Manchester United will attempt to make a vast summer refresh with a colossal squad exodus incoming.
That’s according to the Manchester Evening News, which reveals that Old Trafford may bid farewell to a double-figure list of players.
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Amorim could be saying goodbye to numerous players in the summerCredit: Getty
Some of United’s big figures are anticipated to hang up their boots at the close of this season, including Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton.
Evans, at 37, hasn’t started for United in four months and last took the pitch on December 18. Meanwhile, Heaton, who will turn 39 next month, has been sidelined since early February due to an unspecified injury.
Chelsea holds an obligation to buy Sancho for between £20 million and £25 million but may consider paying a penalty clause to swerve making his season-long loan permanent.
The Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) effectively assess the value of non-academy players, determining a player’s price based on the transfer fee allocated over the duration of their contract.
Casemiro joined Manchester United for £60 million on a four-year contract in 2022, leading the club to seek £15 million for his sale to avoid a loss under PSR.
Antony was acquired for £81.3 million during the same summer on a five-year deal, costing £32.52 million, while Sancho would stand at £14.58 million if United continues to hold onto him.
Man United might also be compelled to reduce their squad as they face the prospect of a season devoid of European football, given that the Champions League and Europa League formats require an additional eight matches.
The last time United embarked on a campaign without European competition in 2014-15, they played 44 games, suffering a staggering 4-0 defeat to MK Dons in the second round of the League Cup.
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Evans started his career at Man United and progressed through the club’s academyCredit: Getty
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Malacia was sent out on loan in February to join PSV Eindhoven for the remainder of the seasonCredit: Getty
Already having played 46 matches this term, United is assured of at least 11 more.
In terms of goalkeepers, Altay Bayindir’s future remains uncertain. He may seek opportunities elsewhere to secure regular playing time, hoping to start for Turkey in the World Cup next year.
The Red Devils also missed out on Chelsea-bound Geovany Quenda, leaving them still searching for a new winger.
United could also bid farewell to Tyrell Malacia, currently on loan at PSV Eindhoven, who may secure a permanent transfer, while they might face challenges in offloading Luke Shaw, who hasn’t started for the club in 13 months, participating in only nine matches over the last 19 months.
Despite not having signed a renewal, Mainoo’s current contract extends until 2028, and Garnacho faced a rejected £40 million bid from Napoli in January.
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Garnacho & Mainoo face an uncertain future at Old Trafford as summer approachesCredit: Getty
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Zirkzee has struggled during his time at Old Trafford with just three goalsCredit: Getty
Garnacho has received consistent praise from Amorim for his adaptability, while Mainoo, despite spending nearly four months sidelined due to injuries, showcased his potential as a playmaker with a goal in the 2-0 Europa League victory over FCSB in January.
The Red Devils must also consider the long-term future of Joshua Zirkzee, who was initially signed as a support striker but is now thriving as a playmaker.
The fate of Rasmus Hojlund, too, remains to be determined.
One player significantly affected by injuries is Mason Mount, who has managed to play only 33 of a possible 98 matches for United.
Yet, he may find a second chance, as Amorim believes he could fit in his 3-4-2-1 system.
Senior sales might be complemented by homegrown departures, as Amorim has previously emphasized the need for United to enhance their efforts in selling their cultivated talents.
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Man United’s potential exits this summer
Last summer, United accrued £109.18 million, including add-ons, through player departures.
Since 2022, their most lucrative sales have predominantly involved academy products: Andreas Pereira, James Garner, Anthony Elanga, Dean Henderson, Mason Greenwood, and Scott McTominay.
Man United’s next fixture is against Nottingham Forest on April 1, with kick-off at 7pm.
Ange Postecoglou has been the Premier League manager in the firing line in recent months, but some of the heat is now starting to be directed Ruben Amorim’s way.
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Postecoglou’s Tottenham claimed an important 1-0 win against Amorim’s Manchester United on Sunday to add to the torrid time the Portuguese manager is having at Old Trafford.
Amorim is overseeing, statistically, the worst United team of the Premier League era.
They have lost twelve of 25 matches, with a points tally of just 29.
They have scored only 28 goals and sit 15th on the table, 12 points clear of the relegation places.
They are on track for their lowest points tally, and the least amount of goals they have scored, in a Premier League season.
The numbers are grim.
Normally, such dire circumstances would have led to a manager already being shown the door.
But this mess is not of Amorim’s creation.
United sacked Erik ten Hag in October and replaced the Dutchman with Amorim in November.
The 40-year-old was seen as a breath of fresh air.
A young manager, who would impart modern thinking on the club.
Amorim was even hailed as the club’s saviour after winning two league titles and impressing in European competition for Sporting CP in his home city of Lisbon.
Such was his popularity at this former club that Amorim was chaired off the pitch after demolishing Manchester City 4-1 in a home Champions League match, which doubled as his farewell game.
Before that mid-week affair, Amorim stated that United fans would think he is the new Sir Alex Ferguson if he orchestrated a defeat of their fierce rivals.
It is doubtful that any Red Devils supporter would think that now.
“It was everything” – Spurs sweep Man U | 01:49
WORST UTD BOSS OF MODERN ERA
United have lost eight, won four and drawn two of Amorim’s 14 Premier League outings in charge.
His overall record of nine losses, nine wins and three draws is better courtesy of an unbeaten run in the Europa League’s league phase.
But Amorim’s win percentage of 43 is the worst of any permanent United manager since Ferguson’s reign.
Louis van Gaal (48%) was next lowest, but Jose Mourinho (52%), David Moyes (57%), ten Hag (67%) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (71%) all had significantly superior records in all competitions from their first 21 matches at the helm.
Clearly, things are not going according to plan.
Yet, Amorim’s head is not being called for repeatedly like Postecoglou’s.
There is a widespread acceptance that none of this is Amorim’s fault.
Discontent among fans towards the club’s ownership has seemingly grown annually with a lot of anger directed towards the American Glazer family who have been majority owners for more than two decades.
In 2023, six of the Glazer children sold a quarter of their 68% stake in the club to British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and now some of their frustrations have been sent his way.
Selling off tickets among season ticket holders at Old Trafford to away fans, and the roof leaking because of a reluctance to spend on stadium refurbishments have generated outrage.
The most anger is directed towards squad building however, as the majority of the current team have been brought on massive dollars but flopped as their rivals have snapped up stars, and they missed opportunities to sign the likes of England captain Harry Kane when he departed Tottenham.
The resentment towards the club hierarchy has allowed Amorim to strategically push several excuses to keep the heat off him.
In January, he said he is in charge of “the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United”.
If they get relegated, like the team who dropped out of the English top flight in 1974, the “maybe” could be dropped from that quote.
Following the weekend’s loss to Tottenham, United’s third of the season to Postecolgou’s side, Amorim said “my job is so, so hard here”.
One of the things he was referring to was the growing casualty ward, which is causing the manager serious headaches.
‘Bigger club with bigger pressure” | 00:46
‘WELCOME TO MY WORLD’
The demanding schedule of midweek games throughout December and January caused Amorim to lament that he could not spend enough time on the training ground, implementing his play style on the squad.
Last week he finally got some clear air.
There were eight days between their fourth round FA Cup victory at home against Leicester City and their trip to north London to face Tottenham.
Ample time to refresh and dive deeper into the demands of his preferred 3-4-3 formation, but they lost six players in that time.
United’s top goal scorer this season Amad Diallo, England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer all suffered injuries, and Leny Yoro and Christian Eriksen fell ill.
Diallo has been ruled out for the season, joining Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez and Jonny Evans as being sidelined for the long-term.
It forced Amorim to field a bench with eight teenagers, none of whom had made a first team appearance, and 17-year-old striker Chido Obi coming on for a debut with three minutes remaining was the only change made for the match.
The predicament prompted Postecoglou to say “welcome to my world” after he has struggled with an injury-riddled squad for several months, which led to an eight games winless run in the league.
To make matters worse, United fans watched on as academy product Marcus Rashford made an inspired start to life at Aston Villa.
Fellow attacker Antony, who was signed for £82 million in 2022, also started promisingly in Spain follow his departure from Old Trafford in the recent transfer window.
No replacement was brought in for either forward, instead entrusting Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho as a front three that have produced eight goals between in the league this season.
Meanwhile, Rashford came off the bench twice for Villa and breathed life into the game, including playing a part in Ollie Watkins’ equaliser in their draw with Ipswich.
But rubbing the most salt into the wounds is that Antony has scored three times in four matches for Real Betis.
That is more goals than United have scored this February so far, and matches the Brazilian’s tally from 38 appearances for the Red Devils last season.
Perhaps, there is something in players being rejuvenated once the are freed from United’s shackles.
GREATS BECOMING RESTLESS
In the aftermath of the Tottenham loss, several greats of the Ferguson era piped up to spell doom and gloom for their former club.
Six-time Premier League winner with United Rio Ferdinand spoke on his YouTube channel about how he believes relegation is a real possibility.
“Manchester United are absolutely struggling at the moment. Only Wolves and West Ham separate my club from the relegation places. Do you realise we’re that close?” Ferdinand said.
“Someone said we need 11 points just to stay up and I’m starting to think like that. I’ve got the fixture list here and I’m looking at the game and I’m being serious here. Go through it.
“Everton away, Ipswich at home, Arsenal, Forest away, Man City, Newcastle away, Wolves, Brentford, Brighton, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Leicester.
“The only place I potentially see us getting anything – and I’m not even saying a win – is Leicester. We’ve slapped up Leicester a couple of times already this season so we’ve got their number.
“Normally you look at the fixture list and you can see where the points are coming from.
“We just looked at the fixture list and I’m not seeing outright wins, I’m not looking at it thinking there’s three points here and there’s three points there. That’s the problem.”
Ballon d’Or winner and Ferdinand’s former United teammate Michael Owen said that he cannot see the current situation “getting any better”.
Meanwhile, another star of United’s golden years, Gary Neville, turned his attention on the manager.
Neville thought Amorim’s tactics were “absolute madness” during the defeat to Tottenham, particularly in midfield.
“The distance between the two centre midfielders for United is all wrong,” Neville said on Sky Sports. “Look where Fernandes is, look where Casemiro is. It breaks all rules of football.
“It’s absolute madness. The structure of the team is awful. The two in midfield are split. It’s embarrassing. You wouldn’t see this in under-nines football. Look at that space in midfield. Shocking.”
It was not the first time Amorim’s midfield set up has been ridiculed.
In a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle in December, Amorim embarrassingly subbed off attacker Joshua Zirkzee after just 33 minutes to make up for his misstep of partnering Eriksen and Casemiro in midfield, who are not blessed with pace, against the Magpies’ electric trio of Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.
Now, critiques of Amorim’s tactics are mounting up.
AMORIM SHOULD BE ABLE TO DELIVER MORE
Three at the back, four in midfield and three up front.
That is what Amorim likes his teams to look like.
But being one player lighter in defence is something foreign to the current United squad.
They have failed to get up to speed with the reconfiguration, and it has now been long enough that it is reflecting poorly on Amorim.
Arsenal great Martin Keown described his tactics as “flawed”, and was confused as to why other Premier League managers have been able to make a more immediate impact with seemingly lesser squads.
“Whereas look at Everton, in the same amount of time for David Moyes, a former United manager, are getting results. You could argue his players maybe aren’t quite as good, but this once-great club is now falling from a great height,” Keown said on TalkSport after the Tottenham loss.
“The panic button is close to being pressed. You can’t keep performing as they did yesterday.
“The tactics are flawed; we’ve been saying it for weeks now. The midfield, Casemiro sitting on his own, Spurs exploiting that with two players in those pockets. James Maddison ran the show. Fernandes was a boy lost on the pitch.”
Concerningly for Amorim, there seems to be no relief coming in anytime soon.
Gary Neville believes “it’s going to be a minimum of two to three transfer windows” before the manager and the recruiting staff can “adapt this squad into a 3-4-3 squad”.
United are also going to be limited in their spending because of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules – which are designed to stop clubs blowing out their balance sheets by limiting what they can spend, dependent upon the money they generate.
The bad news for United is that they have lost £300m in the last three years, and in the background of their poor performances on the pitch, was 250 employees being made redundant last summer as part of cost-cutting measures.
It is also reported that more redundancies are likely.
“There will be no great infusion of cash to rebuild the squad in the summer; United are already under pressure to avoid breaching PSR regulations,” The Guardian’s Jonathan Wilson wrote.
So with their hands somewhat tied financially, there is demand for Amorim to extract more out of what they have.
And at present, that does not look like happening.
“You can blame injuries all you like, highlighting the fact that United’s bench was so stacked with 17 and 18-year-olds that it resembled a sixth-form holiday camp. But Amorim, if he is truly as talented as his extravagant send-off in Lisbon suggests he is, should be summoning a tune out of those he has available,” The Telegraph’s chief sports writer Oliver Brown wrote after the Tottenham defeat.
“The problem is that the players are all hopelessly confused by the tactics he is asking them to follow. Maguire was the most obvious rabbit in headlights this time, bizarrely stopping dead in his tracks as a dangerous cross swung in towards Son Heung-min. Casemiro was all at sea, not even watching Bruno Fernandes at times and crumpling to the turf pleading for a free-kick even when nobody was near him.
“The doubts are starting to be publicly expressed. Gary Neville witheringly argued that Amorim’s midfield, with Casemiro and Fernandes creating yawning chasms through their lack of connection, would not even have been seen at under-nines level. While that might be hyperbolic, it does illustrate how the fundamentals at United have collapsed.
“The defence is shot to pieces, the midfield is makeshift, and supposed target man Hojlund has not scored in his last 15 appearances.”
WILL HE SURVIVE?
As is the case for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham, and as was the case for Amorim’s predecessor ten Hag, the allure of silverware offers salvation.
Ten Hag bought himself more time with a shock FA Cup triumph against rivals City in 2023, while United, along with Spurs, are into the Europa League’s Round of 16.
The hierarchy at Old Trafford would be desperate for a trophy, but it is not a condition to Amorim keeping his job.
There is little doubt that he will be given a summer to shape a squad in his image, and not judged too harshly for the failures that emerge from trying to do so on the fly, mid-season.
But football is a ruthless game, and bookmakers across the UK have slashed their odds on Amorim being the next Premier League manager to be shown the door.
Reports emerged out of Spain that United are already exploring alternative options, including current US men’s team manager, as well as former Tottenham, Chelsea and PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino.
The dilemma Amorim is facing, which is the case of many bosses of rebuilding teams across any sport, is that losses stockpiling may do too much damage.
“The danger is that, even if Amorim is the right man, his reputation will be so tarnished by the end of the season that he will never be able to inspire the belief successful management requires,” The Guardian’s Jonathan Wilson wrote.
An executive summit chaired by Manchester United part owner Jim Ratcliffe is set to determine the future of Erik Ten Hag, which presently sits on a knife’s edge.
And while the meeting is regularly scheduled in the diaries of the clubs hierarchy and no different to one held last month in Barcelona, it will be attended by many prominent figures at the club, including Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox, as United are amidst their worst-ever Premier League start.
According to the Guardian there is no indication from within Old Trafford that Ten Hag will be sacked, United’s poor start to the season means the Dutchman’s job is under immense pressure.
Eight points in seven games, including two wins over Fulham and Southampton, and just five goals scored, means 2024-25 is the worst start United have made in three decades.
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Vale Johan Neeskens, ex-Socceroo coach | 02:31
Their next worst start? Last season, when they were one point better off than they currently are.
However, it’s just their abysmal league form that has Ten Hag teetering on the brink of unemployment, with the club’s two Europa League games this season creating cause for immense concern.
Against Ten Hag’s former side, FC Twente of the Eredivisie, United drew 1-1. A week later they let an early 2-0 lead slip against Porto to draw 3-3, with a late Harry Maguire header salvaging a point in Portugal.
After that draw Ratcliffe was quizzed about his manager’s future but insisted his opinion mattered very little when it came to ensuring the Dutchman remained at the helm after the upcoming international break.
“I don’t want to answer that question. I like Erik. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call,” he said.
A draw away at high-flying Aston Villa, who took three points from German giants Bayern Munich midweek, may have, for now, saved United’s powerbrokers from making a call on Ten Hag, according to club great Gary Neville.
Speaking on Sky Sports following the Villa game, Neville described the point as “ a small step forward.”
“Before the game if you’d offered any Manchester United fan, player and coach a draw they would have snapped your hand off.
“I think that’s where at the end (in) Erik Ten Hag’s interview there was probably a bit of relief because it keeps the wolves at bay for a couple of weeks, gives him a little more time.”
The season’s second international break means United don’t play until hosting Brentford on October 20 (AEST). Five days later it’s a trip to Turkey to clash with Fenerbahce, managed by former United top dog Jose Mourinho.
Neville feels United will afford Ten Hag more time to turn his side around and push for Champions League football come season’s end.
“No club wants to sack a manager during the season because it’s not only a reflection upon the manager, it’s a reflection upon them,” he said.
Ashworth made the notable caveat during his public backing of Ten Hag last month that the contract extension the 54-year-old signed during the European summer was “taken prior to both our arrivals.”
Despite this, Neville doubled down on his belief Ten Hag will remain United manager beyond the conclusion of this week’s meeting.
“The club did make the decision to keep Ten Hag in the summer and they don’t want to have to basically reverse that decision (after) six, seven games,” he said, adding how the international break may prove beneficial to the club’s situation.
Coaching change won’t effect Socceroos | 01:11
“They’ve just got to hope in these next couple of weeks through maybe a reset, some thinking time, some planning,” he said.
“Manchester United fans, coaches and players have talked about this new structure that surrounds Erik Ten Hag, it needs to go to work quite quickly in these next few weeks.
“If the next international break (in mid-November) comes around and Manchester United are still 13th, 14th, there’s going to be pressure building.
“They can’t stay 14th without repercussions.”
Speaking following the Villa draw, Ten Hag showed minimal concern about his job, revealing he is in constant contact with those above him in the club’s structure.
“We communicate very openly and transparently. I speak continuously with them. Every week, I would say every day, we talk, so I expect I will speak with them,” he said.
United’s manager also feels his side’s form is largely due to their poor goalscoring abilities, which has seen them find the back of the net just five times this season, less than any other side in the English top flight.
In many ways, Ten Hag is correct with the club’s 17 big chances missed this season the second most of any side in the division.
“We know in this moment we have a lack of goals, in that perspective it’s not a good start, we have to step up,” Ten Hag said after the Villa game.
“That’s an area we have to improve. But we have four clean sheets. That’s good because we have to defend proper.”
However, several prominent football clubs believe a lack of goal threat is just one of the issues at United, with the likes of Jamie Carragher and Les Ferdinand believing the club have stagnated under Ten Hag.
“No we’re not (seeing any signs of improvement.) For him, he needs results right now,” Carragher told Sky Sports ahead of the weekend’s Villa draw.
Former Spurs and Newcastle striker Ferdinand agreed, telling that same broadcaster’s post-game coverage that United’s performances are flatlining.
“(Ten Hag) keeps talking about improvement, improvement, improvement (and) we’re struggling to see that improvement,” Ferdinand said.
Ange ‘shell shocked’ after ‘worst loss’ | 01:11
“It’s easy to stand here and hammer Manchester United because during my playing career they were the benchmark. At the moment, they’re not the benchmark.”
Gary Lineker told the Rest Is Football podcast that he feels Ten Hag’s lack of consistent tactical approach has hindered United’s ability to maximise their output in the transfer market.
Over the summer window, United brought in six players for more than $328 million AUD, none of whom have set the world alight since moving to Old Trafford. Lineker believes Ten Hag is to blame for this reality.
“I think it’s very difficult to buy a player for Erik ten Hag because he plays a different system all the time. Sometimes they’re counter-attacking, sometimes they’ll play a little bit of a high press. Sometimes they won’t,” he said.
“We’ve said it many times on here. What is their style of football? What is their identity?”
The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell also questioned United’s transfer strategy following Ten Hag’s selection of Maguire and Jonny Evans as his centre backs against Villa.
Whitwell stated those decisions “somewhat undermines the club’s recruitment policy.”
Ange watches in horror as Spurs choke | 01:09
United’s bench against Villa, which contained seven Ten Hag-era signings, acquiried for around £400 million, was described as “striking” by Whitwell, who commented how strange it was to see “several recruits brought in by Ten Hag considered only necessary for cameo appearances when the pressure dial is turned up.”
All these factors will likely be considered and assessed by the United hierarchy at their upcoming executive summit, with current assistant coach and legendary Manchester United striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy is reportedly the club’s preferred caretaker should they opt to sack Ten Hag.
But, one potential barrier to United parting with the Dutchman is the £17.5m ($34m) payout the club would need to fork out should they opt to venture down that path, which has been reported in several outlets including the Mirror.
Another season has come and gone as Manchester City made history by becoming the first team to win four-straight Premier League titles.
In a campaign in which the most goals were scored in a season since the mid-1960s, Guardiola’s side pipped Arsenal to the post yet again to make it six league titles from the last seven.
It was significantly less successful for Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United as the promoted trio were sent straight back to the Championship in what was a 26-year first.
Sandwiched between City and Sheffield United were a host of teams who all defied, met or fell way below pre-season expectations.
Foxsports.com.au takes a look at how EVERY team went in our Premier League Report Card!
If ever there was a fitting song to describe Arsenal’s season, look no further than Linkin Park’s classic, In The End.
Mikel Arteta’s side really did try oh-so-hard and they got oh-so-far.
But in the end, it didn’t even matter because ultimately no-one remembers who came second.
However, to summarise Arsenal’s season by just a few lyrics is an immense disservice to the way they improved significantly on last year’s efforts.
Granted, the Gunners shelled out a whopping $AUD199 million to sign Declan Rice, but there was a reason Mikel Arteta was desperate to snap up the former West Ham skipper.
Same goes for Kai Havertz, who defied his famous chant and proved to his detractors the $113m Arsenal spent on him did not go down the drain with 13 league goals.
There’s a sense of what might’ve been had summer recruit Jurrien Timber not been injured and the impact he’d have had on Arsenal’s backline too.
It has been a tremendous season for Arsenal as they accrued more points, scored more goals and conceded fewer than they did in 2022/23.
However, a grim run in December in which the Gunners won three of seven league games coupled with a costly 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa in April is what ultimately derailed their title bid.
The loss to Villa will sting given Arsenal could and should have been out of sight in the first half, if not for some dreadful finishing.
Regardless, Arteta’s side will be better off for the experience from another title charge and one senses a first Premier League trophy since 2003/04 is not far off.
Grade: A
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Aston Villa (4th, 68 pts, +15)
The sleeping giant is finally awake.
After 41 years, Aston Villa is back among Europe’s elite thanks to a top four finish, a predicament very few outside of those at Bodymoor Heath would have thought was achievable.
But under Unai Emery, Villa have transformed into a team that makes the impossible become possible.
What makes the Spaniard’s revolution even more impressive is he has not had to make significant surgery on the squad, with Youri Tielemans (free), Moussa Diaby ($98m) and Pau Torres ($59m) arriving in the summer.
Emery has instead drastically improved the players already at his disposal, including the likes of midfield duo Boubacar Kamara and Douglas Luiz as well as fleet-footed winger Leon Bailey.
But the most notable example of Emery waving his magic wand on a player is with Ollie Watkins, who scored 19 goals and led the Premier League with 13 assists.
Emery has also had to overcome significant challenges in his first full season with Villa.
Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia, two starting players last season, suffered season-ending injuries before the season began while Kamara tore his ACL in February, exposing Villa’s lack of depth.
Throw in a run to the European Conference League semi-finals and it’s staggering how this squad held on for as long as they did in the race for a Champions League spot.
Yet this is a team who played Manchester City off the park in a 1-0 victory in December and did the double over Arsenal, showcasing just how freakishly good this team is when on song.
Next season will be an even bigger challenge but, as Emery and his merry band of Villa troops have proven, nothing can be out of the question.
Unai Emery has been arguably the manager of the season.Source: Getty Images
Bournemouth (12th, 48 pts, -13)
Stories of Andoni Iraola’s sacking were being written after Bournemouth’s 6-1 defeat to Manchester City in November, the club’s seventh loss in the first 11 games.
But the Cherries, who sat in the relegation zone and were among several pundits’ tips to go down despite a summer spend of $212 million, decided to stick with the Spaniard.
Boy, did it pay off.
The loss to City sparked a staggering run of six wins in Bournemouth’s next seven, including victories over Newcastle and Manchester United, as pressure eased off Iraola.
Key to this run was star striker Dominic Solanke, who went on to record his best goalscoring season in the Premier League with a final tally of 19.
Iraola’s intense high press was pivotal for Solanke and the Cherries’ goalscoring fortunes as a whole, failing to score in just three games from January onwards and even then, those games were against Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Defensive improvement will be required from Bournemouth if they are to rise higher on the ladder and go beyond the 48-point mark, the club’s highest total in the top flight.
But under Iraola, who recently signed a new deal to stay with Bournemouth until at least the end of the 2025/26 season and is a nominee for manager of the season, it feels like the Cherries are on the verge of something special.
Grade: B+
Dominic Solanke had a brilliant season in front of goal.Source: Getty Images
Brentford (16th, 39 pts, -9)
The big pre-season question on everyone’s minds when it came to Brentford was how they would fare without superstar striker Ivan Toney and his 20 league goals, at least until January.
The answer? Not very well.
Thomas Frank’s side sat as high as 9th in early November, but after a 3-2 win over West Ham, results took a nosedive.
The Bees won just three games and lost an alarming 14 across an 21-game stretch from November to mid-April.
It was hoped Toney’s return from a gambling ban would ease the burden on Brentford’s forwards and at first he did, scoring four goals in his first five games back.
But that was as good as it got for the star striker, with the Bees largely relying on Congolese winger Yoanne Wissa for goals.
Three wins in Brentford’s last six games ensured Frank’s troops would avoid being sucked into a relegation battle but the Dane knows a similar slump in form could be more costly next season.
Grade: D
Ivan Toney’s gambling ban had a huge impact on Brentford’s season.Source: Getty Images
Brighton (11th, 48 pts, -7)
A season that began with such so promise for the Seagulls ended with little more than a whimper.
With a Europa League campaign to contend with as well as the departures of Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Robert Sanchez, enigmatic Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi had his work cut out for him.
But concerns about how De Zerbi would cope without the star trio were initially alleviated as the club won five of its first six games, including victories over Newcastle and Manchester United.
However, that winning feeling largely deserted Brighton for the remainder of the season as De Zerbi struggled to keep the side humming on multiple fronts, finishing with seven defeats from the final 12 league games.
There was also a lack of consistency between the sticks as summer recruit Bart Verbruggen and Jason Steele battled to be the starting goalkeeper, the last position that needs constant chopping and changing.
In fairness, Brighton were dealt a horrible hand with injuries with the likes of Solly March, Julio Enciso, Kaoru Mitoma and Adam Webster among others missing large chunks of the season.
De Zerbi also cut a frustrated figure in the media and struggled to deal with constant speculation linking him to bigger clubs as Brighton ultimately elected to mutually split with the Italian.
Time will tell if a fully fresh Brighton can get back to the heights they initially scaled under De Zerbi.
Grade: C-
Fans were grateful for Roberto De Zerbi, but his Brighton time came to a poor end.Source: Getty Images
Burnley (19th, 24 pts, -37)
Fresh off a Championship season in which they finished first with 101 points and lost only three games, some predicted Vincent Kompany’s Burnley side to be one of the surprise packages of the season.
And in some ways, maybe they were a bit of a surprise. But only in how bad they were.
Kompany quickly learned his possession-heavy approach simply would not work in the Premier League as Burnley were time-and-time-again sliced open by their rivals.
Burnley won just a solitary game before December as points deductions to Everton and Nottingham Forest was all that kept them in with a shout of a miraculous survival effort.
The Clarets’ transfer dealings were also questionable as they failed to properly replace Nathan Tella and Ian Maatsen, who accounted for 32 goal involvements in the Championship.
Instead, Kompany elected to bring in several young faces into the team who had little to no Premier League experience and it backfired spectacularly.
Burnley will be one of the favourites for promotion next season and if they achieve that, Kompany — if he is still in the job — knows he cannot afford to make similar mistakes again.
Then again, there’s shock rumours that he might be heading off to Germany to take over Bayern Munich. Stranger things have happened.
Grade: F
Burnley’s season was a disaster, but their coach might be rewarded for the flop with a cushy new gig.Source: AFP
Chelsea (6th, 63 pts, +14)
Now, there’s two ways one can look at Chelsea’s season.
They finished with 19 more points than they did in 22/23 — the biggest improvement of any team — as Cole Palmer emerged as one of the brightest talents in the Premier League with 22 goals and 11 assists.
New boss Mauricio Pochettino also guided the team home to a sixth-place finish, bringing European football back to Stamford Bridge after a season without it.
Chelsea also made it to the League Cup final and the semi finals of the FA Cup.
Sounds decent, right?
Then you remember this is the same Chelsea who forked out $828 million on recruits in the summer — a Premier League record for a single window — and were well on track for a mid-table finish, if not for a five-game win streak to round out the season.
Sections of Blues fans called for Pochettino’s head, Nicolas Jackson had more yellow cards than goals for a brief period and the club suffered embarrassing defeats to Nottingham Forest, Wolves as well as a 5-0 thumping against Arsenal.
We’ve opted for the more optimistic approach because this is an awfully young Chelsea squad and although it took quite some time for them to hit their straps, they showed what they’re capable of in the final third of the season.
But how will they cope under yet another new manager next season?
Chelsea’s Argentinian head coach Mauricio Pochettino has been punted.Source: AFP
Crystal Palace (10th, 49 pts, -1)
Whisper it quietly, but Crystal Palace might actually be fun.
As the Eagles sleepwalked towards relegation under Roy Hodgson, the club wielded the axe on the 76-year-old and brought in former Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner on February 19.
What a masterstroke it proved to be.
Glasner, who took over at Selhurst Park with Palace sitting 15th but perilously close to the bottom three, immediately brought a sense of excitement back to the club.
He found a way to re-energise Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise who, when on song, are two of the most electrifying talents in the Premier League.
But most impressive was Glasner’s ability to unlock a whole new level in Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Prior to Glasner’s arrival, Mateta had scored just 10 goals from 79 league appearances for the Eagles.
But the Frenchman transformed into a completely different player once Glasner took over, scoring 14 goals in 14 games.
Glasner won seven and lost just three games from his 14 in charge, with a memorable run of six victories from the final seven fixtures of the season sparking the most immaculate of vibes among the Palace fanbase.
If Palace can keep a hold of Eze, Mateta and Olise in the summer, there’s no reason why this team can’t kick on next season.
Grade: B-
Palace turned into a thrilling attacking side, and there’s plenty of optimism for next season.Source: Getty Images
Everton (15th, 40 pts, -11)
If there was a Premier League equivalent to Rocky Balboa, it’s Everton.
You can knock them down as many times as you like and throw haymakers until kingdom come, but the Toffees just won’t go quietly into the night.
Everton were slapped with an initial ten-point deduction in November for breaking the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), dropping them into the relegation zone.
Those ten points were reduced to six in February upon appeal, but a second PSR breach resulted in a further two-point deduction in April.
Oh, and don’t forget the messy takeover saga with 777 Partners which still looks no closer to being ratified amid concerns over the group’s finances.
Having flirted with relegation the previous two seasons, it was feared the initial deduction might have been a mountain too high to climb for Sean Dyche’s side.
A 13-game winless streak from late December to April exacerbated those fears even more, but Dyche is no stranger to a relegation fight and knows exactly what was needed to steer the team to safety.
Roared on by a rabid fanbase desperate to survive and stick the proverbial finger at the Premier League, Everton went on to win five of their last eight — including a 2-0 victory over arch rivals Liverpool — to secure safety.
One of the most impressive aspects about Everton this season is how strong their defending had been, with their tally of 51 goals conceded bettered only by Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.
If Dyche can find a way to get the Toffees firing up front and maintain that defensive steel, Everton should enjoy a relatively drama-free 24/25 season.
Grade: C
Five wins from their last eight games ensured Everton’s survival, but it was another messy season.Source: Getty Images
Fulham (13th, 47 pts, -6)
Some feared the worst for Fulham when talismanic striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and his 14 league goals departed for the vast riches on offer in Saudi Arabia.
Why? Well, Fulham’s next highest goalscorers behind Mitrovic were Willian and Carlos Vinicius with just five goals each.
Raul Jimenez joined in the summer but struggled to fill Mitrovic’s boots and had his campaign derailed by injury.
Even though Jimenez was billed as Mitrovic’s replacement, it turned out to be Brazilian forward Rodrigo Muniz who stepped up when the Cottagers needed a hero.
The Brazilian enjoyed a stunning run of form in February and March, scoring eight goals in as many matches to show he belongs at Premier League level.
Alex Iwobi also proved to be a shrewd summer recruit, driving Fulham up the field with slaloming runs and picking out intelligent passes.
Considering Mitrovic’s importance and the goals he brought, Marco Silva has done well to keep Fulham up with relative ease.
But will Cottagers fans accept another season of mid table mediocrity?
Grade: C-
The Klopp era has ended at Anfield.Source: Getty Images
Liverpool (3rd, 82 pts, +45)
It was going so, so well for Liverpool.
Even as late as April 4, Jurgen Klopp’s side sat on top of the Premier League.
But the Reds just simply ran out of steam, winning just three of their final eight games to slip away in the title race.
If anything, Liverpool’s late collapse mirrored Klopp’s reasoning for why he would depart the club at the end of the season, citing he was “running out of energy”.
Granted, Liverpool were dealt a brutal hand when it came to injuries, forcing a number of young stars to step up.
Liverpool’s defensive struggles were also on full display in the second half of the season, keeping just four clean sheets from December 26 onwards.
Unsurprisingly Mohamed Salah was the Reds’ main goalscoring threat but in somewhat alarming scenes, it was his lowest goalscoring return since joining Liverpool with a final tally of 18.
It was still a marked improvement on Liverpool’s 22/23 season in which they finished outside the Champions League places, but some may be wondering what could’ve been in Klopp’s last dance.
As the German rides off into the sunset, or the more fitting weather depiction in Liverpool of grey skies and rain, one must wonder if similar memories are on the horizon or if that’s as good as it may get for some time.
Grade: B+
Klopp’s PERFECT goodbye to Anfield crowd | 01:11
Luton Town (18th, 26 pts, -33)
Just about every fan of the other 19 Premier League teams had Luton Town circled as the one away day they wanted most this season.
Famed for its rather unique entrance for travelling fans in which they enter between townhouses, Luton’s Kenilworth Road is an old, tiny ground, but that’s where its charm lies.
However, it’s an away day that lasted just one season in the Premier League as Luton, unsurprisingly, were relegated.
The Hatters elected not to spend heavy in the summer, opting for sustainability should they end up being relegated rather than recklessly burning cash and needing to deal with an inflated wage bill in the Championship.
Although Luton showed they rarely had issues scoring — shut out in only five games this season — they conceded a whopping 82 goals, the second-most in the Premier League.
It was a valiant effort from Rob Edwards’ troops this season and a run of three wins and two draws from six games across the festive period gave Luton fans hope that maybe, just maybe they’d survive their debut Premier League campaign.
However, 12 losses in Luton’s 16 games sucked the life out of their survival efforts as the gulf in quality ultimately proved too large.
Grade: D-
EPL Wrap: City CHAMPIONS again! | 03:10
Manchester City (1st, 91 pts, +62)
Once again we’ve reached the end of the Premier League season and once again Manchester City are champions.
This year’s triumph made it a record fourth-straight league title for Pep Guardiola’s side, highlighting the vice-like grip they have on the Premier League trophy.
Although City had a few wobbles in the first half of the campaign, they did not lose a single match after a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on December 6.
City also had to cope without superstar playmaker Kevin de Bruyne for half of the season after suffering a hamstring injury in the opening match against Burnley while goalscoring freak Erling Haaland also spent time on the sidelines.
But Guardiola’s side found a way to overcome every challenge as English midfielder Phil Foden enjoyed his best season yet, scoring 19 goals and delivering eight assists in the Premier League.
Yes, City have 115 charges of breaching the PSR rules hanging over their head, leaving many to view their accomplishments with a big asterisk.
Yet until any punishment comes from that, we can only marvel at this unprecedented dominance from the best manager and one of the best teams in world football at the moment.
Grade: A
City players URGE fans to hold off | 01:21
Manchester United (8th, 60 pts, -1)
It was a season of unwanted records for Manchester United.
A lowest-ever Premier League finish. Their most losses in a league season. The most goals they’d conceded in a single Premier League season.
In fact, the Red Devils conceded more shots (668) than the infamous Derby County side of 2007/08 did (630). Yes, that Derby side that won just one game all season.
They’re not entirely exiled from European football just yet, as a win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final would secure a berth in the Europa League.
But that is not a reward Erik ten Hag’s side deserve one bit.
Marcus Rashford and Casemiro looked a complete shadow of the forces they were last season while a disjointed backline caused chaos, with Leicester City discard Jonny Evans drafted in to save the day.
The emergence of teenage midfielder Kobbie Mainoo was undoubtedly the brightest spot of Manchester United’s season while Alejandro Garnacho continues to impress.
But the less said about this United season, the better.
Grade: C-
Rashford LEFT OUT of Euro squad | 01:17
Newcastle (7th, 60 pts, +23)
If you tuned in to a Newcastle game this season, you were, quite literally, guaranteed goals.
A team that scored four or more goals in a single match on ten occasions, the Magpies ended the season with a whopping tally of 85 goals scored.
Alexander Isak enjoyed a stunning season in which he scored 20 goals from 28 league appearances, while Anthony Gordon made himself undroppable with his impressive displays.
But at the other end of the field, the club took a major step backwards.
Having conceded just 33 goals last season, Eddie Howe’s side shipped 62 goals.
However, the team was decimated by injuries this season, with an alarming 258 games missed by players due to injury.
There’s also the small sideshow of Sandro Tonali, who was the club’s marquee summer signing but copped a 10-month ban for breaching Italian betting regulations.
Newcastle also had to contend with a Champions League campaign, which tested the club’s depth levels.
Although Newcastle suffered some patchy runs of form throughout the season, Howe deserves plenty of plaudits for guiding the Magpies to Europe once again, even if it is the Europa Conference League and dependent on Manchester City winning the FA Cup.
Grade: B
Alexander Isak had one hell of a season.Source: Getty Images
Nottingham Forest (17th, 32 pts, -18)
Nottingham Forest must be incredibly grateful for how badly the three promoted teams struggled this season, otherwise they would have been in serious strife.
After yet another big summer window, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis had high expectations of Steve Cooper and his squad but they simply weren’t met in the first half of the season.
A 2-0 loss to Tottenham brought an end to the well-liked Cooper’s time at the City Ground as Marinakis brought in former Wolves boss Nuno Esperito Santo.
The Portuguese manager didn’t exactly transform the clubs fortunes but he did enough to ensure Forest stayed up, even though the club copped a four-point deduction for PSR breaches.
The brightest spot of Nottingham’s was the emergence of Brazilian defender Murillo, who joined in the summer from Corinthians, as the club faces a fight to keep him next season.
Although Forest’s on-field performance may have been lacking, they were box office entertainment off it.
An eagle-eyed fan spotted Marinakis’ accreditation nestled in the bushes of someone’s front garden in Fulham, presumably hurled in frustration having seen Forest lose 5-0.
Then there were the accusations Stuart Atwell, the VAR operator for Forest’s 2-0 loss to Everton, was a Luton Town fan after the team had a number of penalty shouts turned down.
A less chaotic campaign both on and off the field surely isn’t too much for Forest fans to ask for, right?
Grade: D
Murillo deservedly won the club’s Player of the Year for a brilliant season, but he could be out the door with bigger clubs circling.Source: Getty Images
Sheffield United (20th, 16 pts, -69)
If there’s one small comfort Sheffield United fans can take from this season, it’s that they weren’t worse than the 2007/07 Derby County side.
However, the Blades’ tally of 104 goals conceded is 15 more than Derby shipped, so it’s still rather grim.
In fact, Sheffield United lost a game by five or more goals a staggering seven times.
Regardless, Sheffield United will want to forget this season ever happened.
Practically doomed from the start with a squad weaker than what it was in the Championship, the sales of Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye made the Blades an easy choice to come last.
The club’s summer recruits also didn’t exactly inspire much confidence either given they were largely young players who had never played in the Premier League.
Paul Heckingbottom got sacked after a 5-0 loss to Burnley, leading to Chris Wilder making a surprise return to Bramall Lane.
But not even Wilder, who worked miracles when he got the Blades promoted in 2019, could muster any magic as Sheffield United trudged towards their inevitable fate.
Grade: Expelled
The Blades were truly atrocious this campaign.Source: Getty Images
Tottenham (5th, 66 pts, +13)
Not many would have given Ange Postecoglou a chance of overseeing an improved season from Tottenham Hotspur.
Throw in the exit of superstar striker Harry Kane and many feared the worst for the Aussie boss.
Instead, Postecoglou rolled up his sleeves, spent wisely in the transfer market and had his players quickly adapting to his all-action, high intensity style of play.
The Aussie brought an excitement factor to a team that had been devoid of any joy on the field for some time, even overseeing a ten-match unbeaten run which had Tottenham on top of the ladder.
However, injuries soon exposed Tottenham’s alarming lack of depth and it sparked a mid-season wobble as Postecoglou attempted to right the ship.
Although ambitions of a top four spot fell away with a horror run of five defeats in the final seven games, this season shouldn’t be viewed as anything but a success.
After all, it’s typically during the second season when Postecoglou really shines with his team.
Grade: A-
Ange Postecoglou entertained Spurs fans with a thrilling season … but there should be more to come.Source: Getty Images
West Ham United (9th, 52 pts, -14)
Grade: B-
After a difficult 2022-23 league campaign saw them manage just 40 points and a 14th-placed finish (partly down to focusing on the Europa Conference League, which they won), this year was another slog – even if they bounced back up the Premier League ladder.
It was always going to be hard this season after losing superstar skipper Declan Rice to Arsenal for £100 million plus bonuses.
In truth, they never really managed to mitigate that loss. Defensively, they were very poor: the third-most xG against, the third-most shots on target against, and a whopping 74 goals conceded. They clearly missed Rice’s defensive protection.
On the other hand, there were strong signs up front. For a team without a genuine striker, Jarrod Bowen banged in 20 goals in all competitions, their most by any player since 2004-05.
Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus were excellent, the latter becoming one of the breakout stars of the season and almost guaranteed to move to a bigger club in the off-season.
Manager David Moyes has turned West Ham into a solid, reliable unit in his last four-and-a-half years. A ninth-placed finish that sees a manager leave, and yet the fans are happy to see him go? It’s proof of how far he’s taken the Hammers.
Yet after a handful of gruelling seasons with European commitments placing an additional drain on players, his preference for a small squad proved his downfall.
Moyes started just 20 different players in the league, and made the fewest substitutions of any manager.
In the end, his team just ran out of legs – and their small squad means incoming manager Julen Lopetegui has a big transfer window ahead of him.
There were great moments for the Hammers, but another hectic schedule took its toll.Source: Getty Images
Wolves (14th, 46 pts, -15)
Grade: C+
Speaking of Lopetegui, remember when he left Wolves less than a week before the start of the season?
The Spanish manager had guided Wolves from a relegation scrap to a 13th-place finish in the space of seven months before walking out the door over a lack of spending on the squad.
Wolves were forced to sell a host of players to meet financial fair play rules and were widely predicted to be relegated.
In short, they were an absolute shambles. No wonder Lopetegui wanted out.
Wolves were left with a ridiculously thin squad, which injuries exposed – especially when they won just one of their last 10 games.
But they nevertheless achieved the most important things: they avoided a financial fair play punishment and balanced the books, ensured safety from relegation two months before the end of the season, and Gary O’Neil got the most out of just about every player at his disposal.
Just ignore their dire collapse in the last two months, and things seem a little bit more rosy.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has vowed to ‘keep fighting’ despite his side staring down the barrel of a worst-ever Premier League finish after a 4-0 thumping by Crystal Palace.
A makeshift centre-half pairing of Casemiro and Jonny Evans was torn apart by Palace, with Casemiro suffering one of the worst performances of his stellar career.
United has now lost 13 games in the league this season, their most ever in the Premier League era, and their 81 goals conceded across all competitions – so far – is the worst since 1976-77.
They need to either finish in the top seven or beat Manchester City to secure qualification for European football next season, something that is looking increasingly unlikely given their dismal recent form. It would be just the second time since 1989/90 that United have failed to qualify for continental competition.
Little wonder Ten Hag’s hopes of remaining in charge next season increasingly appear untenable.
“It’s clear and it’s obvious this is underperforming,” said Ten Hag. “We didn’t act how we want to do it and this is by far not good enough.”
Asked if he’s the right man to take the side forward, he replied: “Absolutely.
“If we have the right players available we have a good squad but we miss almost the whole backline and then we have problems.
“I will keep fighting and I prepared the team in the best way I could do. It was not good enough, by far not good enough, so I have to take the responsibility for that but I will find the energy and I will prepare them for Sunday.”
Manchester United’s Dutch manager Erik ten Hag was furious at his team’s dismal performance.Source: AFP
But Ten Hag was lashed by Liverpool great Jamie Carragher after the match, while even two Manchester United legends said the Dutchman must be sacked.
So far, Ten Hag has been spared due to British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe taking a minor ownership stake and control of the football department mid-season, leading to a sweeping review of the entire organisation with a view to long-term adjustments.
The raft of injuries facing the side has played a factor – as has the lack of elite coaches currently out of work.
But Michael Owen said the side will get “annihilated” by City in the FA Cup final and declared Ten Hag could be sacked immediately, adding he “simply cannot manage the team next season.”
It was a dire performance from United – especially out-of-position Casemiro (C).Source: Getty Images
“I’ve said it for a long time that Ten Hag is not the right man for this job, I’ve been saying it for ages and ages,” Owen told Premier League Productions after the game.
“He cannot, simply cannot, manage the team next season.
“I almost wonder now, they’ve got a cup final and they’ve got a few important games that could mean European football next year or not.
“At some point you’ve got to make a decision, they’re going to get absolutely hammered by Manchester City [in the FA Cup final], they’re going to get annihilated, in fact, Arsenal will smash them to bits at Old Trafford, Newcastle will probably beat them and I wouldn’t even fancy them going to Brighton either. They might not get anything out of the rest of the season, playing like that.
“I just wonder there’s just so much at stake, even if it’s only for four games, I wonder whether the board might just have to try to do something here and now and be quite radical about it.
“He cannot, simply cannot, manage this team next season. He’s not good enough. I’ve thought it for ages, and he’s just not good enough to manage Manchester United.”
His former United teammate Paul Scholes was similarly brutal, calling it the “final nail in the coffin”.
Injuries forced United into a makeshift backline, but there was no excuse for their lack of effort elsewhere.Source: Getty Images
“That was tough to watch,” said the ex-United midfielder. “That could have been 7-0.”
“But tonight felt like the final nail in the coffin, really,” he added.
“There was a lack of know-how from the team, a lack of effort which is the big disappointing thing.
“It felt like the end. If it is the end, I’m not sure what’s out there at the minute.
“I’ve felt he might get another year and work for a club that has calmed down a little bit by the new owners but it just doesn’t feel like it now … I think the problems are there anyway, it’s quite plain to see it feels like borrowed time.
“Watching that performance tonight, sometimes you get those performances where you think, ‘this is the end’. That almost felt like it. I remember Ole Gunnar [Solskjaer] at Watford away. It felt very similar to me, it just fell at the end.
“But what do you do for the last four games? You’ve got a big cup final. You can’t see where a win is coming from. They can’t beat Burnley at home.”
The pair agreed that respected assistant coach Steve Maclaren should take charge of the final four games.
Owen added: “That team is absolutely clueless, right the way through it. There’s not one thing I think works in that team. I don’t rate anything about it … They’re going to get smashed out of the ball park by every team playing like that today.
“Manchester City are going to demoralise them at Wembley in front of millions of people, it’s just embarrassing how they’re playing, something’s got to change, I know it’s going to change in the summer but I think it’s got to change now.
“There’s European football next year, this is a trophy.”
Moyes shown the door at West Ham | 00:36
Meanwhile Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher slammed Ten Hag, saying even the club’s under-23 team would have performed better.
“This is one of the most poorly coached teams in the Premier League,” Carragher said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
“That is a fact. That is not an opinion. That is a fact. The numbers tell you that when you see them bottom of the league defensively (in terms of shots conceded), lower than Sheffield United.
“I struggled to see how United would win tonight but I thought Palace would win one or two nil. No Manchester United team should be getting beaten 4-0 by Crystal Palace.
“Manchester United’s U23 team, if they are at Manchester United, have come through their academy, have been coached and taught to play, I would still not expect them to lose 4-0.
“I have never been a manager or a coach but I have been a player and I have been coached by top coaches and some of the things that I see are just wrong.”
United next face Arsenal before clashes with Newcastle and Brighton to conclude their league season, before Ten Hag’s last chance saloon arrives with the FA Cup final against City at the end of the month.
Crystal Palace heaped even more misery on Manchester United as the Red Devils slipped to a humiliating 4-0 defeat at Selhurst Park.
The loss dropped Erik ten Hag’s side down to eighth on the ladder, meaning they would not qualify for European football unless they defeat Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
The four goals conceded to Palace also took United’s total tally of goals conceded across all competitions to 81, the most they have shipped since the 1976/77 campaign.
Michael Olise began the scoring for the hosts in the 12th minute before in-form striker Jean-Philippe Mateta doubled his side’s advantage in the 40th minute with a stunning solo effort.
Picking the ball up from defender Chris Richards, Mateta ran at United centre back Jonny Evans before unleashing a powerful strike past Andre Onana at his near post.
The goal was Mateta’s 10th in his last 14 league games and was also the sixth-straight home match in which he’d scored in.
Things didn’t get much better for United in the second half as Tyrick Mitchell scored Palace’s third in the 58th minute.
Manchester United’s season goes from bad to worse. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Olise then bagged his second of the match just eight minutes later when he fired past Onana from the edge of the penalty area after Daniel Munoz had robbed Casemiro of the ball in United’s defensive third.
It was somewhat of a bizarre goal to concede given the ball landed in the middle of the net, sparking questions about Onana’s positioning.
The loss to Palace means United have now won just one of their last seven league games, which was a 4-2 victory over last-placed Sheffield United.
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes described it as “tough to watch”.
As for the Eagles, it is their fourth win in their last five as they look to build momentum ahead of next season under German boss Oliver Glasner.
Manchester United could have just two centre-backs available for Liverpool following Jonny Evans’ injury.
The veteran defender was brought on to replace Raphael Varane for the second half of their 4-3 defeat to Chelsea on Thursday night before making an exit on 66 minutes.
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Evans’ appearance against Chelsea was brief due to injuryCredit: Getty
Evans had to go off injured, with Willy Kambwala replacing him for the rest of the match.
Barring anymore injury issues, he and Harry Maguire could be the only centre-backs available for United to face Liverpool on Sunday.
Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof have both been ruled out of action for a month, with Erik ten Hag’s resources limited.
United beat Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals at the end of March, so the Reds will be gunning for revenge over their rivals.
Jurgen Klopp’s side sit top of the Premier League table, two points ahead of Arsenal and three clear of Manchester City.
Ten Hag’s side have the chance to derail Liverpool’s title chances, but a depleted defence will be a cause for concern for them.
The Reds’ 70 goals is the second highest tally in the Premier League this season, just two shy of Arsenal on top spot.
United have conceded 42 league goals throughout the campaign and this could be set to increase at the weekend.
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Maguire could be United’s only senior centre-back against LiverpoolCredit: Getty
They are chasing the final top four spot that is currently occupied by Aston Villa, with Tottenham also in contention.
United are set for a worse final standing than last season when they finished third but qualification for Europe is still on the cards.
However their defeat to Chelsea, which saw them concede two goals from Cole Palmer in stoppage-time, could impact their prospects.
A win against Liverpool is now a must, although it will be far from easy with their injury crisis in defence.
Erik ten Hag has confirmed that both Marcus Rashford and Jonny Evans are available for Manchester United this weekend.
The Red Devils face Everton on Saturday lunchtime in the hope of bouncing back from their 3-1 derby day defeat to Manchester City.
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Rashford will return to action for Man United this weekendCredit: Getty
Back-to-back losses against the Citizens and Fulham have seen United‘s top four hopes take a huge blow.
Sitting in sixth spot, they sit six points behind Tottenham in fifth, while United trail fourth-placed Aston Villa by a whopping 11 points.
And with Spurs and Villa to face off on Sunday, Ten Hag knows his side must capitalise with one of their rivals to drop points in the race to secure Champions League football.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed that two of his players started the Manchester derby while injured.
The Red Devils boss was speaking after his side were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, revealing that Marcus Rashford and Jonny Evans were playing through the pain.
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Ten Hag gave an update on two of his players post-matchCredit: Getty
United took the lead in the game through a stunner from Rashford but they were not able to hold on.
Away from the injuries, Ten Hag wasn’t too displeased with his side’s performance as a whole though and remained positive about their chances of getting a Champions League place.
He told Sky Sports:“This year we are really progressing and you have to get some points back.
“Everyone can beat everyone and things can quickly turn around.
“Number five [fifth position in the league] can also be a position for Champions League so we have to fight for it!”
Rasmus Hojlund made Premier League history as the Manchester United striker’s double ensured his side survived a scare from lowly Luton in their 2-1 win on Sunday.
Hojlund became the youngest player to score in six consecutive Premier League games after netting twice in the first seven minutes at Kenilworth Road.
At 21 years 14 days old, Hojlund surpassed Newcastle midfielder Joe Willock’s previous record set when he was 21 years 272 days old.
After failing to score in his first 14 Premier League appearances following his August move from Atalanta, Hojlund has scored eight times in his last eight games in all competitions.
Hojlund’s brace should have put United in complete control, but Luton fought back impressively as Carlton Morris quickly reduced the deficit.
Erik ten Hag’s side were under siege for spells and wasted several chances to kill off fourth-bottom Luton in a tense finale.
Sixth placed United’s fourth consecutive league victory moved them within five points of fourth placed Aston Villa in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
For long periods during a difficult season, that target has seemed beyond United, but Hojlund’s prolific form has given them renewed hope.
With just 37 seconds gone, Hojlund intercepted Amari’i Bell’s dreadful back pass, rounded keeper Thomas Kaminski and slotted into the empty net.
United’s fastest league goal this season was followed by Hojlund’s second in the seventh minute.
When Alejandro Garnacho smashed a volley towards goal from a United corner, the strike hit Hojlund’s chest and deflected into the net.
Hojlund scored a game-winning double against Luton Town. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)Source: AFP
Kaminski saved well from Marcus Rashford, who curled narrowly wide moments later as United looked set to run riot.
But Morris gave Luton an unexpected lifeline in the 14th minute when the burly striker headed in from close-range after Tahith Chong’s shot deflected into his path.
Gabriel Osho should have equalised, but the Luton defender headed wide from a corner.
Morris went closer with a thunderous strike that whistled just wide from the edge of the area after Garnacho carelessly lost possession.
Ten Hag replaced Casemiro and Harry Maguire with Jonny Evans and Scott McTominay at halftime in a bid to stem Luton’s momentum.
Despite the change, Luton pummelled United immediately after the break, with Cauley Woodrow and Chong both threatening an equaliser.
Luton never gave up and Barkley was inches away from spoiling Hojlund’s memorable day in stoppage-time when his header grazed the bar.
There was also a surprise appearance at the game, with pop megastar Harry Styles taking in all the action at Kenilworth Road.
Styles sat next to Luton legend Mick Harford for the game, although the three-time Grammy winner has previously claimed he’s a United fan.
Harry Styles was at Kenilworth Road to take in the match. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Brighton pushed Sheffield United closer to relegation as the Premier League’s bottom club capitulated after Mason Holgate’s dismissal in Sunday’s 5-0 rout at Bramall Lane.
Holgate was sent off early in the first half for the United defender’s ugly foul on Kaoru Mitoma.
Brighton made the most of Holgate’s exit as Facundo Buonanotte and Danny Welbeck struck in quick succession.
Jack Robinson’s second half own goal was followed by Simon Adingra’s late brace, condemning the shambolic Blades to a sixth defeat in their last nine league games.
Chris Wilder’s team are languishing seven points from safety with 13 games left to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
United’s 65 goals conceded in the Premier League this season are the most ever by a side in their first 25 matches in the competition.
A victory at fellow strugglers Luton last weekend had breathed new life into the Blades’ hopes of avoiding relegation.
Yet they reverted to type with a self-inflicted loss that edged them nearer to the drop.
Brighton were winless in their last six Premier League away matches, but they had won 5-2 at Bramall Lane in the FA Cup fourth round in January and ended their barren stretch on their return to Yorkshire.
Brighton smashed five goals past Sheffield United. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
United threatened a goal inside two minutes when James McAtee picked out Jayden Bogle on the edge of the area and his drive was pushed away by Bart Verbruggen.
That proved a crucial moment as Brighton took control.
Wilder’s men were reduced to 10 men in the 13th minute when Holgate’s studs-up high challenge left Mitoma writhing in pain.
Holgate was initially booked but referee Stuart Attwell upgraded his decision to red card after using the pitchside monitor to review the on-loan Everton right-back’s crude foul.
Brighton needed just seven minutes to make their numerical advantage count. United complained that Brighton should not have been given as a corner because the ball appeared to come off Welbeck last.
From the controversial set-piece, Buonanotte made the Blades pay as he scrambled his effort over the line just before it was hacked clear.
Brighton struck again four minutes later, with former Manchester United forward Welbeck lashing high into the net from close-range after Wes Foderingham pushed Mitoma’s shot into his path.
Wilder was left cursing his luck when Ben Osborn’s close-range volley was ruled out by VAR for a tight offside call against the defender.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side wrapped up their second league win of 2024 in the 75th minute when Robinson turned Mitoma’s cross into his own net.
Adingra rubbed salt into United’s wounds with a clinical volley from 10 yards in the 78th minute.
There was still time for Adingra’s deflected effort to loop in over Foderingham in the 85th minute as United surrendered without a fight.
