Mainoo emulates Rooney and Spurs academy does the business: Europa League action you might have missed | OneFootball

The league phase of the 2024/25 Europa League concluded on Thursday night, with all 36 teams in action.

The likes of Man Utd, Tottenham and Rangers were battling it out to secure a top-eight spot, while some giants like FC Porto and Fenerbahce were fighting to stay in the competition at all.

There were standout wins, eye-catching performances and big casualties up and down the table, so let’s get into what you might have missed.

1. Man Utd complete invincible league phase

It’s all gone a bit wrong in the Premier League for Manchester United this season but in Europe, they’re proving very hard to beat. Impossible, in fact, based on what we’ve seen in the league phase of the Europa League.

The Red Devils had to work hard away in Bucharest against a stubborn FCSB side and it took until the hour mark for them to finally breakthrough, with Diogo Dalot opening the scoring. However, they landed a sucker punch quickly after that with Kobbie Mainoo doubling the advantage just eight minutes later after he’d laid up Dalot’s goal.

Incredibly, this was Mainoo’s first major European start for Man Utd, with the youngster joining Wayne Rooney as just one of two players since 2004 to score or assist for United in such a match.

From there, United saw the game out to complete an unbeaten league phase campaign.

United missed out on top spot by just a single point and had to settle for third. But if they can continue unbeaten in the knockout stages, they won’t care one bit about that as they lift the Europa League trophy for the second time.

2. Son Heung-min sets Europa League record as the kids do the business for Spurs

Son Heung-min rather enjoyed himself in the first half against Elfsborg.

The iconic South Korean rolled back the years and served wing-back Simon Hedlund on toast with a ridiculous 10 dribbles completed from 11 attempts. That’s the most of any player in the first 45 minutes of a Europa League match and more than he managed in his last 12 Premier League matches combined (9).

What’s more, Son also created three chances and attempted three shots, while having 10 touches in the opposition box and attempting nine crosses. He was comfortably Tottenham’s brightest spark.

All of that, and Ange Postecoglou decided to bring him off at half-time.

Of course, Spurs have a busy schedule with FA Cup and EFL Cup commitments coming up alongside their Premier League struggles, and the Lilywhites have been crippled with injuries this season. Dejan Kulusevski was the man to replace Son and given his popularity, it was hard for supporters to get too angry with Postecoglou’s decision.

However, Son will have felt he was on the verge of ripping this game open.

In the end, Postecoglou’s gamble paid off, with Kulusevski providing the assist for youngster Dane Scarlett to open the scoring in his first game back since being recalled from his loan at Oxford. Incidentally, that appearance means Scarlett cannot go on loan again this season, although Postecoglou may want to keep him around anyway.

Scarlett then provided the assist for a stunning debut goal for Damola Ajayi, while the young guns finished the job as Mikey Moore netted a third in second-half stoppage time.

Spurs won and finished in the top eight, and the kids are alright. Everybody is happy.

Well, sort of. After all, Spurs did pick up another injury when Radu Dragusin came off with a knee problem.

3. Impressive Ibrox showing secures top-eight spot for Rangers

It’s been a brilliant league phase for Rangers and they rounded it off with an impressive home win over Union-SG.

Nicolas Raskin and Vaclav Cerny provided the goals for the Glaswegians either side of half-time; enough to secure the win despite Kevin Mac Allister’s 84th-minute strike for the Belgian visitors.

With that victory, Rangers secured the eighth and final round-of-16 spot with a record of four wins — most impressively 4-1 away in Nice and 4-0 at home against FCSB — two draws and just two defeats.

Could we see another run to the Europa League final from Rangers like their 2021/22 campaign?

4. Jordan Henderson’s Ajax swansong?

Jordan Henderson has looked rejuvenated for Ajax this season, notching five assists in all competitions and showing the possession control and defensive instincts that made him so important to Liverpool and England over the years.

But has he played his final game for the Dutch giants?

While he was busy playing 77 minutes in the Europa League on Thursday, reports were gathering pace that Henderson is on the verge of joining French side Monaco.

Well, if this is Henderson’s final game as an Ajax player, it was a fond farewell. The 34-year-old completed 90% of his passes and created one chance against Galatasaray on Thursday, while also completing five passes into the final third. He also chipped in defensively with 10 recoveries, three interceptions, two clearances, one block and one tackle.

All that to help Ajax to a 2-1 win that places them 12th in the table.

5. Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce scrape through

It was a nervy night for Fenerbahce, who needed a result of their own and some favours to make it through to the knockout rounds.

In the end, they did the bare minimum required, coming from behind and then surrendering a lead to draw 2-2 away at FC Midtjylland to secure the 24th and final knockout spot. Their progression comes at the expense of the likes of Elfsborg, who were taken apart in the second half away at Spurs, and Braga, who will be heartbroken after grinding out a 1-0 win over table-toppers Lazio, who were unbeaten ahead of this matchday.

Jose Mourinho is a European expert and the only manager to date to win all three major Uefa honours. While his side are still alive, nobody is safe.

Alive they are, just about.

6. El Kaabi takes control of Golden Boot race

Ayoub El Kaabi was the Golden Boot winner in last season’s Conference League, netting 11 times to help fire Olympiacos to the title.

The Moroccan is proving this season that was no fluke, ending the UEL league phase as the top scorer on seven goals, one clear of Barnabas Varga and two ahead of the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Victor Osimhen.

El Kaabi scored twice in four second-half minutes to reach the summit on Thursday night, putting Olympiacos on course for a 3-0 win that sees them finish seventh in the table.

The Greek giants are straight into the round of 16 and have a striker on fire once again. Are they priming themselves for another European charge?

7. The final Europa League table and draw details

The final league phase table is set and we’re now a little closer to knowing how the knockout rounds will pan out.

Italian side Lazio top the table, level with Athletic Club. Just behind them are English duo Manchester United and Tottenham, while Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiacos and Rangers complete the top eight.

But there are some huge names throughout the teams who have qualified for the playoff round as well, not least the likes of FC Porto, Galatasaray, Real Sociedad, Ajax and AS Roma.

There have been some pretty hefty casualties, too, including Besiktas, Hoffenheim and Nice — the latter one of just two teams alongside Ludogorets not to win a single match.

Keep your eyes peeled for the draw on Friday, which is when we’ll also find out how the Champions League knockout rounds will shape up.

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