Manchester United enjoyed a brilliant 2-1 victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final that ensures the Red Devils will compete in the UEFA Europa League next season. It means that Chelsea, who finished sixth in the Premier League, dropped into the Conference League.
Erik ten Hag produced a tactical masterclass to beat Pep Guardiola’s side whose dreams of a Premier League and FA Cup double were shattered. The Reds’ fluid 4-2-2-2 shape worked wonders as they counterattacked City’s high defensive line with break-neck speed and precision.
An exhilarating first half saw United do damage early and control the flow of the game despite limited territory and ball possession. A mistake from Josko Gvardiol gifted United the opener as Stefan Ortega rushed out of his goal to claim an awkward aerial ball and Gvardiol headed the ball over the goalkeeper's head, allowing Alejandro Garnacho to score.
City was shell-shocked and failed to mount a reaction as Kobbie Mainoo then added a second before half-time to well and truly put the game in their favour. Jeremy Doku pulled a goal back late on but City couldn't muster a late comeback.
It is a remarkable achievement for the United manager who had to deal with a crippling amount of injuries and inconsistent performances all season. Ten Hag has now led United to five wins out of as many visits to Wembley Stadium, winning the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup in the process. That will no doubt see a rise in Manchester United ticket sales next season, with many eager to see how the club will fare next term.
The aftermath of that on-field achievement has brought up an administrative logjam after Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS Group paid more than £ 1 billion for a 27.7% stake in the club in December. The ownership group also owns French outfit Nice who have booked their place in the Europa League after finishing fifth in Ligue 1.
UEFA regulations state multiple teams under the same ownership umbrella can play in Europe, but there will be a ban on those teams playing in the same competition. Given that Nice finished fifth in their league compared to United’s eighth, the Reds could be demoted to the Conference League.
This means that Chelsea could be handed a route back into the Europa League if Manchester United fail to prove they are not falling foul of UEFA's multi-club ownership rules.
Clubs have been told they “must prove that, as of June 3 2024, they comply with the rules aimed at ensuring the integrity of the competition, namely the multi-club ownership rule”.
An independent panel will rule on the matter before next season's competition starts in the middle of July with the qualifying rounds.
However, INEOS say they are 'convinced' that the club will be allowed to compete in the Europa League next season. Man United issued a statement saying: 'We are aware of the position of the two clubs and we are in direct dialogue with UEFA.
'We are convinced that we have a solution for next season in Europe.'
UEFA's regulations meant Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise had to alter its ownership structure last season to allow it to compete in the Europa League alongside Brighton, whose owner Tony Bloom was a pivotal figure at both clubs.
Aston Villa and Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes also faced the same scenario in the Europa Conference League.
Elsewhere, Manchester City and Spanish side Girona will have the same issue this summer as part of the City Football Group who have both qualified for next season's Champions League.
There are genuine fears that United could be shunted down to the Conference League because, despite the fact Ratcliffe is only a minority shareholder with less than 30% ownership at Old Trafford, he assumed full control of football operations at the club, including the ability to hire and fire a manager, chief executive, sporting director and other key executives.
Ineos could surrender direct involvement at Nice
Reports indicate that INEOS could look to remove any day-to-day control of Nice and leave the Ligue 1 club as a stand-alone entity with Ratcliffe remaining as the major investor behind the scenes.
This is the best solution as Manchester United needs the most attention considering the amount of upheaval that is needed at the club.
The eighth-place finish in 2023/24 was United's lowest since 1990 and they suffered a Premier League-record 14 defeats. However, the 13th FA Cup triumph not only secured European football for next season but it made Ten Hag the first manager to secure silverware in successive seasons since Sir Alex Ferguson in 2011.
This is why there are new reports that club chiefs are considering retaining Erik ten Hag as their manager for next season. The Dutchman was previously expected to be sacked prior to the cup final, on account of United's failure to qualify for the Champions League.
Par for the course, United officials have assessed several possible successors and held dialogue with intermediaries in recent weeks.
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna was ruled out of the running for the Chelsea job as his preferred destination was rumoured to be a return to United. Now the Northern Irishman is expected to accept a substantial new contract offer with Ipswich Town after leading them back up to the Premier League via successive promotions from League 1.
Chelsea are close to announcing the acquisition of Leicester coach Enzo Maresca as Mauricio Pochettino's successor, with former Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi also on their list of initial targets. Former Chelsea bosses, Thomas Tuchel and Pochettino would nevertheless relish the chance to manage United.
Pochettino has been linked to the Old Trafford hot seat several times over the years and he came reportedly close to getting the job in the summer of 2022 until then-football director John Murtough opted for Ten Hag.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has thus far been coy over offering Ten Hag assurances over his future publicly, despite the manager’s adamance that he has been reassured in private conversations.
Regardless of the club’s dismal league form, the structure above the manager has been more problematic and the new owners are determined to address it with the hiring of the likes of Chief Executive Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth as Sporting Director. Former chief executive Richard Arnold and football director Murtaugh have both left as well as interim chief executive Patrick Stewart and chief financial officer Cliff Baty.
Given the circumstances, it seems allowing Ten Hag to give the playing squad some form of continuity would be the smart decision amidst massive changes elsewhere at the club. The first team is in dire need of some smart recruitment and their current boss might just be the right man to continue his decent work.
