Erik ten Hag has given Manchester United fans their hardest decision in years

Whatever happens between now and the final shrill of Paul Tierney's whistle at the end of the FA Cup final on June 3, Manchester United's campaign has gone far better than anyone expected.

Exactly a year ago, they were three days short of concluding one of their most forgettable seasons in the club's rich and colourful history. They signed off with a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, meaning they finished the 2021/22 campaign sixth in the table, 13 points adrift of the Champions League places.

Despite the big-money additions of Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, plus Cristiano Ronaldo's return, the Reds, under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, regressed at an alarming rate. The club was in desperate need of leadership and being revitalised.

READ MORE: United cannot afford to fall victim to same Frenkie de Jong trap

Fortunately, Erik ten Hag, who watched from the stands that sunny afternoon at Selhurst Park, had been chosen to oversee the rebuild. Though, as with any long-term project, various bumps in the road and unwanted snags have been encountered along the way, the Dutchman has proven that he was the right man for the job.

A popular choice among the fans at the time of Solskjaer's sacking in November 2021, Ten Hag arrived at United last summer with the ambition of making the club a force again. Though they still have plenty of rungs on the ladder to climb, they are only moving in one direction.

By reintroducing high standards, discipline and an identity - which were key factors that had gone missing in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson years - Ten Hag has put the foundations in place to take the club back to previous heights. The Dutchman, who has taken charge of 58 matches as United manager so