Internet Desk: The UEFA Europa league final between Ajax and Manchester United will be held with ‘tight’ security measures after 22 people died and 59 were injured in a suicide bomb attack after the performance of American pop star Ariana Grande at the Manchester Arena on Monday night.
Manchester United will be facing the Dutch side for the fifth time in an all European competition. Although the English side are favourites to win the silverware but a young and talented filled Ajax would prove to be a difficult hurdle for the Red Devils.
Ajax will field an enirely rested squad since they played their last Eredivisie match on 14th May where they comfortably 3-1 against Willem II.
An injury stricken United would hope to field their best team for the final despite having a couple of suspension issues. United won their last match of the English Premier League against Crystal Palace where they comfortably won 2-0 after starting many young academy players.
The Europa final is scheduled to take place at the Friends Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, and the game is supposed to kick off at 7:45pm on Wednesday 24th May.
United had rested some of their key players Like Daley Blind, Marcus Rashford and also the Player of the Season Ander Herrera in their last game who are likely to start at Stockholm.
United are set to miss key defenders Marcos Rojo and Eric Bailly. Rojo suffered a knee injury against anderlecht in the quarter finals of this tournament and is set to remain absent for many months. On the other hand Eric Bailly was awarded the red card in the semi final against Celta Vigo.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be unable to play the final in his home country after he suffered a cruciate ligament injury and underwent surgery few weeks ago.
One of the youngest team in the history of European finals would be fielded by Ajax as their average squad age is 22 years old. Although the Dutch side have conceded lot of goals this season they have been in some incredible form off late and would be ready to pound on the English giants with their young pacy players.
The responsibility of the wings of the of the Dutch side will be on Justin Kluivert and Bertrand Traore. 19 year old sensation Kasper Dolberg, who has scored 23 goals this season – six of them in the Europa League will be ready for the attack line.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Ajax XI: Onana, Veltman, Sanchez, De Ligt, Riedewald, Van De Beek, Schone, Klaassen, Kluivert, Traore, Dolberg
Manchester United XI: Romero, Valencia, Jones, Blind, Darmian, Pogba, Carrick, Herrera, Lingard, Rashford, Mkhitaryan