EPL giants Manchester United are weighed down by the pressure of having to win the Europa League final against Ajax to get into next season’s Champions League.
If United were heading to Stockholm having already qualified by finishing in the Premier League top four on top of having the EFL Cup in the bag, then their players would be a lot more relaxed.
Instead, all of United’s eggs are now in one basket, which is a dangerous situation to be in against a really good young Ajax team.
On the other hand,Ajax are very impressive technically and they have lots of energy too.
Their front five – with Bertrand Traore and Amin Younes either side of Kasper Dolberg in attack, and Davy Klaassen and Hakim Ziyech in the centre of midfield – give them goals and creativity, and a good mixture of pace and skill.
Traore is very quick down the right but a little bit erratic, while Younes on the left is a good dribbler – he is not rapid but he is pretty sharp.
What Peter Bosz’s team do well is play a high-tempo game – they like to press and win the ball back early.
To counter that, United have to be really brave and mirror the approach they had when they beat Chelsea at Old Trafford in April.