Manchester United will head into their final game of the 2024/25 Premier League season against Aston Villa with nothing to play for.
The Red Devils head into the match 16th in the standings. For a club of their stature, a record of 18 defeats in 37 league games is not good enough.
United’s misery was compounded in midweek as they were defeated 1-0 by Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final in Bilbao.
They were the bookmakers’ favourites heading into the game, but produced a dismal performance against a club which hasn’t lifted a trophy since 2008.
The manner of the defeat not only shocked the club’s long-suffering fans but also left many former players scratching their heads in disbelief.
They included Lee Sharpe, who confidently tipped United to beat Tottenham. Speaking exclusively to Man Utd News with courtesy of Coin Poker, Sharpe had refused to contemplate defeat.
However, despite dominating possession, United failed to get on the scoresheet against a team which has struggled defensively throughout the campaign.
The Red Devils will return to Old Trafford for their final fixture of the season. If they win and other results go their way, they could finish 14th in the league.
They face a Villa side who could secure Champions League qualification this weekend. They are one of five clubs battling for the remaining three places.
Just three points cover the teams in third to seventh position in the league, setting up what promises to be a thrilling final day of action.
Villa will fancy their chances of emerging victorious despite winning just once on the last 26 occasions their final league game of the season has come away from home (D7, L18).
They looked on course to drop out of the Champions League race at one point, but have pieced together a strong run of results to remain in contention.
Villa have won nine of their last 11 Premier League games (L2), just one fewer than opponents United have won all season.
A measure of how disappointing United’s season has been can be gleaned from their league goalscoring chart, which is headed by Bruno Fernandes on eight.
The last time the Red Devils failed to have a single player reach double figures in a top-flight campaign was 1973-74 (Sammy McIlroy – 6). They were relegated that season.
While defeating Villa at Old Trafford would matter little in the grand scheme of things, it would demonstrate that the players still have pride in their performances.
None of the squad emerged from the Europa League final with credit, and many of them undoubtedly face uncertain futures at the club.
The jury remains out on United manager Ruben Amorim, whose record of just six wins in 26 league matches is woeful.
However, it is unfair to judge the 40-year-old given that the squad he inherited is completely unsuited to his preferred style of play.
While an argument could be made that he should adapt his tactics to suit the players he has at his disposal, that type of short-term thinking can be dangerous.
Regardless of what happens against Villa on Sunday, the club cannot afford to mess things up during the upcoming summer transfer window.
United will reportedly have a transfer kitty of around £100 million, while player sales could boost that figure significantly.
Primary target Matheus Cunha remains intent on joining the club, and he would be an excellent addition if the club finalises a deal with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
For now, the focus will be on the final fixture against Villa and sounding the final bell on a thoroughly miserable season.
