'Who told you he's not? He is!' - Bruno Fernandes jokes Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim is under same pressure as Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou

Ahead of the showdown, the spotlight is not only on the players but also on the men in the dugouts, particularly as Postecoglou's position appears increasingly uncertain in North London. With both clubs languishing in the bottom five of the Premier League—United sitting just above Spurs, who are 17th—the final represents a crucial moment for both teams. Tottenham’s alarming slide has placed Postecoglou under intense scrutiny, and reports suggest the Australian manager could be shown the exit door regardless of the final’s outcome.

During United's press conference, a journalist posed a question to Amorim, drawing a comparison between his and Postecoglou’s situations. The reporter noted how the Australian had faced questions about his job security, and queried whether Amorim was surprised not to be under similar pressure given United’s comparable league performance. He asked: "Ange Postecoglou has just been in here answering questions about whether he might still be in his job, whatever the result tomorrow. Are you surprised, grateful that you don’t seem to be under the same kind of pressure despite the fact that your team has a similar record?”

However, before Amorim could answer, Fernandes took the opportunity to interject with a quick-witted remark.

“He is. Who told you he's not? He is," he said.

His comment sparked laughter from the room, including from Amorim and teammate Harry Maguire, who were also on the panel. Picking up on the joke, Amorim responded with a playful jab at Fernandes, suggesting his skipper might be eyeing up a future managerial role.

“He wants my job. He’ll be a very, very good coach but he has to work on his mindset, he doesn’t know how to deal with people," Amorim joked.

After a brief pause, Amorim admitted that he too was puzzled by the lack of criticism directed at him, especially given the club’s disappointing results.

“I don't know. In this kind of club, also Tottenham, it is strange that you have some coaches who lose games and get sacked," he said. “I think people see that sometimes I am thinking more about the club than myself. We have a lot of issues that in the context is really hard. I don't know how to explain how the fans like me in this moment. I try to prove myself to the fans, to the board."

Both clubs come into the final desperate for a lifeline. For United, it’s a shot at silverware and a possible ticket back into the Champions League. For Spurs, it’s a rare opportunity to end a long-standing trophy drought and give their fans something to celebrate in an otherwise grim campaign. Only time will tell what lies beyond Bilbao for both Amorim & Postecoglou.