'Corruption!' - Man Utd lose Europa League edge over Tottenham as Spurs' trip to Aston Villa brought forward even before spot in final is booked

United took a commanding step toward the final with a 3-0 victory in the first leg of their semi-final away at Athletic Club. Meanwhile, Tottenham’s 3-1 home win against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in their own semi-final has them well positioned to meet United in the final.

United were set to play Chelsea on Friday, May 16 - five days before the Europa League final - while Tottenham’s visit to Villa was slated for Sunday, May 18. That two-day advantage was expected to give United more time for recovery and tactical preparation. However, Spurs launched an appeal to the Premier League, asking for their fixture at Villa Park to be brought forward.

Tottenham confirmed the change on Tuesday morning. The statement revealed: "We can now confirm that our Premier League fixture away to Aston Villa will take place on Friday 16 May, kicking-off at 7.30pm (UK). This match was originally scheduled for Sunday 18 May."

The rescheduling means both clubs will effectively enjoy equal recovery windows before the potential final in Bilbao.

Although the decision works in Tottenham’s favour, it hasn’t gone down well with everyone as Villa and United fans voiced their frustrations on social media once the change was officially announced.

@theavfcfaithful wrote: "Corruption."

While @zavalasbitch said: "Last home game being moved again, what about fans wanting to show appreciation but can’t due to the game finishing at a stupid time."

@Booteful_Game wrote: "So we roll over and let them tickle our belly? I feel sorry for the travelling Villa fans and how this could affect the last home game activities."

Meanwhile, a Spurs fan, @MrBlackFootball feared: "If we don’t qualify for the final after this I will die of embarrassment."

Whereas @TomFoins told Villa fans: "You're going to win 11-0, who cares."

Despite the focus on scheduling, both clubs still have work to do in their respective semi-final second legs before any talk of the final becomes a reality. United host Athletic at Old Trafford, holding a three-goal lead, while Tottenham must travel to Norway to complete their task against Bodo/Glimt. Should both English sides secure qualification, the May 21 final could mark the first all-Premier League Europa League final since 2019, when Chelsea defeated Arsenal in Baku.