Big changes needed at Man United - but Ten Hag will need time to bring back glory days

Manchester United’s trophyless season will end on Sunday at Selhurst Park, with the club at sixes and sevens set to finish in sixth or seventh.

Sixth will mean Europa League football next term – which is better suited to United’s current level than Champions League, seventh will be the Europa Conference League. There was a time when United fans used to mock sides like Liverpool for playing Europa League football.

Sunday is a big game against a Crystal Palace side who still have the potential to jump from 13th to ninth in the league, a difference of £18 million in prize money. Palace have a superior goal difference to the teams above them, they’ve taken four points off Manchester City and Arsenal this season and lost only four of their last 16 games.

The last time United picked up so few points in England’s top division was 59 in 1990-91 when the team finished sixth. The final game of that season was away to Palace, who finished third and beat United 3-0. United’s minds were on a European Cup Winners’ Cup final in Rotterdam four days later. There have been no such cup distractions this season with exits from all three cups by March – and all at Old Trafford, too.

Erik ten Hag has been keen to start his new job early after leading Ajax to a third Eredivisie league title in four years, but the first time he’ll work with his new team is scheduled to be at the end of June for an August 6 start to the season.

United will fly to Bangkok on July 8 ahead of their first pre-season friendly against Liverpool on July 12. United’s pre-season training is due to start one week earlier than usual in Manchester – the only reason for that is because the competitive season commences early because of November’s World Cup finals in Qatar.