Manchester United’s FA Cup win will have major ramifications on the Premier League teams playing European football next season. Erik ten Hag’s side beating Manchester City at Wembley was a significant surprise but it was a deserved victory following first half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.
Second half substitute Jeremy Doku scored late on but United were able to hold out to end a turbulent season with a trophy. The triumph will also have an impact on next season with United now to play in the Europa League despite finishing eighth.
A victory over Brighton on the last day of the season put United in a position to qualify for European football, however Newcastle and Chelsea both also winning meant they missed out. However, Ten Hag and his players had one final chance to change that outcome in the FA Cup final.
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Because of their win against Man City, United will join Tottenham in next season’s Europa League. As such, Chelsea will instead now play in the UEFA Conference League, and have to navigate a two-legged play-off to reach the group stages, with seventh-placed Newcastle missing out entirely because of United’s victory.
The lore of having European football and the financial boost of up to £56million that comes with it will be a boost for United heading into next season and the summer transfer window. Despite lifting a trophy for the second successive season, Ten Hag is expected to be sacked by United.
After the game, when asked about his future, Ten Hag insisted he is unsure of whether he will be at the club next season. “I don’t know [if this was my last game] but the only thing I am doing is preparing my team, developing my team, progress my players because for me this is a project. When I came in, it was a mess and we are now better but we are far not where we want to be.”
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is a potential candidate to replace Ten Hag with Mauricio Pochettino, who parted ways with Chelsea just a few days ago, another option being mooted by chiefs at Old Trafford.