Finally, the Premier League season for Manchester United has come to an end.
It has been a tough journey for Erik ten Hag and his squad. The Dutch coach guided the team through a rough patch but was ultimately unable to achieve a successful outcome.
Better times may lie ahead, particularly if they can overcome their rivals Manchester City in the forthcoming FA Cup final at Wembley next weekend.
Until then, they will need to consider their underwhelming Premier League finish. They currently occupy eighth place with 60 points, eight points behind the top four and a significant 31 points off City.
So, what are the next steps? Is there a case for replacing Ten Hag? While this is a possibility, it might be wise to wait and see what changes the INEOS era brings over the summer.
United has invested heavily in the past, so it’s clear that a single transfer window might not resolve all issues. However, new leadership could lead to improvements.
Before any of this comes to fruition, they need to focus on Wembley. The lineup for the match will be crucial, and it may be wise to consider leaving out goal-scorer Scott McTominay.
Reasons to Consider Dropping McTominay
The Scottish midfielder has had a rather inconsistent season at Old Trafford, reflecting the team’s overall performance.
Last summer, there were signs he might move to West Ham, but he stayed and has had a relatively decent season given the circumstances.
McTominay has netted ten goals in 42 appearances across all competitions, a notable achievement, especially since he has scored only 29 senior goals by age 27.
Yet, his performance has varied, with some games lacking impact.
Even though Manchester United won 2-0 against Brighton on Sunday, McTominay’s display was below par, with club media figure Mark Goldbridge criticizing him for “offering nothing” in midfield.
Is this critique too severe? His statistics might suggest otherwise, but his late-season performances have been underwhelming.
McTominay missed a key opportunity in the first half, which was one of United’s best chances despite the scoreline.
Set up by captain Bruno Fernandes, McTominay mishandled the ball and then sent his shot high and wide from a good position in the box.
Though he has performed well in attacking positions this season, his recent attempt was off-target and indicative of his overall performance.
Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst rated him 5/10, noting the missed chance in the penalty area as a ‘wasted’ opportunity.
Statistics show a worrying trend as McTominay had only 36 touches of the ball, 17 fewer than goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Given that he played the entire match, this reflects a lack of involvement.
Moreover, he made no key passes, did not attempt a dribble, failed to intercept any passes, and managed only one tackle.
While his pass completion rate of 88% was decent, his overall performance lacked impact.
As the FA Cup final nears, Ten Hag has many decisions to make.
Rasmus Hojlund, who scored after coming on as a substitute, might deserve a starting spot, and there could be reluctance to leave Marcus Rashford out of such a crucial game.
Additionally, Ten Hag might consider playing Casemiro in a more advanced role again.
McTominay should be wary; his performance in this match indicates he may not be an automatic choice for the starting lineup at Wembley next Saturday.
