If you were to look at Manchester United’s final position in the league at the start of the season most United fans would’ve been distraught. Sixth place after the promise of new impetus from visionary manager José Mourinho would’ve seemed like an absolute disaster.
But if you had heard the Manchester United faithful in full voice on Sunday at Old Trafford you would realise that this season has been deemed anything but a failure.
Manchester United won the Community Shield and the League Cup and have a Europa League final that to look forward to on Wednesday evening against Ajax. It’s the almost perfect showpiece final to the season if Manchester United win they will be in the Champions League next term.
And aside from statistics Manchester United look like a far more serious proposition these days. They still don’t have the attacking bite of old but they are solid and have been very hard to beat all season.
The defence looks really solid with the brilliant new signing Eric Bailly bedding in beautifully. United will add a couple more defenders in the summer but Paul Pogba has been shielding the defence brilliantly and there are solid foundations at the club once more.
This summer should be all about finding a replacement for Michael Carrick and adding some really top quality strikers to the mix. Things are definitely looking up at United.
Best Player: Paul Pogba may have been slightly underwhelming considering the size of his transfer fee but he still had a good first season back at Manchester United. Marcus Rushford has come on again and shown some brilliant glimpses of his undoubted talent. But in terms of consistency and performance levels it’s hard to look any further than Antonio Valencia as Manchester United’s best performer this season. Has been something of a surprise package at right full back but offered power and pace down that side and really shored up the defence.
Worst player: TFF has never liked Marouane Fellaini and he’s failed to perform again this season with too many clumsy showings. He seldom fails to drag the quality of games downwards. But the most disappointing player in Manchester United’s squad been Luke Shaw.
So much was expected of him at the start of this term when he returned from a horrible leg injury. But he’s been below par and in and out of the team all term. His temperament is questionable and he seemed out of shape in parts of the season. There is so much talent there but there is a danger that his full potential won’t ever be realised.