Manchester United win Europa League to secure Champions League place
By Rayna Sidhu
Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Ajax in Stockholm on Wednesday night means that the Red Devils will now be in the Champions League next season, despite finishing sixth in the league.
The Europa League final was not the most thrilling of matches, but that surely won’t matter to Jose Mourinho and his team. He has achieved a difficult feat: securing a Champions League place for next season.
This takes Mourinho’s tally of trophies up to two for the season (three, if you’re counting the Community Shield, which you shouldn’t be). This is quite an impressive outcome for a new manager at any club.
Manchester United will now be in pot two in the group draw. If Liverpool win their play-off, then five Premier League teams will be in the draw – the maximum number of teams allowed from any league.
The league standings also mean that Arsenal and Everton will be the only two teams in the Europa League next season.
Critics have been very vocal in speaking about Mourinho’s first season at Manchester United. But it cannot be denied that he has done well. Finishing 5th in the league is underwhelming for such a talented group of players, but the club itself has been in transition mode since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. Previous managers David Moyes and Louis van Gaal underperformed immensely.
Jose Mourinho’s first season may have gifted the team with trophies, which cannot be overlooked. But United’s season has been about so much more. A team of this size and under this manager must now find a way to progress.
More from The Top Flight
- Barcelona identify Newcastle star as Robert Lewandowski replacement
- Arsenal injury news: Mikel Arteta confirms “rapid” attacker suffered injury
- “600 days” Fans make SHOCK Chelsea revelation – They really are poor
- Arsenal transfer news: Mikel Arteta rivals Manchester United for wonderkid
- Manchester United: Erik ten Hag pinpoints 4 players amid Brighton loss
Mourinho’s defensive tactics can often overshadow the urgency of attacking play. Paul Pogba, for example, is a fantastic player but he has not been at his best this season. Such issues must come down to management.
It was something that became habitual during Mourinho’s later months at Chelsea – he did not best utilise some of his most creative players and they lost their spark. There were many players throughout his Chelsea days who were benched or sold because they did not fit with his style.
What Mourinho needs to realise is this: his style is not perfect and his tactics need to be afforded the same adaptation as he expects from his players.
He has made clear many times that his priority is not playing ‘pretty’ football, but he has also recently admitted that this season has been his toughest as a manager.
"There are lots of poets in football but poets don’t win many titles… I am very happy in my most difficult season as a manager. – The Independent"
The two issues are intertwined when it comes to a team of United’s magnitude. Mourinho has often struggled to organise this talented team. This had led to overwhelming pressure from fans, the media and pundits for him to do more.
For the next season to be successful, he needs to accept that his tactics aren’t best suited to his collection of players. It will surely make his job a bit easier. Competing in the Champions League adds fixture and fitness pressure which is not easily overcome without a sustainable plan.
It is clear that improvements must be made. This also means recognising where the team is weak and making the necessary purchases in the transfer window to ensure depth and reliability.
Next: A review of Everton's first season under Ronald Koeman
Being in the Champions League is a great achievement, but it is a daunting tournament. Each team needs resilience, strong teamwork and leadership to seriously compete. Manchester United have all of these qualities, but need to work on piecing them together.