Manchester United face four crucial Premier League games and an FA Cup final to define Erik ten Hag’s first season at the helm. Unanimously held to have been a success at Old Trafford so far, the Dutchman will be desperate to end the campaign on good terms. Here, Express Sport takes you through four things that would make up a dream scenario for Red Devils supporters…
Sheikh Jassim takeover
By now it is abundantly clear that the Glazers are not wanted at Old Trafford, with fans desperate to see the back of their American billionaire owners for good. Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is offering just that as he awaits a response on his £5billion proposal to acquire United in its entirety.
By contrast, rival bidder Sir Jim Ratcliffe is proposing to buy around half of the club while allowing the Glazers to retain a minority stake. Unlimited riches aside, that is reason enough for the United faithful to broadly favour Sheikh Jassim’s bid, and after months of uncertainty, receiving clarity before the end of the season would be warmly welcomed by those on the terraces.
FA Cup triumph
While United’s Carabao Cup win back in February was hugely important as it ended a six-year spell without a trophy, beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final would surely be just as satisfying.
Not least because it would deny their cross-city rivals the opportunity to match their 1999 treble, with Pep Guardiola’s side favourites to win both the Premier League and the Champions League, but also because capping off the campaign with two trophies under Ten Hag would undeniably signify a job well done for the former Ajax boss.
Champions League return
The top-four race looked to be done and dusted just a few weeks ago, but with bitter rivals Liverpool ominously finding form at the exact same time United are losing momentum, there is scope for a late twist in the tale.
The Red Devils are currently one point clear of the Merseyside outfit with a game in hand, but Ten Hag’s side have lost their last two in the league and Jurgen Klopp’s have won six on the trot. The best case scenario for United would be a third-place finish, with second now mathematically out of reach and Newcastle only two points ahead, but a return to the Champions League by any means would do the trick.
Rashford matches Van Persie
While team objectives will take priority between now and the end of the season, United fans would also take great satisfaction from seeing one of their own reach a huge landmark for the first time in their career.
Marcus Rashford’s sparkling form after the World Cup has taken him to 29 goals in all competitions this term. The last Red Devils player to notch 30 in a single campaign was Robin van Persie back in 2012/13, and while Rashford has been stuck one short for the last three matches, there are still plenty of opportunities to match – and possibly surpass – the Dutchman’s tally.
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