Manchester United see off Newcastle before a majestic Stretford End
Wednesday night saw Manchester United play their final game of the season, and like Erik ten Hag’s debut campaign in England, there is still an FA Cup final to look forward to.
The game saw plenty of positives for the Dutchman’s side, with immediate focus shifting to the two remaining fixtures against Brighton and Manchester City.
The return of Return of Martínez, Bruno, and Rashford
This season has seen us suffer over 65 cases of injury to key players across different positions.
Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia have had the most significant setbacks, with Malacia not featuring all season – leading some to question whether there were other issues than disclosed by the club.
Lisandro Martínez began to warm up on the sidelines of the Old Trafford pitch, and it was more than enough to get fans excited in the stands – with chants of “Argentina” loudly echoing towards the centre-back.
Fans will be cautiously optimistic about the highly anticipated return of the 2022 World Cup winner.
Bruno Fernandes returned to the side and played 90 minutes of the 3-2 win before being substituted for Christian Eriksen.
Upon departing the famous field, he received a standing ovation from the fans amidst rumours that he was looking to leave the club after this summer’s European Championship.
Ten Hag’s Reds were without Bruno for the two defeats against Crystal Palace and Arsenal, where the team mustered four shots on target across the two fixtures.
The difference he makes is abundantly clear, with United registering eight shots on target on Wednesday evening alone.
He also assisted Rasmus Hojlund for his goal in the 84th minute, two minutes after being substituted in place of Amad Diallo.
Marcus Rashford was among the returnees for the 20-time champions of England and entered the field of play in the 83rd minute.
The winger heard his name sung loudly – with hopes that he reclaim that form he once had under ten Hag last season.
The scenes were not pretty before kick-off, as Rashford got involved with a fan heckling him in the warmup before Antony intervened and pulled him away.
Sofyan Amrabat influence
Sunday’s defeat to Arsenal saw Sofyan Amrabat make his first start since the FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest in February. The Moroccan midfielder has had a difficult time at the club since signing on a one-year loan last summer from Fiorentina.
Amrabat has responded positively, putting in back-to-back impressive performances for the club, particularly when tracking back to prevent Alexander Isak from putting the ball past André Onana.
The Premier League season finishes tomorrow, and there have been reports that Amrabat’s agents have been meeting with representatives of the clubs to determine whether Ten Hag will make the move a permanent one beyond the summer.
The 2019/20 Belgian Pro League winner’s loan spell expires this June, and United can make him a permanent acquisition for £21.4 million.
Before the performance against Arsenal, many supporters would have expected the club to let him return to Fiorentina in the summer, but recent outings may change some minds.
Ten Hag will enter the window to search for recruits of various positions, and holding onto a squad player of Amrabat’s personnel may not be the worst choice he could make.
A-mad Diallo impact
Amad Diallo made his second consecutive start and did not disappoint in his performance. The Ivory Coast winger put in a player-of-the-match display and signed off with a goal and an assist to show for it.
The 21-year-old’s name even rung out across the Stretford End in a gesture of appreciation for his performance – but, more importantly, in acknowledging his dedication to the club since joining.
His goal came in the 57th minute when an attempted clearance from Newcastle’s Jacob Murphy was intercepted, with Amad making no mistake in putting the ball past former Red Martin Dúbravka.
Recent performances from the former Atalanta winger will ensure that he is in contention to start in the final game of the Premier League season – with eyes firmly set on the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on May 25th.
Goodbye to Raphaël Varane and Anthony Martial
The club have confirmed that Raphaël Varane will depart in the summer after spending three years at Old Trafford. The Frenchman took the opportunity to recreate the iconic selfie moment ahead of the 5-1 win over Leeds United in 2021.
The 2018 World Cup winner was pictured sitting at the centre circle after all the fans had left, absorbing his final moments as a Manchester United player.
The defender has been unfortunate at United with various injuries, but he was appreciated by supporters throughout and applauded down the tunnel where captain Bruno Fernandes waited to embrace him.
Anthony Martial is another departure from Manchester United this summer. His iconic chant rang out across the stadium as he tapped the badge of his jacket and waved goodbye to the supporters.
The forward has been at the club since 2015, making 209 appearances and registering 63 goals. His last appearance was on December 9th, 2023, in the 3-0 home defeat against AFC Bournemouth.
Although injuries will overshadow his time, it was fitting to see the sendoff he received from supporters after his long spell at the club.
Ten Hag speech – boos from Geordie side of Old Trafford
The Dutchman may have a new career set up if he was to ever be removed from his position as Manchester United manager – that is motivational speeches.
The boss may be getting used to riling up the crowd in the final home game of the season, as he did so against Fulham last year and did the same this season after Wednesday’s win.
Amidst the rumours that Bruno Fernandes may be unwanted by the club, the former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag interrupted his interview to involve him in his end-of-season speech.
Sky Sports News had reported that the Dutch manager received a mixed response in his post-match speech to supporters in response to some boo’s that were heard in the stadium.
For clarification, some Newcastle United supporters stayed behind and booed Ten Hag when he was speaking about the upcoming FA Cup final.
The booing did not come from supporters of United. Instead, ten Hag’s speech closed with The Red Army (TRA) chanting “We’re on the march with Ten Hag’s army, we’re all going to Wembley”.
During his speech, the manager told those who stayed behind that the players would give everything to ensure the FA Cup trophy is brought back to Old Trafford.
The gaffer did acknowledge that it was not an easy season but stated the one constant was the backing of the players by the supporters. Let us hope this continues with victories in our last two outings.
UTFR!
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