Manchester United’s Premier League season has finally reached its conclusion, marking the end of a turbulent and exhausting campaign for Erik ten Hag and his players.
The Dutch manager has endured a rollercoaster of a season, navigating through injuries, inconsistent performances, and relentless scrutiny.
However, despite flashes of potential and moments of resilience, United ultimately fell short of their ambitions and finished below expectations.
The Red Devils wrapped up their league run in eighth place with 60 points a position that highlights just how much ground they’ve lost on England’s elite.
They ended eight points adrift of the top four and a huge 31 points behind local rivals and champions Manchester City.
The only silver lining left for United is the FA Cup final at Wembley, where victory over City could bring a much-needed boost to a disjointed campaign and offer Ten Hag a lifeline amid growing uncertainty about his future.
Speculation surrounding Ten Hag’s job remains intense. Fans and pundits are split some believe he deserves more time under INEOS’s partial ownership to rebuild the squad, while others think a managerial change is necessary to spark real progress.
With years of heavy spending failing to deliver consistent success, many feel that even a new era under INEOS will take time to stabilize the club.
Still, if United are to move forward, a fresh direction and stronger leadership may be required sooner rather than later.
Before any long-term decisions are made, Ten Hag’s immediate focus is on the Wembley showdown and selecting the right lineup will be critical. One player whose place is now under serious doubt is midfielder Scott McTominay.
McTominay’s season has been a mixed bag, mirroring the team’s overall inconsistency. Once close to joining West Ham last summer, the Scottish international ended up staying and produced a commendable 10 goals in 42 appearances — a solid return for a player not always deployed in his preferred role.
Yet, his influence in midfield has fluctuated, and recent performances have raised concerns about whether he should start in the FA Cup final.
In the 2-0 victory over Brighton, McTominay struggled to assert himself. Popular pundit Mark Goldbridge bluntly stated that the midfielder “offered nothing” in midfield, reflecting the frustration of many supporters.
His first-half miss a poor attempt following a well-crafted pass from Bruno Fernandes summed up a difficult outing. Journalist Samuel Luckhurst rated him 5/10, noting that he wasted a clear chance and failed to impact the game meaningfully.
The numbers reinforced that assessment: McTominay registered only 36 touches throughout the match 17 fewer than goalkeeper Andre Onana. He managed no key passes, no completed dribbles, no interceptions, and just one successful tackle.
Although he maintained an 88% pass accuracy, most of his passes were sideways and contributed little to United’s attacking flow.
With the FA Cup final looming large, Ten Hag must now weigh his options carefully. Young striker Rasmus Højlund impressed off the bench and is pushing for a start, while Marcus Rashford’s experience and explosiveness make him difficult to overlook.
There is even speculation that Casemiro could be deployed in a more advanced position to strengthen midfield control.
Given all this, McTominay’s place in the starting lineup appears increasingly uncertain. His latest showing did little to strengthen his claim, and if Ten Hag wants to give Manchester United the best possible chance of success at Wembley, he may be forced to make the difficult decision to drop the Scotland international.
A strong, disciplined performance is essential against Manchester City and that may require bold changes from a manager fighting not only for a trophy but also for his own future at Old Trafford.
