiro scored with a glancing header from a free kick seven minutes later and Rasmus Hojlund put the game out of reach in the 85th after Amad Diallo cut back the ball from the byline.

Coach Ruben Amorim said he would not be celebrating until United won the final and clinched an all-important spot in the Champions League next season.

He added: “In this moment, I am just worried about the next game, trying not to get injuries for the final. We need to win it. If we don’t win it, it means nothing for us.”

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